Education Commons^™

"I Feel Like A Dumping Ground" - Legal Issues Surrounding Paraprofessionals In Schools, Catherine Robert, Maureen Fox

BYU Education & Law Journal

School employees serving in non-professional clerical and support roles are commonly referred to as paraprofessionals. While professional staff include teachers, counselors, and administrators, paraprofessionals serving in instructional roles (also called teaching assistants) such as classroom aides, computer lab monitors, and library aides comprise almost 13% of elementary and secondary employment. Paraprofessionals perform a wide variety of tasks including literacy support in a regular classroom, behavioral support of students, and supporting medical needs of students receiving special education services. The medical needs of students include changing feeding tubes, clearing airways, changing diapers, and physically moving students. As the staff members most …