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On January 8, 2002, President George Bush signed into law the “No Child Left Behind Act” (NCLB). NCLB is designed to improve student achievement by increasing federal involvement in public education, both at the state and local level. NCLB has specific requirements for schools.
NCLB requires:
• Increased accountability for states, school districts and individual
schools
• Greater choice for parents, especially those in low-performing
schools
• Greater flexibility for states and local education agencies in
the use of federal dollars
Under NCLB, parents have a right to know the professional qualifications of their children’s teacher(s). Parents have the right to know the following information about each of their child’s classroom teachers:
• Whether the State of Pennsylvania licensed
or qualified the teacher for the grades and subjects he or she teaches
• Whether the teacher is teaching under an emergency permit or other
provisional status through which state licensing criteria
have been waived
• The teacher’s college major and whether the teacher has
any advanced degrees. If so, the subject of the degrees
• Whether any instructional aides or similar paraprofessionals provide
service to your child and, if they do, their qualifications
Under NCLB, certain regulations apply to paraprofessionals
in Title I programs. Paraprofessionals in Title I programs must have one
of the following:
• Completed at least two years of study at an institution of higher
education
• Obtained an associates degree or higher
• Met a rigorous standard of quality and be able to demonstrate
through a formal state or local academic assessment: knowledge
of and ability to assist in instruction of reading, writing and math as
well as readiness skills in those areas
All paraprofessionals working as reading support aides in the Cocalico School District Title I/Reading Support program have met these regulations and are highly qualified to deliver interventions to students.