Focus Group 10/29/07

Discussion: Student-specific Paraeducator Support

• Who needs this support?
• How is decision made?
• How is the need reflected on the IEP? (and what about transfer IEPs?)
• Does the student eligibility of Autism necessitate this need?

• Should there be a plan with target for fading support developed whenever this is service is started for a student?
• What about temporary vs permanent time for this support?
• Is there a matrix/guide for making the decision for support? (North Kitsap has a guide, as does Spokane)

• There is a perception that behavior is the driving need for support – inaccurate
• The driving need is actually instructional (particularly for students with Autism)
• Behavior needs are often short-term to “jumpstart” implementation of behavior plan
• Most of student-specific time is allocated to students in general education & receiving Resource support
• Many of these students are not at grade skill level
• Purpose of student-specific para support is to keep students in general education setting (LRE requirement)
• Special medical needs also drives some student-specific para support

• Students with safety/behavioral problems can be exhausting for 1 para
• Having 1:1 support can build student dependence (“learned helplessness”)
• Does a student have the need for this support across the school day?
• Scheduling lunch & breaks for the para is a problem

• Who actually supervises the para? – gen ed teacher, special ed teacher, building admin?? – how many managers?
• Paras with more than one assignment at school, combined for 1.0 FTE – which work comes first? – Who decides?