Building Professional Capacity among Paraeducators through Onboarding

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Anne Rosenquist ◽  
Nat Hansuvadha
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Public School Districts ◽  
Comprehensive Plan ◽  
Training And Support ◽  
Professional Capacity ◽  
New Hire ◽  
And Training

Many studies have investigated the inadequacy of training and support for special education paraeducators, but few have examined prehire activities or recommended a comprehensive plan to train and hire paraeducators. This quantitative action research study of 267 special education paraeducators and special education teachers was conducted in a large urban school district to address the concern over paraeducators’ lack of knowledge and training and the need to consider these factors when hiring staff in public school districts. Based on themes from the literature and the expertise of an insider, the purpose of the study was to increase the understanding of the relationship between and the perception of the importance of organizational factors, employee knowledge, and training. Results showed that paraeducators are not adequately trained, prefer specific training topics, and recognize that factors and knowledge affect job performance. The researchers then created a formal institutionalized onboarding program for new hire paraeducators based on a change management model. Immediate implementation recommendations, along with an onboarding plan and checklist, are included for school districts and their human resource departments.

scholarly journals IMPROVING THE DELIVERY OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES: EXAMINING COMMUNICATION AMONG TEACHERS, PARA-EDUCATORS, AND AN EDUCATIONAL COOPERATIVE

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 325-334
Author(s):  
Eric Freeman ◽  
Bilal Fayiz Obeidat ◽  
Pamela Martin ◽  
Jennifer Sinclair
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
School Districts ◽  
General Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
General Education Teachers ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
Clear Idea ◽  
General Education Classrooms ◽  
And Training

Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study is to explore communication between participating school districts and the Cooperative with regard to the allocation of para-educators in general education classrooms. Methodology: The study employed a comparative qualitative design. Since the goal of our research is to understand the communication channels and patterns between the Cooperative, general education teachers, and para-educators, we conducted focus group discussions with para-educators, the K-5 general education teachers who work in general education classrooms and the special education teachers. Main Findings: The cooperative, special education teachers, general education teachers, and para-educators often operated in isolation of one another. Teachers and para-educators work together in the same classrooms but had a clear idea about who was providing the training and information needed to meet the needs of students in special education. Applications of the study: Frequent communication and enhanced opportunities for planning and training would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of general and special education teachers along with para-educators. Novelty: The study addressed ways to improve communication between participating school districts and the Cooperative with regard to the allocation of para-educators in general education classrooms. This would provide information about necessary training future para-educators need and expectations for engagement with students.

scholarly journals Using Video Modeling and Video Prompting to Teach Conversational Skills to Students with Autism: A Consideration of Effectiveness, Practicality, and Acceptability

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-114
Author(s):  
Saeed Almalki
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Special Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Video Modeling ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Conversational Skills ◽  
Students With Autism ◽  
Training And Support

Many studies have been focused on video modeling and prompting as effective evidence-based practices to teach conversational skills to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, few studies have focused on teachers who implement video modeling and prompting in their classrooms. This article aims to describe the experiences and perceptions of four special education teachers who have used video modeling and prompting with four autistic students for a semester in their classrooms. The participants were asked questions related to three main areas: effectiveness, practicality, and acceptability. Most of the teachers did not regard this intervention as an effective and acceptable way to teach conversational skills to students with ASD. Training and support was requested by all teachers to enhance the practicality of this intervention. Other important implications for researchers and teachers were identified.

Special Education Attrition in the State of Utah: Rural vs. Urban School Districts

2007 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 25-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Anne Prater ◽  
Temma Harris ◽  
Lane Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
School Districts ◽  
School Psychologists ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Urban School Districts ◽  
State Office ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Education Personnel ◽  
Special Education Personnel

Critical shortages of special educators in the U.S. are not new. Approximately 1.1% of all U.S. special education positions have remained unfilled for the last five years (Boe, 2006). The authors were commissioned by the Utah State Office of Education to collect data on special education personnel, including special education teachers, school psychologists and speech language pathologists. This study compared all Utah rural and urban special education personnel who left their districts during the combined school years of 2004-2005 and 2005-2006. Results reveal that rural special education personnel left their positions at a significantly lower rate than is to be expected. Similarities and differences among special education leavers in rural and urban districts as well as their reasons for leaving are discussed.

Exploring the Support Role of Special Education Teachers After Hurricane Ike

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (10) ◽  
pp. 1325-1345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth McAdams Ducy ◽  
Laura M. Stough
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Grounded Theory ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Natural Disaster ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Hurricane Ike ◽  
Significant Disabilities ◽  
Communication Supports ◽  
Essential Support

This study explored the role of special education teachers of children with significant disabilities during Hurricane Ike. Grounded theory methods were used to analyze interview data of the teachers ( n = 4) who were employed in school districts directly affected by the hurricane. The five categories that emerged from the data were losses for students and families, losses for teachers, resource supports, communication supports, and supports to reestablish routines. Despite being affected by the storm themselves, the teachers provided essential support to their students and families throughout all phases of the disaster. The role of these teachers evolved to include instrumental and psychological supports, which has been documented in previous studies. These teachers’ roles differed in that they provided support while school was closed and included the disability-related needs of their students. Recommendations include that teachers receive training on the needs of students with significant disabilities and their families during natural disaster.

scholarly journals Meeting The Need For Special Education Teachers For Culturally Linguistically Diverse Students With Disabilities

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Peterson ◽  
Stephen Showalter
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
The United States ◽  
Culturally And Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Diverse Students ◽  
Linguistically Diverse Students ◽  
And Training

This paper describes why special education teachers are needed to meet the needs of the increasing number of culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities in the United States.  The paper presents innovative approaches to recruiting and training culturally responsive special education teachers.

Can Public Schools Buy Better-Qualified Teachers?

ILR Review ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 686-699 ◽  
Author(s):  
David N. Figlio
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Panel Data ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Public School Districts ◽  
Teacher Salaries ◽  
Specific Subject ◽  
Qualified Teachers ◽  
Selective Colleges ◽  
And Training

Since the early 1980s, real teacher salaries in U.S. public schools have increased considerably faster than salaries of other Americans with similar levels of education and training. Providing an important impetus for this development were claims that increased salaries would allow the recruitment of better-qualified teachers. This analysis, which uses panel data on new teachers in 188 public school districts that changed their salaries between 1987–88 and 1993–94, investigates whether a school district can, by unilaterally increasing teacher salaries, improve the quality of the teachers it hires, as indicated by their having graduated from selective colleges and majored in the specific subject matter they teach. For nonunion school districts, the author finds a positive, statistically significant relationship between a given district's teacher salaries and that district's probability of hiring well-qualified teachers. Several tests indicate that this relationship is not found in unionized school districts.

scholarly journals A Survey of School Administrators’ Training and Support Related to Evaluating Special Education Teachers

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janelle E. Rodl ◽  
Wes Bonifay ◽  
Rebecca A. Cruz ◽  
Sarah Manchanda
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Job Functions ◽  
Training And Support

School administrators are often responsible for observing and evaluating special education teachers. The current study examined the training school administrators received, their needed knowledge and supports, and their confidence in performing job functions related to special education teacher evaluation. A total of 929 school administrators in California completed a 26-item survey in which they reported the training they had received, the usefulness of the training for informing practice, and the confidence they felt in evaluating special educators. Results indicated that most school administrators did not have a background in special education, did not receive training related to evaluating special educators, and felt less confident evaluating special educators than general educators. School administrators, especially those without a background in special education, may need more training and support related to evaluating special education teachers during preparation and in the early years of administration. Training and support should focus on evidence-based practices for teaching- ing students with disabilities.

Increasing the Rural Special Education Teacher Pipeline Through Asynchronous Online Instruction: A Program Description of the Colorado Christian University Alternative Certification Program

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 151-161
Author(s):  
Marla J. Lohmann ◽  
Bushrod White ◽  
Kathy A. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Rural School Districts ◽  
Certification Program ◽  
Christian University ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Online Coursework ◽  
Program Description

There is a documented shortage of special education teachers nationwide, and many rural school districts report hiring uncertified or temporary teachers to fill the open positions. To meet the needs of rural schools in our state, Colorado Christian University developed an asynchronous online alternative special education teacher certification program. Colorado Christian University’s program includes 12 months of online coursework, as well as remote video supervision. This article provides a brief description of the program and preliminary data supporting its effectiveness in meeting the needs of rural Colorado schools.

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