This is the first phase in a continuing study of the role of paraprofessionals in New York State, exclusive of New York City, with 667 school districts being asked for information on the types of services, qualifications, age, training, work hours, financial support, and general acceptance. Ninety-four percent of the questionnaires were completed, showing that 94.7 percent of the responding districts use paraprofessionals, with slightly more in city and suburban than in rural districts. Paid paraprofessionals, of whom there are twice as many as unpaid, are most used as room, library, teaching, playground, monitorial, and audiovisual aides, with voluntary workers as library, teaching, lunchroom, health service, remedial, and playground aides. Voluntary aides seem most successful in one-to-one services to children, which are more social than clerical. The majority of the school districts require either high school diploma or some college experience; 68 percent have no minimum age limit and 84 percent have no maximum. About 25 percent provide special training programs. The first reported use of paraprofessionals was in 1940-44, with the numbers increasing greatly since 1960. If more funds and personnel were available, 86.7 percent of the districts report that they would use even more. There are very few cases where the use of paraprofessionals was rejected because of school board, teacher, or parent opposition. Details of the survey are given in 16 tables. (MBM)