Highly qualified paraprofessional in Pennsylvania: three routes

Where the phrase comes from

Highly qualified was the federal term under No Child Left Behind. The Every Student Succeeds Act kept the same three routes for instructional paraprofessionals in Title I programmes, and Pennsylvania applies them through PDE's CSPG 101 and 22 Pa. Code 14.105 for special education. Many districts and job postings still use the old phrase.

The routes are the same for both settings, with one addition: special education paras complete at least 20 hours of staff development tied to their assignment each school year.

Choosing the fastest route

Start by gathering every transcript you have, even from years ago. Count the credits. If you have 30 or more, finishing 48 may take only a few months. If you have none and need the job soon, ask whether the district or intermediate unit offers its assessment and when.

The assessment is quicker but stays with that route. Credits keep their value: they can count toward an associate or bachelor's degree later, which matters if you plan to teach, because CSPG 101 says para service does not count toward certification.

• Have a degree: send the transcript.
• Have 30 or more credits: finish the rest.
• Have no credits and need work soon: ask about the assessment.
• Plan to teach later: build credits that a degree can use.

A sample plan for the 48-credit route

Say you took one year of community college years ago and earned 24 credits. You need 24 more, which is eight three-credit courses. If your district has said in writing that it will count credit posted via a college transcript, a simple plan is two courses a month over four months, starting with the courses that build classroom skills.

Keep a short record as you go: each course name, the credits, the date you finished and the college that posted it. When you apply, send the district every transcript at once with a one-page summary that adds up to 48. HR staff review many files, and a clear total helps them check yours quickly.

If you start with no credits at all, the full 48 is sixteen courses. At two a month that is about eight months. In that case, ask whether the district would let you sit the assessment now and finish credits later, since the credits still help if you move toward a degree.

• Month 1: English Composition and College Algebra.
• Month 2: Introduction to Psychology and Educational Psychology.
• Month 3: Introduction to Sociology and Psychology of Diversity.
• Month 4: two more courses the district or a college confirms.

Questions people ask

The full rule

• Pennsylvania paraprofessional requirements: the 48-credit route and the other twoUnder CSPG 101 and 22 Pa. Code 14.105, an instructional paraprofessional in a Title I programme or special education in Pennsylvania needs a high school diploma plus an associate degree or higher, at least two years of postsecondary study (48 credits), or a passed state or locally developed assessment; special education paras also complete 20 hours of staff development each school year.