New
regulations
Feb. 25, 2004
Districts are looking at how they assign job titles and duties for
two reasons:
- The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 set new requirements
for those in programs or schools that receive Title I funds, except
in New York City, where paras have different requirements. The new
law requires that teaching assistants hired after Jan. 8, 2002, complete
two years or more of college study and pass the state Assessment of
Teaching Assistant Skills.
- New state regulations that went into effect this month mandate that,
to get hired as a teaching assistant, you must have a high school
diploma and pass the state ATAS. You then will start working on a
series of requirements. Ultimately, to earn a continuously valid state
teaching assistant certificate, you must complete at least 18 semester
hours of college courses within three years and complete 75 hours
of in-service training every five years. Also, it is important that
members who have changed from teacher aide to teaching assistant complete
and file a retirement membership transfer form (ERS to TRS) as soon
as possible.
NYSUT's Education and Learning Trust has developed undergraduate courses
with community colleges around the state to help current and future
assistants meet state certification requirements. For details, see www.nysut.org
- look for 'SRP' under 'Resources.'
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