Job Goal:
To assist the teacher with teaching related activities necessary for the efficient operation of the classroom. The Special Education Paraprofessional assists Special Education teachers in meeting the goals set forth for students in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The Special Education Paraprofessional may be required to move from one program area to another within the school day and/or from one school to another within the course of the school year. Special education paraprofessionals assigned to support an individual child must provide support to other students deemed necessary, if needed.
Qualifications (minimum education, licensure, skills, and/or experience):
High School Diploma or its equivalent
Must be Highly Qualified by means of:
Passing score on the Paraprofessional Exam
OR
48 semester credit hours with 6 hours in Math and 9 hours in English/Reading (3 of which must be in English Composition)
OR
Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Associate of Applied Science degree from a state-approved or regionally accredited institution of higher education.
Must possess effective written and oral self-expressive skills.
Satisfactory completion of Red Cross First Aid Course including CPR within 60 days of employment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Assist the teacher with instructional-related activities and non-instructional assignments under the supervision of the teacher. (one-on-one or small group)
Work directly with students under the direction of instructional and/or pupil appraisal staff including speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, assistive technology facilitators, etc.
Perform non-complex medical procedures as outlined in Louisiana R.S. 17:436 (INCLUDED WITH JOB DESCRIPTION) or any other provision of state or federal law.
Assist and escort the student(s) to and from each destination and attend to the student’s personal hygiene and care needs.
When necessary, feed, toilet, lift, position, and assist with transporting students, upon proper instruction by parent, teacher, physical or occupational therapist, or school nurse.
Make accommodations/modifications for students under direction of supervising teacher(s).
Guide independent study, enrichment work, and remedial work set up and assigned to by the teacher.
Confer with the classroom teacher regarding major decisions relative to the students' assignments or problems of a disciplinary nature.
Assist the special education teacher specifically in activities related to the course of instruction; in planning, grading students' activities related to the course of instruction; in monitoring behaviors; in distributing and collecting instructional materials; and in maintaining neatness in the classroom.
Assist the teaching staff with duties such as playground duty, escorting students to and from the cafeteria, gymnasium, library, vocational training area, bathroom, etc.
Monitor student behavior and maintain documentation of care provided to the child.
Maintain confidentiality of student information.
Perform other job related duties as assigned.
Instructional support staff (i.e., instructional specialists, paraprofessionals, and coaches) shall be expected to perform the following duties, along with the completion of corresponding documents, forms, and reports.
Self-Evaluation
Complete a self-evaluation and document the results on appropriate written forms.
Professional Growth Plan
Develop a Professional Growth Plan in collaboration with the evaluation.
Supervision
Supervise students as needed when students are on campus.
Supervise students prior to school and/or drop-off, when assigned.
Supervise students in the classroom, if needed
Supervise students as needed between classes, during recess/intermission, during lunch, assemblies.
Supervise students after school and/or pick-up, when assigned.
Instructional Components
Fulfill duties traditionally expected of those in the paraprofessional profession.
Accept and discharge assignments.
Practice and model punctuality.
Collaborate with colleagues and departments.
Adhere to federal, state, system, and school policies and regulations.
Conduct conferences as needed. Maintain positive and timely interaction with parents relative to the performance or conduct of students assigned to the counselor.
Follow recommendations made by school administrators and district staff.
Take part in the continuing in-service program of the schools.
School Support Activities
Provide for the care and proper usage of school property. Maintain current inventory of items assigned to position.
Attend meetings generally associated with the instruction of students.
Attend faculty, staff, and department meetings.
Attend ILT meeting if applicable.
Attend training sessions.
Attend IEP/IAP meetings, upon request.
Attend parent-teacher conferences, upon request
Attend back-to-school and open-house events.
Attend graduation.
Attend student discipline meetings/hearings, upon request.
Attend school board/committee meetings, upon request.
If requested, be responsible for a reasonable amount of co-curricular and other duties beyond the regular school day as determined by the building principal.
Attend/work concessions/gates at athletic events within school year.
Attend all meetings and functions of those activities, clubs, or groups of which the employee is a sponsor/coach.
Physical Demands:
This position requires bending, crouching, pushing, pulling, and carrying in excess of fifty (50) pounds
for the purpose of handling and assisting students.
Terms of Employment: 9 month
Evaluation:
Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Board's policy on Evaluation of Professional Personnel (Bulletin 130).
Note: This job description is subject to change at any time. While this job description reflects delegation of essential duties and responsibilities, it does not exclude or restrict management’s right to assign or reassign tasks, duties, or responsibilities to this job at any time.
Approved by: ____________________________________________________
Date: _________________________
Received and agreed to by: ________________________________________
Date:
_________________________
LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE 17:436
436. Performing noncomplex health procedures; definitions; conditions; restrictions; safety equipment,
materials, and supplies
As used in this Section, the term "noncomplex health procedure" shall mean a task which is
safely performed according to exact directions, with no need to alter the standard procedure, and which
yields predictable results. It shall include the following:
(1) Modified activities of daily living which require special instruction such as toileting/diapering,
bowel/bladder training, toilet training, oral/dental hygiene, lifting/positioning, and oral feeding.
(2) Health maintenance procedures such as postural drainage, percussion, tracheostomy
suctioning, and gastrostomy feeding and monitoring of these procedures.
(3) Screenings such as growth, vital signs, hearing, vision, and scoliosis.
No city or parish school board shall require any employee other than a registered nurse, licensed
medical physician, or an appropriate licensed health professional to perform noncomplex health
procedures until all the following conditions have been met:
(1) A registered nurse or a licensed medical physician and, when appropriate, another licensed
health professional employed by a city or parish school board, has assessed the health status of the specific child in his specific educational setting and has determined that, according to the legal standards of the respective licensed health professional performing such procedure, the procedure can be safely performed, the results are predictable, and the procedure can be delegated to someone other than a licensed health professional following documented training.
(2) The registered nurse or the licensed medical physician and, when appropriate, another licensed
health professional shall train, in his or her area of expertise, at least two such employees to perform
noncomplex health procedures on the specific child in his educational setting. The employees shall be
given not less than four hours of training in the area of noncomplex health procedures.
(3)(a) Following the training provided for in Paragraph (2), no noncomplex health procedure,
except screenings and activities of daily living such as toileting/diapering, toilet training, oral/dental
hygiene, oral feeding, lifting, and positioning may be performed unless prescribed in writing by a
physician licensed to practice medicine in the state of Louisiana or an adjacent state.
(b) The employee, other than the registered nurse, licensed medical physician, or appropriate
licensed health professional shall be required to complete, under the direct supervision or coordination of a registered nurse, a minimum of three satisfactory demonstrations. Upon satisfactory completion of these noncomplex health procedures, the registered nurse, licensed medical physician, or appropriate licensed health professional and the trainee shall sign a standard form indicating that the trainee has attained the prescribed level of competency. A copy of this form shall be kept on file by the school system.
(4) Individuals who are required to perform noncomplex health procedures and have been trained
according to the provisions of this Section, may not decline to perform such service at the time indicated
except as exempted for reasons as noted by the licensed medical physician or registered nurse. The
reasons for such exemption shall be documented and certified by the licensed medical physician or a
registered nurse within seventy-two hours.
(5) Any employee shall have the right to request that another school board employee be present
while he or she is performing noncomplex health procedures for a student, to serve as a witness to the
procedure. After making such a request, the employee shall not be required to perform noncomplex health procedures without such a witness.
For the purposes of this Section, "employee" means any appropriate member of the education staff.
Each city and parish school board shall provide the necessary safety equipment, materials, and supplies to each employee who performs noncomplex health procedures as provided in this Section. Such
safety equipment, materials, and supplies shall include but shall not be limited to gloves, anti-bacterial
soaps and wipes, paper towels, and masks.
Notwithstanding any provision of law or any rule, regulation, or policy to the contrary, no employee other than a registered nurse, licensed medical physician, an appropriate licensed health
professional, or hired and trained unlicensed nursing personnel or unlicensed assistive personnel as
defined by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing shall be required to perform a tracheostomy suctioning
procedure on any child in an educational setting. However, nothing in this Section shall prohibit an
employee who volunteers to perform such procedure and who complies with the training and
demonstration requirements as provided in Paragraphs (B)(2) and (3) of this Section from being allowed
to perform such procedure on a child in an educational setting.
For purposes of this Section, "appropriate licensed health professional" shall include a licensed
practical nurse.
Acts 1991, No. 760, §1, eff. July 19, 1991; Acts 1992, No. 469, §1; Acts 1995, No. 752, §1; Acts1997, No. 804, §1; Acts 2008, No. 802, §1; Acts 2009, No. 414, §1.
