Professional Development for Teacher Assistants
It is critical that all educators engage in ongoing professional development (PD) to ensure they have up-to-date knowledge and skills to help students achieve at high levels. The following reviews TA PD requirements and resources. If you would like to download a handout that contains the information provided on this webpage, click below.
Professional Development for Teacher Assistants ( 82KB / 2 pages )
- Pre-Employment Training – All instructional and non-instructional TAs hired after 1/1/99 must complete a RIDE Approved TA Training Program (as well as meeting other qualifications) prior to employment. The TA website Training Opportunities webpage has a TA Training Program Directory and profiles of each training program. It also has information on State and Federal Requirements for TA Qualifications and Use on the Legal Requirements webpage. You can click to Pre-Employment information and resources here.
- TA PD Requirements – Once on the job, state law requires, “(a) As a condition of continued employment every person employed as a TA shall participate in ongoing PD." Some districts require a minimum # of TA PD hours per year. State law also requires districts to “maintain records on TA’s completion of: (1) Training for the work assignment; (2) Continuing education and relevant coursework…” TAs should get documentation of all PD they complete Training for Teachers and put in their personnel files.
- Setting TA PD Goals – Some districts use performance evaluation as a process to assess TA strengths and needs and set PD goals. This is recommended in RIDE Guidelines. TAs can also work with their teachers to identify PD goals appropriate to the TA job assignment.
- Accessing RIDE Affiliated PD - RIDE sponsors PD for TAs through TA Networks and TA Training Opportunities in the area of working with students whose Behaviors Interfere With Learning and /or Relationships. Go to the TA website Training Opportunities webpage for registration information or to register online. To access:
- Accessing PD By or Through Your District – Districts provide various PD supports such as TA specific training in-district, encouraging TAs to attend in-district teacher in-service training, funding TAs to attend job-related training out-of-district, providing TAs with PD days each year, TA orientation strategies, study groups, etc. Districts should consider including TA PD in their Consolidated Resources Plans (CRPs). TA PD funding sources include: Title I; Title II, Part A, Improving Teacher Quality State Grants; Title III, Part A, the English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act; Title V, Part A, Innovative Programs; Title VII, Part A, subpart 7, the Indian Education Program; IDEA, Part B; and Article 31.
- ParaPro Training - The TA website ParaPro webpage contains a handout entitled, ParaPro Training and Testing Resources in RI that is updated whenever new training or testing information is received. For information on ParaPro training and testing information and resources, click here.
- Staying Informed – Go to the TA website for updates. Get on RIDE’s TA Master Email List by registering on the TA website Resources webpage. Through being on this email list, you will get RIDE’s quarterly TA newsletter and routine emails about PD opportunities, resources, policy updates, etc. To access the webpage where you can register to be on RIDE’s TA Master Email, click here.
- TA Training Resources – These are available on loan through TA libraries at the 4 Educational Collaboratives: East Bay Collaborative (245-4998), Northern RI Collaborative (658-5790), Southern RI Collaborative (295-2888), and West Bay Collaborative (941-8353) plus 2 other sites at RI Technical Assistance Project (RITAP) (456-4600) and CHILDSPAN (729-0765). Click here for a copy of the Annotated Bibliography of TA resources, most of which are available on loan through these libraries.
- Online PD – Online PD is an effective way to access training to fit individual schedules as it is generally available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using any Internet connection: school, home, community library, etc. The TA website Training Opportunities webpage provides link to a variety of online PD and related resources appropriate for TAs and those who work with them – some at no cost & some at low cost. Click here to access this resource. (Add the link to the Training Opportunities – Online PD Sub-Webpage.)
- Training for Teachers on Working with TAs – Just as TAs need to know how to be effective members of teacher/TA instructional teams, so do teachers. Teachers need to know how to work effectively with TAs assigned to them. Districts and related education agencies can access training on the Effective Use Of TAs that can be custom-designed to meet local needs at no charge through RIDE (within grant limitations). To schedule a workshop, contact the presenter, Dr. Deborah Goessling, Asso. Professor of Education at Providence College, 865-1963 or dgoesslg@providence.edu or access more information on the TA website on the Training Opportunities webpage by clicking here.
- College Courses – The TA website Training Opportunities webpage has information on CCRI Supports for TAs Pursuing Associate Degrees and TA Career Advancement Opportunities in Special Education. To access information on:
