START Project

Paraeducators and other staff have a considerable role in fostering meaningful participation by facilitating engagement in instruction. This webpage provides guidance and resources to promote student engagement, support independence, and uphold high expectations. Explore tools to deepen your understanding of presuming competence and effective communication, and access foundational resources to enhance inclusive instructional practices.

Content aligns with High-Leverage Practices from the Council for Exceptional Children and the Ceedar Center (2022) and Core Competencies for Special Education Paraeducators (CEC, 2024)

The Paraeducator will know the:

• Purposes of supports, services, and specially designed instruction which provide access to the general education curriculum (K3.1)
• General principles of inclusive practices for students with disabilities (K3.3)
• Concepts of differentiated instruction, accommodations, modifications, High Leverage Practices, specially designed instruction (K5.1)(HLP#13)
• Instructional strategies and instructional technology to support the individual student's learning (K5.2) (HLP#13) (HLP#19)
• Effects of paraeducator's proximity and fading of paraeducator support on student engagement, learning, and independence (K3.7) (HLP #14) (HLP #18)
• Purpose of effective teamwork to improve student outcomes (K7.1) (HLP #1) (HLP#4)(HLP#20)

The Paraeducator will learn how to:

• Recognize their role in facilitating student learning by following a written instructional plan provided by the teacher and prepare and organize materials to support teaching and learning as directed by the instructional team (S5.2)(S3.5)( HLP #1) (HLP#7)
• Support students' independence, self-advocacy, positive sense of identity, self-control, and self-reliance under the guidance of the instructional team (S2.1)
• Use knowledge of students' strengths and interests to encourage engagement in varied school and community activities under the guidance of the instructional team (S3.4) (HLP#4)
• Support the use of effective and culturally responsive instructional strategies in literacy and mathematics as directed by the instructional team (S5.4) (HLP #18)
• Communicate relevant information about the student with disabilities to the instructional team (S5.3) (HLP #1)
• Review and reinforce learning activities, essential concepts, and modified content as directed by the instructional team (S5.5) (HLP #13, 14, 15, 16)
• Modify the pace of instruction and provide organizational cues under the guidance of the instructional team (S5.7) (HLP #13)
• Make responsive adjustments to instruction under the guidance of the instructional team (S5.8) (HLP #13) (HLP #18)(HLP #20)
• Provide least intrusive levels of support, fade support, and fade physical proximity from students with disabilities under the guidance of the instructional team (S5.9)
• Provide feedback to students with disabilities regarding their performance under the guidance of the instructional team (S5.10) (HLP#1) (HLP #8) (HLP #22)
• Communicate relevant information about the student with disabilities to the instructional team (S5.3) (HLP #1)
• Practice within one's skill limits and request direction, instruction, guidance, or additional training for new or unfamiliar tasks (S1.8) (HLP#1)
• Provide opportunities and support for children to understand, acquire, and use verbal and nonverbal means to communicate thoughts and feelings under the guidance of the instructional team and support students with disabilities in their use of augmentative and alternative communication devices and other assistive technology under the guidance of the instructional team (S3.10) (S2.5) (HLP #19)
• Adapt the physical environment and modify learning materials and activities as directed by the instructional team (S3.6) (HLP#7) (HLP #17) (HLP #18)

START presents these resources for informational purposes only; no endorsement or recommendation is expressed or implied. Any use of these materials must be premised on the user's own professional judgment as to the appropriateness for their district, community, and student(s), and be undertaken in accordance with all applicable district policy.