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Department of
Special Education
9525 Highland Road,
Howell, MI 48843
Ph: (810) 626-2102 Fax: (810) 626-2103
Para-Educators
The Hartland para-educators help students who need extensive support in order to progress
on IEP goals. There are three key reasons that a para-educator may
be assigned to work with a specific child. Reasons include:
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a concern for the physical safety
of a student or for other students
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medical concerns that impact the
student's physical management in his or her environment
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individual self-care (toileting,
eating, etc).
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The need for para-educator assistance is determined by the student's
IEP team. School teams must be creative in using natural supports to
the maximum extent possible. Team members and IEP implementers need
to share ideas, expertise, and resources in planning as well as in
carrying out the needed support for the identified special needs of
each student. |
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Cautions & Considerations |
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While assigning para-educator support to students can often times
make adults feel better and may relieve some pressure, it is
critical for IEP teams to remember that too much or the wrong kind
of support can be very disabling to students. First and
foremost, the goal for any learner with special needs is to
encourage, promote, and maximize student independence. If not
carefully monitored, additional assistance can easily (and usually
does) and unintentionally foster dependence. A student's total
educational program must be carefully evaluated to determine where
support is indicated. |
If the IEP determines that para-educator
assistance is necessary, it is not the role of the IEP team members
(including parents) to assign an individual person to perform the
identified services. That responsibility belongs to building
principals or their designee.
Parents should not expect to have direct contact or communication
with the para-educator who works with their child. All contact and
communication should be between parents and the classroom teacher. |
Potential Benefits of Para-educator Support |
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Para-educators can provide follow-up
instruction when students are not able to maintain during
classroom instruction due to behavior or medical needs
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Para-educators can provide supervision for
short amounts of time when teachers need to focus on other
groups of students
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Para-educators may be able to facilitate
social skills, peer interaction, and positive behavior support
plans
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Para-educators strive to assure safety for
all students
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Para-educators are able to address minor
medical or physical needs
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Para-educators are able to support students
with self-care
Cautions When Considering Para-educator Support
(Inadvertent Detrimental Effect of Excessive or Unnecessary
Para-educator Proximity)
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Separation from Classmates
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Unnecessary Dependence
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Interference with Peer Interactions (The
Shadow)
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Insular Relationships
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Feeling of Stigmatization
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Limited Access to Competent Instruction
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Interference with Teacher Engagement,
Ownership, and Responsibility
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Loss of Personal Control
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Loss of Gender Identity
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May Provoke Problem Behaviors
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Para-educators Assigned to Hartland Programs |
| Anderson, Donna |
Barranco, Judy |
Buffmyer, Linda |
| Cressey, Laura |
Gordon, Karen |
Krager, Thelma |
| Kube, Carol |
Lashbrook, Estelle |
McVey, Nancy |
| Miles, Cheryl |
Moore, Tammy |
Nelson, Robin |
| Nemecek, Karen |
Nickerson, Stacy |
Park, Odette |
| Peters, Mary |
Regorrah, Terri |
Richmond, Sarah |
| Robertson, Liz |
Rutkowski, Nancy |
Schwab, Marci |
| Smoot, Ginny |
Stevenson, Karen |
Thompson, Lisa |
| Wagner, Sandy |
White, Betsie |
Woodin, Kerry |
Para-educators Assigned to Livingston
Educational Service Agency (LESA) Programs Located In Hartland
| Diroff, Sue |
Hensick, Meg |
| Hoskins, Shannon |
Sadlier, Wendy |
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