An Exploration of Paraprofessional Utilization in the Good Spirit School Division

Student Services

Overview of Presentation

Our rationale for reviewing our utilization of paraprofessionals within the GSSD

The results of our division-wide screening of EA Utilization using Giangreco & Broer’s 2003 screening tool

Our present process for allocating professional and paraprofessional support for students and schools

The digital orientation program to support the training of all staff (professionals and paraprofessionals) to effectively work as a team to support our students in inclusive settings

EA Utilization: Guiding Philosophy

Paraprofessionals, when utilized appropriately, are productive team members who greatly assist with student progress and independence. Conversely, inefficient utilization of EAs can be a source of conflict, impede student progress and contribute to student dependency. To be effective, the paraprofessional’s role within the collaborative educational team requires clear articulation, professional preparation at school division and individual school level, careful and progressive leadership, and ongoing nurturing of positive working relationships. The manner of interaction between the student and paraprofessional and the actual proximity of paraprofessionals to student is critical to eventual independence.

Creating Opportunities, 2001

Impetus for a Review of Paraprofessional Support

Ministry directionNeed to further develop repertoire of

strategies for supporting students with diverse learning needs

A commitment to move away from a medical model (diagnosis = EA)

Limited resources and lots of student needs

Need to optimize current EA support for our students with intensive support needs

School-based Screening to Determine Overreliance on Paraprofessionals (Giangreco & Broer, 2003)

Article describing the development of and directions for using a 16-item screening tool

designed to assist school teams in determining degree of effectiveness in utilization of paraprofessionals

Scores are collated into quadrants of concern:

Proximity, Resource Allocation, Teacher Ownership, & Independence

First Quadrant: Indicators of Excessive Proximity

Students with special learning needs:spend most of their time in close proximity to

paraprofessionalsare physically separated within the classroom to

work with a paraprofessional spend time with a paraprofessional that would

typically be spent with peerscommunicate through their language or behaviour

that they find the support of a paraprofessional stigmatizing or otherwise unwanted

Quadrant 2: Questionable Resource Allocation or Instructional Role Mismatches

Students with special learning needs receive their primary instruction from paraprofessionals when SSTs do paperwork or manage the activities of paraprofessionals

Paraprofessionals provide academic support in subjects where they are under- or unskilled

Teachers spend time doing clerical tasks while paraprofessionals are teaching lessons to students with special learning needs

Quadrant 3: Insufficient Teacher Ownership & Engagement

Paraprofessionals or classroom teachers are unfamiliar with PPP goals or curricular content for the students with special learning needs in their classroom

Classroom teachers are minimally or superficially involved with students with special learning needs in their classrooms

Paraprofessionals have more frequent communication and more developed working relationships with parents of students with special learning needs than teachers

At progress reporting times, teachers rely on paraprofessionals because they know more about the students with special learning needs

Quadrant 4: Dependence on Paraprofessionals or Inappropriate Autonomy

Paraprofessionals make curricular or instructional decisions, or make adaptations without teacher oversight

Students with special learning needs are unnecessarily dependent on paraprofessionals

The absence of a paraprofessional results in either (a) a “lost day” at school for a student with special learning needs, (b) the student staying home from school, or (c) a parent being asked to be a substitute paraprofessional

Paraprofessionals operate with virtually unrestricted autonomy

Why do we care?

Overreliance of paraprofessionals as one-to-one supports for individuals with special learning needs, can lead to a wide range of inadvertent detrimental effects (Broer, Doyle & Giangreco, 2005). Specifically, one-to-one supports are associated with:

Isolation within the classroom (e.g. seated in the back or side of the room)

Insular relationships between students and paraprofessionals Unnecessary dependence Interference with peer interactions Stigmatization Limited access to professional instruction Interference with teacher engagement Loss of personal control or choices available to same-age peers Provocation of behaviour problems

Results

When our division employed this screen, we asked all of our schools to complete the survey at their December 10th, 2009 Staff Meeting (early dismissal day across the division)

Participants: Total Schools: 22/28 Total Staff: 457 (62 surveys were incomplete and removed

from further analysis) Total Number of Professionals who completed the survey:

278 Total Number of Paraprofessionals who completed the

survey: 117

Professional Participants

Professionals: 243/278 (87%) reported working directly with an EA in the past 2 years

Average number of EAs professionals reported working with: 3.33

Paraprofessional Participants

Paraprofessionals working with individual students: 66/117

Paraprofessionals working with program or group: 70/117

paraprofessionals could choose one or both options.

Reported Time Distribution

Type of Activity Professionals Average Range

Paraprofessionals Average Range

Clerical 6% (1% – 12%) 5% (0% - 9%)

Supervision 8% (0% - 15%) 9% (0% - 19%)

Personal Care 8% (0% - 19%) 9% (0% - 34%)

Addressing Behaviour

18% (0% to 35%) 13% (0% - 31%)

Implementing Instruction

53% (31% to 76%) 48% (18% - 97%)

Self-directed Activities

5% (0% - 11%) 10% (0% - 32%)

Other 5% (0 - 67%) 3% (0% - 17%)

Reported Time DistributionResults reveal that the

majority of paraprofessional time is spent implementing instruction (~50% of the time) followed by addressing behavioural concerns (~15% of the time)

This is interesting as a review of GSSD requests for paraprofessional support indicates that behaviour is the primary area of impact for which the team is requesting additional support

Results

Minor trends were indicated: Paraprofessionals report increased time spent on

personal care for individuals in elementary vs. high school

Paraprofessionals also report spending less time addressing behavioural concerns in high school vs. elementary school

Paraprofessionals also report spending more time implementing instruction as students enter high school

It is interesting to note that responses from teachers do not show such variability in reporting

Estimated Time Paraprofessionals Spent in Close Proximity (< 3 feet) from student with special learning needs.

ProfessionalsAverage Estimate

ParaprofessionalsAverage Estimate

82% 83%

Estimated Time Paraprofessionals Spent in Close Proximity (< 3 feet) from student with special learning needs from elementary to high school

High School K-12 School Elementary School

Professional Estimates

ParaproEstimate

Professional Estimates

ParaproEstimate

Professional Estimates

ParaproEstimate

82% 81% 87% 86% 79% 82%

Quadrant Results

Survey results were also broken down into 4 quadrants of concern:

Excessive Proximity Questionable Resource Allocation Insufficient teacher ownership and engagement Dependence on paraprofessionals

Please note that scores above 3.5 indicate an area of concern.

Quadrant Results by Profession

3.81

3.55

3.73

3.98

3.26

3.77

3.63

4.08

3.76

3.87 3.87 3.88

3

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

3.5

3.6

3.7

3.8

3.9

4

4.1

Excessive Proximity QuestionableAllocation ofResources

Insufficient TeacherOwnership

Dependence onParaprofessionals

ProfessionalsParaprofessionalsGSSD Staff as a whole

Quadrant Results by Profession

According to Giangreco and Broer (2003), our school division results revealed that all quadrants indicated an over-reliance on paraprofessionals. The only area not of concern was the rating of questionable allocation of resources by paraprofessionals.

Professionals rated the following two quadrants as highest:

Dependence on paraprofessionals Questionable allocation of resources

Paraprofessionals rated the following two quadrants as highest:

Insufficient teacher ownership and engagement Dependence on paraprofessionals

What can we do?

We need to utilize paraprofessional supports in responsible ways. Specifically this means that: Instruction by paraprofessionals:

should be supplemental, rather than primary or exclusive should be planned by qualified personnel Should be based on explicit and intensive training in

research-supported, best practices Should be followed by on-going supervision Non-instructional roles for paraprofessionals (e.g.

clerical, materials preparation, personal care) should be acknowledged and valued as important contributions to enable teachers to spend time with students

What can we do?

We need to utilize paraprofessional supports in responsible ways by:

Facilitating peer interactions and other natural supports Involving students in making decisions about their own

supports Exploring less restrictive options to using 1:1

paraprofessional supports. Exploring ways to fade 1:1 supports Having and refining a process for making decisions about

1:1 professional supports – more on this in the upcoming slides.

Exploring alternatives (resource reallocation, co-teaching, transitional use of paraprofessionals, peer supports)

Giangreco, 2009

Decision-Making Process for the Allocation of Support

Educational Assistant Support within the GSSD: Two Types of Allocated Support

In each of our schools we provide general educational assistant time based on enrolment numbers. This EA time is called “diversity” EA hours.

The intent of this time: to support classrooms and students

at certain times of need kids that may not meet intensive

support criteria but occasionally require support (for example: to have tests read, multi-grade classrooms, tutorial programs).

This “diversity” time is designed to be fluid within the school – constantly allowing schools to meet their ever-changing needs.

To meet student specific support needs, we also have “Student Specific Support”

The intent of this Student Specific Support is to support the personal program plan goals of a student with intensive support needs. This student specific EA time is

allocated based on student need as opposed to student level or diagnosis.

Not all students with intensive needs require EA time as their goals may be supported by other professionals and/or assistive technology

Establishing Priorities

If the school determines that additional support is required to meet the needs of a particular student or a group of students, it is recommended that the school reassign existing professional or paraprofessional support to meet those needs. In each school, intensive supports should always be directed towards meeting the needs that are considered to be the highest priority at the school.

Steps in Allocation of Support

1. School team contacts their SSC indicating further need for additional support

request a consultation from their SSC at this time proceed with a formal request for additional support

Request for Additional Support Form

Steps

2. SSC Observation: Needs of the student Tasks that the student is expected to complete Class environment:

evaluation of the number of students in the class the diversity present in the room current supports provided (SST, PSP, EA)

Analysis of current utilization of allocated support

3. Student’s Impact Form, PPP, & Request for Additional Support Form are distributed to

members of the Intensive Support Committee (one week prior to regularly scheduled meetings)

Steps

4. Requests and means of meeting student goals are discussed at monthly meeting

5. Recommendations may include the following: Specific adaptations and strategies be put in place for

the student using existing student services supports Additional professional service provider supports Access to outside agency supports Access to assistive technologies – low tech & high tech EA support on a temporary basis – to be reviewed at later

date EA support for specific times/tasks throughout the day

Steps

6. The Superintendent of Student Services provides a written summary to the schools of decisions made

This process is meant to be transparent. Administrators have been invited to join sessions in person or on Skype to better understand the process

7. SSCs follow up and monitor student progress

8. Each spring, all student needs are reviewed to prepare for fall staffing and adjustments to staffing may be made for the following school year

A Note on Reductions in EA Staffing

Throughout the year, adjustments may need to be made to previously approved EA staffing allocations when students with intensive needs are no longer enrolled in a school or when student’s/school needs change

Schools are to inform the SSC of these changes one-week prior to the monthly ISC meeting

Following the decision to reduce paraprofessional staff in a school, a one month grace period will be provided to schools to facilitate transition for students/staff and the school as a whole

Orientation of Educational Assistants

Training of staff in the roles & responsibilities of both paraprofessionals & professionals when working with all children

This includes: Providing appropriate training on working with

paraprofessionals through the Teacher and EA Module (TEAM) digital orientation package designed to orient and train staff on effective practices to support all learners

Student Services Goals2009-2011

SUPPORT OF EAs:SMART GOAL:By 2011, 95% of

newly hired Educational Assistants will complete the GSSD digital self-guided orientation program

T & EA M Orientation

Welcome to The GSSD

Role of the Superintendent

Of StudentServices

Roles of the SSC &

ProfessionalStaff

Roles of an EA

Roles of the Teacher &

SST

GSSDStudent ServicesVision

InclusiveEducation

VisionPromotingInclusion

What is Independence?

How can I promote it?

TEAM Introductory

Video

Working collaboratively

as a team.Confidentiality Transition

PlanningDocumentation

Safe Practices

I.e. Lifting & Transfers

PromotingOptimal

CommunicationSkills

Optimizing Behaviour

Valuable Lessons From the Students

PromotingSocial Skills

PersonalProgram Planning

Summary

Through our survey, we did learn that we have some areas for improvement in how we are effectively employing paraprofessionals in student services

We continue to strive to ensure that we are optimally supporting our students with intensive support needs by having a plan and exploring various means of supporting students – including the use of adaptations, assistive technology, involvement of peers, and use of support staff in innovative ways

When a paraprofessional is part of the plan, then we all have a role in ensuring that everyone – the whole “TEAM” utilizes them appropriately

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