Models of support for students with disability and learning difficulties in mainstream classes in Australia rely extensively on teacher assistants (TAs). Current models, however, inadvertently perpetuate low expectations because providing TA support can be one of the most restrictive supports offered in a school [Giangreco, M. F. 2010a.…

Inner-city schools located in high poverty communities often operate with insufficient resources to meet the educational needs of students. Community residents serving as paraeducators offer the dual benefits of expanding instructional capacity and fostering family-school relationships, provided they are appropriately prepared and incorporated…

This paper idsucsses the J. Lloyd Trump (NAASP) model of differentiated staffing and compares it with that of Dwight Allen (Stanford University.) The general rewards and pitfalls of differentiated staffing are discussed, and the author concludes that although these two models have served as the basis for all significant differentiated staffing…

Since there are large gaps between the culture, economy, and education of Native Americans and mainstream Americans, the recruitment and training of Native Americans as paraprofessionals in the schools appears to be a promising opportunity to deal with all three gaps simultaneously. Three model programs which are currently bridging these gaps with…

The author defines the human services professional as one who is "able to establish professional relationships, to counsel, to teach, supervise, research, to work with the community and to act as a change agent." Historical factors leading to the emergence of the human services professional are outlined. Also described is an educational model and…

This report examines a grass-roots movement for teacher diversity and development: paraeducator pathways into teaching. The desire to recruit a more diverse pool of teachers for urban schools and critical shortage areas has spurned a renewed interest in paraprofessional career opportunity programs. The 149 paraeducator-to-teacher programs…

Differentiation of school instructional staffs is built on the premise that teachers should assume more specialized roles in the teaching and learning process. This document focuses on the following topics: (1) the press for specialization, (2) the creation of new staff roles through differentiation, and (3) the changes in systems as a result of…