Paraprofessional Guidance

Paraprofessional guidance was updated fall of 2025 based on current interpretations of Federal Regulations.

Federal Law

LEAs must ensure that each instructional paraprofessional who is hired by the LEA and who works in a program supported with Title I, Part A funds meets the following requirements. An instructional paraprofessional is an individual who provides instructional support for classroom teachers. Instructional paraprofessionals should be supervised directly by a licensed teacher.

All instructional paraprofessionals, regardless of the paraprofessional's hiring date, must have earned a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent.
An instructional paraprofessional who is hired after January 8, 2002 must have—
- Completed at least two years of study at an institution of higher education;or
- Obtained an associate's or higher degree; or
- Met a rigorous standard of quality, and can demonstrate—through a formal state or local academic assessment—knowledge of, and the ability to assist in instructing, as appropriate—
  - Reading/language arts, writing, and mathematics; or
  - Reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness
Each paraprofessional who was hired on or before January 8, 2002 must have met the requirements for new paraprofessionals no later than January 8, 2006.

Exceptions: A paraprofessional does not need to meet the above requirements if the paraprofessional—

Is proficient in English and a language other than English and only acts as a translator to enhance the participation of limited English proficient children;
Has instructional-support duties that consist solely of conducting parental involvement activities; or
Only has non-instructional duties (such as providing technical support for computers, providing personal care services, or performing clerical duties).

Colorado Law

No additional qualification or credentialing requirements for paraprofessionals or teaching assistants have been written into Colorado law.

Formal Assessments

Paraprofessionals may demonstrate through a formal state or local academic assessment their knowledge and ability to assist in instructing, as appropriate. Formal assessments should be valid and reliable. An assessment is valid if it measures mathematics, reading, and writing content at a level equivalent to the knowledge obtained by attending two years of college and is applicable to duties being assigned to the paraprofessional. An assessment is reliable if it provides consistent results. An LEA may develop its own assessment. Existing assessments that are valid and reliable for the purposes of assessing paraprofessionals’ subject matter competency are the ACT-Work Keys and ETS-ParaPro assessments.

Paraprofessionals in Title I Schools

Paraprofessional Requirements

Schoolwide Title I Programs	Targeted Assistance Title I Programs	Title I Preschool Programs
All instructional paraprofessionals in Title I Schoolwide programs must meet the ESSA qualification requirements outlined above.	Instructional paraprofessionals in Title I Targeted Assistance programs who work with Title I students and whose salaries are paid with Title I funds must meet the ESSA qualification requirements outlined above.	Instructional paraprofessionals in Title I Preschool programs who work with Title I students and whose salaries are paid with Title I funds must meet the ESSA qualification requirements outlined above.

Allowable Uses of ESEA Funds for Paraprofessionals

The following table provides examples of how ESSA funds can be used to support paraprofessionals. This list is intended to provide examples, and is not exhaustive of all allowable uses of funds.

ESSA Title	Use of Funds
Title I, Part A	Hire paraprofessionals to support or carry out allowable Title I activities. Pay paraprofessionals for additional planning time with teachers as a school improvement strategy. Paraprofessional participation in professional development if the professional development is evidence-based, aligned with the school’s comprehensive needs assessment and meets the purpose of Title I, Part A.
Title II, Part A	Pay paraprofessionals for additional planning time with the teachers as a retention strategy. Paraprofessional participation in professional development if the professional development is evidence-based, is aligned with the school’s comprehensive needs assessment and meets the purpose of Title II, Part A. Paraprofessional advancement and growth (i.e. paying for coursework), if done as part of an effort to recruit, hire, and retain effective teachers (Grow Your Own Programs). Hire additional paraprofessionals as a means of recruiting and retaining effective teachers so teachers can focus time on instructional priorities. Provide training for paraprofessionals on how to recognize and prevent child sexual abuse if supplemental to state requirements.
Title III, Part A	Provide tutoring and intensified instruction for English /Multilingual Learners (EL/MLs). Pay paraprofessionals to provide supplemental support for community participation programs, family literacy services, and parent outreach and training activities to EL/ML students and their families. Title III, Immigrant Set-Aside: support for personnel, including teacher aides, specifically trained to serve immigrant children with supplemental tutoring, mentoring, and academic or career counseling
Title IV, Part A	Hire paraprofessionals to support or carry out allowable activities pertaining to the three content categories: Well-Rounded Education, Safe and Healthy Students, and Effective Use of Technology. Paraprofessional participation in professional development to improve the use of technology in order to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students.

Title I Instructional Paraprofessional Frequently Asked Questions

In October of 2025, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) updated its guidance for instructional paraprofessionals working in a Title I school to align with The Code of Federal Regulations (34 CFR 200.58) from 2017. Instructional paraprofessional qualification requirements can be found on CDE’s Paraprofessional Guidance webpage. The following frequently asked questions and answers are intended to provide additional guidance to LEAs in implementing these updated requirements.

Note: The use of “paraprofessionals” in the FAQs below should be interpreted as instructional paraprofessionals paid with Title I funds in a targeted assistance school or any instructional paraprofessional in a schoolwide Title I program.

1. What jobs qualify as instructional paraprofessionals?

In general, an instructional paraprofessional supports classroom teachers by facilitating student learning, implementing lesson plans, and assisting with academic/behavioral needs for individuals or groups. Responsibilities may include reinforcing instruction, monitoring student progress and managing classroom logistics. CDE recommends the LEA reference the paraprofessional’s job description to determine whether the paraprofessional has instructional duties.

2. What assessments meet the formal assessment requirement for paraprofessionals?

Formal assessments should be valid and reliable. An assessment is valid if it measures mathematics, reading, and writing content at a level equivalent to the knowledge obtained by attending two years of college and is applicable to duties being assigned to the paraprofessional. ACT-Work Keys and ETS-ParaPro assessments are acceptable as well as any other assessment that meets the above criteria for the instructional area the paraprofessional assists with. The LEA may also develop an assessment or use an existing local assessment that meets this criteria.

3. If the LEA selects taking a formal assessment as the process by which to meet this requirement, in what content area must the paraprofessional be assessed?

The assessment selected and used for meeting this requirement is up to the LEA and should be aligned with the content area in which the paraprofessional is providing instructional support.

4. How should instructional paraprofessional qualifications be documented at the district level?

The district should have a documented HR process for paraprofessional hiring requirements that includes documenting the candidate’s credentials and any steps taken for assisting paraprofessionals to obtain the proper credentials, if needed.

5. If an instructional paraprofessional covers multiple sites, all of which may not be Title I schools, do these qualification requirements apply?

If Title I funds are being used to pay any portion of the paraprofessional’s salary and/or if the paraprofessional is working in a Title I schoolwide school, the requirements must be met.

6. Does Title I guidance for paraprofessionals apply to Special Education paraprofessionals?

If a special education paraprofessional works in a Title I schoolwide school and has instructional support duties, they must meet the Title I paraprofessional requirements. This is true even if the staff member is paid out of IDEA or special education funds. If the special education paraprofessional works in a Title I targeted assistance school, has instructional support duties, and Title I funds are used to pay any portion of the salary, the requirements must be met.

7. Can the district use ESEA funds to support paraprofessionals in meeting these qualification requirements?

Yes. Since the paraprofessional qualification requirements are a federal requirement, LEAs can use Title II, Part A funds to support paraprofessionals in meeting the qualification requirements. This may include paying fees associated with the formal assessment or tuition reimbursement for college credits.

8. What support is available for paraprofessionals who have not met the requirements (such as not having passed the academic assessment) and are currently employed by the LEA?

LEAs in collaboration with the paraprofessionals can develop a plan to support paraprofessionals in meeting the minimum qualifications of instructional paraprofessionals. Such plans may include a timeline by which to re-test, time and support for studying for the test, and paying for courses or tutoring in the needed content area.

9. If a staff member does not have the second set of qualifications beyond a HS diploma upon hire, how long do they have to obtain the necessary qualifications (e.g. pass Workkeys, ParaPro or a local assessment)?

The LEA can determine the process and timeline. CDE recommends developing local protocols and written procedures for reviewing and testing qualifications and the actions to take when a staff member does not have the appropriate qualifications. If CDE determines that LEA staff are not meeting the requirements during the monitoring process, CDE will work with the LEA to agree upon a feasible timeline for taking corrective actions.

10. When does the LEA need to ensure instructional paraprofessionals meet these requirements?

LEAs should use the remainder of the 2025-26 school year to develop (or review if already developed) and document the local procedures and processes for ensuring all instructional paraprofessionals meet the requirements outlined above. By the 2026-27 school year, LEAs should have a documented HR process for ensuring paraprofessionals meet requirements (see question 4).

11. How will these requirements be monitored by CDE?

Monitoring for paraprofessional qualifications will begin in the 2026-27 school year through CDE’s ESEA federal programs monitoring. The district should document their process internally and CDE will request evidence of the district’s implementation during monitoring. There will not be a separate monitoring process for the implementation of this guidance in 2026-27.

12. Will there be a check added to the HR Data Collection for paraprofessional qualifications?

At this time, CDE is not planning to add a check for paraprofessional qualifications.

For Additional Information Contact:

Rachel Echsner

ESEA Title I & II Specialist

(303) 681-6486

Echsner_R@cde.state.co.us

References:

[1] ESSA Sec. 1112 (b)(6): Each local educational agency plan shall provide assurances that the LEA will…ensure that all teachers and paraprofessionals working in a program supported with funds under [Title I, Part A] meet applicable State certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification.

[2] ESSA Sec. 1111(g)(2)(M): Each State plan shall contain assurances that…the State has professional standards for paraprofessionals working in a program supported with funds under this part, including qualifications that were in place on the day before the date of enactment of the Every Student Succeeds Act.

[3] 34 CFR 200.58

Paraprofessional Guidance