PAETEP now includes the Special Education Paraprofessional Standards for Practice: Competency Assessment Checklist for paraprofessionals.
With the permission of PDE, the Special Education Paraprofessional Standards for Practice: Competency Assessment Checklist has been built into PAETEP. Clients who have the Custom Forms Module and have added their support staff can now utilize this form to support their paraprofessionals in demonstrating these competencies and being recognized by the state.
According to PDE, the Competency Assessment Checklist is a vehicle through which a paraprofessional can document achievement of the entry-level knowledge and skill competencies required to receive the Paraprofessional Credential of Competency for Special Education Paraprofessionals. The Competency Assessment Checklist contains seven competencies. Included for each competency is a list of essential knowledge and/or skills that are required to meet the competencies. Paraprofessionals can achieve these competencies by one of three methods: interview, demonstration, or professional development.
When a Special Education Paraprofessional has completed the Special Education Paraprofessional Standards for Practice: Competency Assessment Checklist, and a school entity, charter school, or cyber charter school administrator has attested to their demonstration of competence in each of the seven competency areas, the paraprofessional may electronically submit the document to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Upon review and approval of the submitted documents, the paraprofessional will be issued a Credential of Competency for Special Education Paraprofessionals in Pennsylvania.
PDE no longer accepts hard-copy documents sent through the U.S. Postal Service. The Entry-Level Credential of Competency Checklist must be completed in digital format and electronically sent to the Paraprofessional Resource Account for review. Questions during the submission process should be sent to the Paraprofessional Resource Account: RA-EDPARAPROFESSIONAL@pa.gov.
Clients who have the Custom Forms Module and have added their support staff can now utilize this form to support their paraprofessionals in demonstrating these competencies and being recognized by the state.