Special Education Paraprofessionals

Welcome to the Special Educaion Paraprofessionals banner

Paraprofessionals support special education classrooms by assisting with student achievement and improving outcomes. Paraprofessionals play crucial roles in providing support to students with disabilities.

Special Education Paraprofessional Requirements

To become a Special Education Paraprofessional, candidates must apply for a paraprofessional certificate through the State Department of Education, Office of Teacher Certification. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED and also meet Tier I and Tier II requirements within 120 of employment.

Tier I (Federal Programs - Title I Paraprofessional)

Meet one of the following criteria:

• Completed two years of study at an institution of higher education (no less than 48 hours of college coursework), OR

• Earned an Associates Degree (or higher), OR

• Take and pass the ACT WorkKeys Assessment scoring a Bronze or higher

WorkKeys: An examinee who takes the three assessments receives a score report for each assessment providing both a scaled score and a level score. The score report provides descriptions of the skills that the examinee has demonstrated. For all three assessments, examinees achieve a level score of <3, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7. An examinee must score a minimum of Level 3 on all three assessments (Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents).

Tier II (Special Education)

In addition to Tier I, special education paraprofessionals must also meet the following requirements and maintain current certification.

Initial Requirements

• OSDE approved Paraprofessional training through career technology centers or other state-approved training providers

• Cardiovascular Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

• First Aid Training

Yearly Requirements:

• Bloodborne Pathogens AND

• Six (6) hours of professional development

Paraprofessionals for the 2024-2025 SY

Opportunities for Paraprofessionals to receive Professional Development credits:

• Attending Professional Development sessions at the district level

• Attend the Regional Support Conference within the state

• Enroll in Direct-Step, Direct Specialized Training for Education Paraprofessionals through LRP or,

• Enroll and complete paraprofessional courses in OKConnect

Currently, Paraprofessionals can register for the Pepper Course.

Paraprofessional Credentials

Once all requirements have been met, district Superintendents or Human Resource Officers must initiate a paraprofessional recommendation through Single Sign-On. Districts may start the recommendation process by clicking on “Manage Your Paraprofessional Recommendations”. After a candidate is recommended for a paraprofessional credential, the paraprofessional will be able to apply online using their recommendation title.

• Paraprofessional Recommendation Process - 2023

• Contact the Office of Teacher Certification for additional questions regarding the paraprofessional recommendation process.

• Contact the Office of Federal Programs for additional questions regarding Tier I

• Contact the Office of Special Education Services for questions related to Tier II.

Special Education Paraprofessional Instructor Training

LEAs may apply to provide the required paraprofessional training at the district level. Instructor candidates wishing to provide training must meet the following requirements.

• Hold a current Oklahoma Teacher Certificate in Special Education

• Have a minimum of two (2) years of experience teaching in a special education classroom

• Receive a recommendation from a school district administrator

• Complete and obtain a transcript showing eight (8) paraprofessional training modules

• Submit the application and all required documents to OSDE-SES