English Composition 1
Writing credit; a common first college course.
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →FloridaTeachers
ParaPro test Florida guide: 60 college credits or a test for paraprofessional jobs
Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
The short answer
This ParaPro test Florida guide starts with the rule. Districts follow the federal Title I rule, 34 CFR 200.58: a high school diploma plus two years of college study, an associate degree, or a pass on a formal test in reading, writing and maths. Each district picks the test and what two years means. College credit counts via a college transcript; confirm in writing first.
The rule
Under 34 CFR 200.58, a Title I paraprofessional with instructional duties needs a high school diploma plus at least 2 years of study at an institution of higher education, an associate's or higher degree, or a pass on a formal State or local academic assessment.
The rule asks for 2 years of college study (about 60 semester credits at a full-time pace), or an associate degree, or a test pass. The legal source is 34 CFR 200.58.
| Requirement | What the Title I rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone | High school diploma or its recognized equivalent | [1] |
| Route 1 | At least two years of study at an institution of higher education | [1] |
| Route 2 | An associate's or higher degree | [1] |
| Route 3 | A rigorous standard shown on a formal State or local academic assessment in reading, writing and maths | [1] |
| Exempt | Translators for English learners; staff whose duties are only parental involvement | [1] |
| Who checks | The school district that hires you | [1] |
Who decides
U.S. Department of Education (Title I rule), applied by each Florida school district's human resources office decides how this rule applies to you. We read its published rule and the pages below; each was checked on 15 Nov 2026.
Which credits count
What counts
- College credits on a transcript from an institution of higher education
- An associate's or higher degree
- A district-chosen academic assessment in reading, writing and maths, such as the ParaPro, at the district's score
What does not count
- A high school diploma alone; it is needed but not enough
- Course certificates on their own, without a college transcript
- Remedial or non-credit courses, if the district excludes them
Courses that fit
Each course below is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended for college credit. Whether it counts here is the decision of the college and of U.S. Department of Education (Title I rule), applied by each Florida school district's human resources office.
College Algebra
Maths credit, and practice for the maths the tests cover.
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Educational Psychology
How children learn: useful in a classroom support job.
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Psychology
General education credit toward two years of study.
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
English Composition 2
More writing credit toward the total.
Self-paced online English Composition 2 course (ENG 102). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →The path via a college transcript
- Read the district postingFind the paraprofessional posting for your district and note exactly what it asks: credits, degree, or a test and its score.
- Count what you haveGather any college transcripts. Credits from years ago may still count; ask the district.
- Pick the faster routeIf you are strong in reading, writing and maths, the district's test may be quicker. If you want the credits for your own future, coursework builds toward a degree too.
- Ask in writingSend the district HR office the course list and the college that would post the credits, and ask whether they would count.
- Take the courses and the transcript stepFinish the ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, then have a partner college put them on its transcript and send it to the district.
TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Ask the college and the district first, then enrol.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
What it costs
| Option | Price | For this rule | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month, every course | $99 for each month you are subscribed; take as many courses as you finish in that time | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Sophia Learning | $99 a month | General education courses for $99 a month, then a college must post them on its transcript | 15 Nov 2026 |
| StraighterLine | $99 a month plus $79 per course | Five courses: $395 in course fees plus the months you subscribe, then the transcript step | 15 Nov 2026 |
Florida state colleges also teach these courses, with credit on their own transcript from the start. The district's chosen test has its own fee, set by the test provider.
What UPI Study cannot do here
- UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited; our courses carry ACE or NCCRS recommendations, and a college decides whether to put them on its transcript.
- We cannot say a Florida district will count credit that started with us; each district decides.
- We do not run or prepare you for any specific paraprofessional test.
- Districts can add their own rules, such as background checks, on top of the federal rule.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
Confirm in writing first
Ask the district's human resources office in writing whether credits posted on a partner college's transcript would count toward its paraprofessional requirement before you enrol.
Where the rule comes from
Paraprofessionals who give instructional support in Title I programmes fall under a federal rule, 34 CFR 200.58. It applies to every Florida district that uses Title I money for those positions, and many districts use the same standard for other classroom aide jobs too.
The rule has a floor and three routes. The floor is a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent. Above that, you need one of three things: at least two years of study at an institution of higher education, an associate's or higher degree, or a pass on a formal State or local academic assessment that shows knowledge of reading, writing and maths and the ability to help teach them.
What two years of study means in practice
The federal rule gives no credit number. A full-time student usually earns about 30 semester credits a year, so two years of study is often read as about 60 credits. That is where the 60 in many postings comes from. Your district decides what it counts, including whether remedial courses or old credits qualify, so read its posting closely.
If you already have some college, count it. Credits from a decade ago can still be on a transcript and may still count. If you are short, the gap is often smaller than it looks.
The test route, and the ParaPro
The third route is an academic assessment chosen at the state or local level. The federal rule does not name a test. Many districts use the ETS ParaPro Assessment, which covers reading, writing and maths, and each district sets its own passing score.
For people who are strong in those subjects, the test is often the fastest way in. Ask your district which test it accepts, the score it needs and where you can sit it.
Where college courses fit
Our courses are ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended. A college can review them and post them on its own transcript. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. After a college posts the credit, the district reads that transcript like any other.
Courses also build toward a degree if you later want to teach. English Composition, College Algebra, Educational Psychology and Intro to Psychology are common first choices. Confirm with the district in writing before you enrol.
Questions people ask
What is the ParaPro test?
The ParaPro Assessment from ETS is a test of reading, writing and maths, plus applying those skills in a classroom. Many districts use it to meet the federal assessment route for paraprofessionals. Your district picks the test and the passing score, so ask HR which one it uses before you book.
Do I need 60 college credits to be a paraprofessional in Florida?
Not always. The federal rule asks for two years of college study, an associate degree, or a passing test score. Many districts read two years as about 60 credits, but each district decides. If you can pass the district's test, you may not need the credits at all.
Is a high school diploma enough for a Florida paraprofessional job?
For Title I instructional jobs, no. The diploma is required but not enough on its own; you also need the college study, a degree or a test pass. Some non-instructional aide jobs may differ, so read the posting.
Do old college credits count toward the paraprofessional rule?
They can. The rule asks for two years of study at an institution of higher education and does not set a time limit. Your district decides, so send it your transcripts and ask in writing how many credits it counts.
Can online courses count toward the two years of study?
Only once a college posts them on its transcript, and only if the district counts that transcript. Our courses are ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended, and a college decides whether to post them. Ask the district in writing before you enrol.
Ready when you have it in writing
Ask your district in writing first, then start with English Composition and College Algebra.
Sources
- 34 CFR 200.58: Qualifications of paraprofessionals (Code of Federal Regulations, 2024 edition, govinfo) (official)The school district must ensure each Title I paraprofessional with instructional duties has a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and either at least two years of study at an institution of higher education, an associate's or higher degree, or a pass on a formal State or local academic assessment of reading, writing and mathematics. Translators and staff whose duties are only parental involvement are exempt. The rule names no credit number and no specific test. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Sophia Learning: Plans and pricingPrice for Sophia Learning, checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- StraighterLine: PricingPrice for StraighterLine, checked on 15 Nov 2026.