Avoiding the “Velcro Effect” Determining When a Student Requires Paraeducator Support

1. Avoiding the “Velcro Effect”Determining When a Student Requires Paraeducator Support Patricia H. Mueller, Ed.D. Council for Exceptional Children April 2, 2009 Evergreen Educational Consulting LLC

2. Participant Outcomes for this Session Learn about… • key research findings that show 1:1 paraeducator support can have unintended detrimental effects. • effective & proven protocols designed to help IEP teams determine whether paraeducator support is necessary for a student’s success.

3. Beth’s Story When my daughter, Beth, started high school, the school personnel insisted she have a full-time paraprofessional, presumably because she has Down syndrome. It was a battle I wasn’t willing to fight, so I agreed to it even though I felt it wasn’t needed. Freshman year this arrangement worked out reasonably well. The paraprofessional was a young woman, not much older than Beth. She was skilled at giving her room and knowing when to back off.

4. During Beth’s sophomore year, this paraprofessional was replaced by one who was on her like Velcro®! She was always telling Beth what to do, insisting she leave class early, and generally making a spectacle of their interactions. It wasn’t long before Beth reacted uncharacteristically. Beth ran away from the paraprofessional, called her names, even left school and went home. Though Beth’s communication wasn’t socially desirable, her intent was clear; but no one seemed to be listening. A month or so into the year, after this second paraprofessional quit, Beth’s team met to decide what would happen next.

5. When asked, Beth said she “...didn’t like being bossed” and “... didn’t want an aide.” Her request was honored; Beth didn’t have an individual paraprofessional for the rest of high school. The problem behaviors disappeared, and with no intermediary between her and the teachers, Beth was more academically connected. It made me feel even more strongly that we need to involve students in determining their own [need for] supports. (Beth’s Mother) (Giangreco et. al., 2005)

7. Benefits of Paraeducator Support Paraeducators can… • Do clerical tasks that free teachers to spend more time instructing students. • Engage in follow-up instruction, tutoring, or homework help. • Provide supervision in group settings. • Assist students with personal care needs. • Facilitate social skills, peer interactions, and positive behavior support plans. • (Giangreco et. al., 2005)

8. Reasons to be Concerned About 1:1 Supports • The least qualified staff members are assigned to students with the most challenges. • Paraeducator supports may have unintended or inadvertent detrimental outcomes. • 1:1 paraeducator supports are linked to lower levels of teacher involvement.

9. Least Qualified with the Most Challenges • Paraeducators often provide a high level of instruction. • Paraeducators self-report having to “fend for themselves.” • Paraeducators report receiving little or no training to perform instructional roles. Would it be acceptable for students in general education programs to receive instruction from staff members with little or no training?

10. Inadvertent Detrimental Effects • Separation from classmates (physical separation from classmates) • Unnecessary dependence (student becomes prompt dependent) • Interference with peer interactions (paraeducator creates physical or symbolic barriers between students) • Insular relationships (paraeducator and student do everything together, excluding teachers and other students) • Feeling stigmatized (student expresses embarrassment/discomfort about having a paraeducator) (Giangreco et. al., 2005)

11. Detrimental Effects Cont’d • Limited access to competent instruction (paraeducators lack necessary skills or knowledge base) • Interference with teacher engagement (teacher assumes student is already receiving individual attention) • Loss of personal control (paraeducators do for students vs. allowing student to make choices) • Loss of gender identity (e.g., a male student taken to a female bathroom because the paraeducator is female) • May provoke problem behaviors (some students express their dislike of paraeducator support by displaying inappropriate behaviors) (Giangreco et. al., 2005)

12. Why Paraeducators Assume Responsibility? • Ensuring that the student is not being a “bother” to the teacher. • To meet student’s immediate academic needs. • They are perceived as the “hub” or the “expert.” • They are the face of “inclusion.” (Marks et. al., 1999)

14. How to avoid the negative outcomes… By implementing effective and proven protocols designed to help IEP teams determine whether paraeducator support is necessary for a student’s success.

15. Paraeducator Increases: Effects at a Local Level • Lack of time & ability to provide necessary supervision • Decrease in communication between general & special educators (paraeducator = mediator) • Increased dependency on paraeducators (Ele. to MS to HS) • Paraeducator seen as a “band aid” • Decrease in natural and peer supports • Increase in parental requests for paraeducator support • Paraeducator role confusion: tutor vs. change agent facilitating peer and adult interactions • Paraeducator increase = cost increase

16. Planning Process Instruments (Mueller & Murphy) • Intensive Needs Checklist: provides an overview of student’s needs in relation to the classroom environment. • Student’s Abilities & Assistance Needs Matrix: focuses on what the student can/can’t do and the extent of assistance needed. • Plan for Paraeducator Assistance: identifies where, when and how para will provide support and encourage independence.

17. July/August 2001 Article

18. Benefits and Effects (Mueller & Murphy) • Overwhelming support from special & general educators. • Intentional focus on the student’s needs (e.g., promoting independence, enhancing peer relations). • Increased awareness of the roles of those involved with the student (general & special educators, peers, paraeducators, family members). • Explicitly shows when & where paraeducator support is necessary. • Process and instruments helped to clarify the roles & responsibilities of paraeducators. • Result was increased accountability & the budget spiral ended.

19. Caliso Planning Process • Data based assessment tool for initial decision-making; used by multi-disciplinary team. • Typically used with students who have mild disabilities whose parents are requesting paraeducator support. • Process includes observations of student’s self-regulatory skills measured by attending to task. • Published product includes manual, observation instrument and a case illustration.

20. Anecdotal Results (Caliso) • In approximately 20 cases, teams decided either not to provide paraeducator support or a part-time paraeducator was recommended where “the data pointed to the need.” • Process has deterred hiring of full-time paraeducators in many cases, especially in with Pre-K students transitioning from Part C to Part B where parents were requesting paraeducator support. • For more information contact: John Caliso at: JCaliso@franklinlakes.k12.nj.us.

21. LA Unified School District (2004) • One to one assistants are called Temporary Support Assistants (TSA). • Statistics: 86,000 students with disabilities, 8,000 paraeducators, 4,000 TSAs. • Increase in TSAs was not correlated with an increase in students in general education classrooms. • Increased demand for TSAs from special educators to provide behavioral support in special classes. • Increase in demand for TSAs from schools to boost numbers, parents and general educators.

22. LAUSD Guidelines for Determining TSA • IEP team completes a “Supplementary Services Review for TSA” form. • Form includes decision-making flowcharts for Health, Behavior and Academic Concerns. • If the need for TSA support is documented using the flowcharts, the team develops goals to increase independence. • The IEP includes criteria to judge the effectiveness of continuing the TSA at the end of 3 months. • Emphasis is on the level of support needed vs. the needs of the teachers or parents.

23. LAUSD Guidelines (2008) • No longer called TSAs, now is called AA (Adult Assistance). • “ ‘Adult Assistance’ is not an assistant/trainee position assigned to a student.” • Support provided in behavior & health. Flow charts are no longer used. • FBA is completed for student needing behavioral support. Analysis of school’s resources may be conducted by LRE Specialist. • School nurse provides student level of performance for health care support. • Schools maintain matrix of all AAs & assignments.

25. Key References & Resources Caliso, J. Personal Communication (3/23/09). Giangreco, M. F., Yuan, S., McKenzie, B., Cameron, P., & Fialka, J. (2005). “Be careful what you wish for….”: Five reasons to be concerned about the assignment of individual paraprofessionals. Teaching Exceptional Children, 37 (5), 28-34. Marks, S. U., Schrader, C., & Levine, M. (1999). Paraeducator experiences in inclusive settings: Helping, hovering, or holding their own? Exceptional Children, 65, 315–328.  Mueller, P.H. & Murphy, F.V. (2001). Determining when a student requires paraeducator support. Teaching Exceptional Children, 33, (6 ), 22-27. Weintraub, F. & Jacque-Anton, D. (2004, April. ). Determining Temporary Support Assistance. Paper presented at the annual Council for Exceptional Children Conference, New Orleans, LA.

26. Contact Information To Access the Power Point: www.eecvt.com: CEC 2009 Presentation Patricia H. Mueller, Ed.D. Evergreen Educational Consulting, LLC 16 Bradley Bow Rd. Jericho, VT 05465 eec@gmavt.net (802) 434-5607