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.
• 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
In addition to Tier I, special education paraprofessionals must also meet the following requirements and maintain current certification.
• OSDE approved Paraprofessional training through career technology centers or other state-approved training providers
• Cardiovascular Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
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.
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.
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
► Office of Special Education Services