- Cama-i, quyana tailuci!
- (Central Yup’ik)
- "Greetings, thank you for coming!"
Alaska Educator Qualifications
“Alaska needs to ensure that low-income and minority students are not taught at
higher rates than other students by ineffective, out-of-field or inexperienced teachers.”
Teachers
Ineffective |
Out-of-field |
Inexperienced |
An “ineffective teacher” is:
This is district support or a plan of professional growth only as a result of the evaluation system as defined in state regulation. |
An “out-of-field teacher” is:
An endorsement can be earned with a passing score on an endorsement-related content area exam and two years of experience in the content area.
Parents of students in Title I schools must be notified of out-of-field teachers.
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An “inexperienced teacher” is:
Student teaching or other similar preparation does not count as experience.
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Paraprofessionals
A "Paraprofessional" is a person who is not required to have a professional license or certification and who, under the supervision of a teacher or other professional educational service provider, provides instructional or other educational support to a student.
Paraprofessionals can play important roles in improving student achievement where they can reinforce and augment a teacher's effort in the classroom. Alaska requires instructional paraprofessionals meet high standards of qualification under Alaska regulation 4 AAC 04.220.
A paraprofessional is not required to meet the requirements if the paraprofessional
- acts as a translator to enhance the participation of English learners or students with disabilities;
- has instructional-support duties that consist solely of conducting parental involvement activities; or
- has only non-instructional duties, including providing technical support for computers, providing personal care duties, or performing clerical duties.
Qualifications
Instructional paraprofessionals must meet one of the following qualifications:
Method 1 |
Method 2 |
Method 3 |
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Paraprofessional Standards Checklist
All instructional paraprofessionals should have the paraprofessional standards observed and verified on the Paraprofessional Standards Checklist.
Paraprofessional Standards
A paraprofessional will demonstrate the ability to;
- practice ethical and professional standards of conduct and continued professional improvement;
- understand how students learn and develop and understand how to assist in providing opportunities that support students’ intellectual, social and personal development;
- understand the content areas and apply the elements of effective instruction to support teaching and learning activities;
- motivate and assist students to build self-esteem, develop interpersonal skills, and strengthen abilities in order to become more successful;
- understand the distinction between the roles and responsibilities of professionals, paraprofessionals, and support personnel in the areas of assessment, diagnosis, and evaluation;
- adhere to communication protocols with colleagues, community members, and parents including following instructions, sharing information, and using interpersonal skills to become an effective member of the instructional team;
- understand and implement district and state guidelines for protecting the safety, health and wellbeing of students and staff, including the school district’s crisis response plan; and
- utilize technology to assist and enhance teaching and learning.
Timeline
Districts are expected to have all instructional paraprofessionals meet requirements by the 2023-24 school year. DEED has established a transition period allowing districts until the 2020-21 school year to determine whether instructional paraprofessionals meet the requirements.
Instructional Paraprofessional Requirements Information Sheet
Further information can be found at Title I-A Paraprofessional