2007 Minnesota Statutes

120B.363 CREDENTIAL FOR EDUCATION PARAPROFESSIONALS.
    Subdivision 1. Rulemaking. The Board of Teaching must adopt rules to implement a
statewide credential for education paraprofessionals who assist a licensed teacher in providing
student instruction. Any paraprofessional holding this credential or working in a local school
district after meeting a state-approved local assessment is considered to be highly qualified under
federal law. Under this subdivision, the Board of Teaching, in consultation with the commissioner,
must adopt qualitative criteria for approving local assessments that include an evaluation of a
paraprofessional's knowledge of reading, writing, and math and the paraprofessional's ability
to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and math. The commissioner must approve or
disapprove local assessments using these criteria. The commissioner must make the criteria
available to the public.
    Subd. 2. Training possibilities. In adopting rules under subdivision 1, the board must
consider including provisions that provide training in: students' characteristics; teaching and
learning environment; academic instruction skills; student behavior; and ethical practices.
    Subd. 3. Initial training. Within the first 60 days of supervising or working with students,
a district must provide each paraprofessional with initial training in emergency procedures,
confidentiality, vulnerability, reporting obligations, discipline policies, roles and responsibilities,
and a building orientation.
History: 2003 c 129 art 1 s 10