Iowa Department of Education Paraeducator
Link to the DE webpage to find the following documents:
Legal Requirements and Reports
Paraeducators Who Are Licensed Teachers 2009
Highly Qualified Paraeducator Requirements Under NCLB
Highly Qualified Paraeducator Requirements under IDEA 2004
Guiding Practices
Paraeducator Certificate opportunities and Institutions (2006-10-25)
Appropriate Paraeducator Duties 2010
Supporting Documents
Paraeducator Brochure: What is a Paraeducator (2006-11-03)
Paraprofessional Requirements for Iowa Schools (2011-04-22)
Guide to Effective Paraeducator Practices II–2007
Paraeducators as Substitute Teachers
A substitute authorization allows an individual to substitute in grades PK-12 for no more than 5 consecutive days and no more than 10 days in a 30-day period in one job assignment for a regularly assigned teacher who is absent, except in the driver’s education classroom. A school district administrator may file a written request with the board for an extension of the 10-day limit in one job assignment on the basis of documented need and benefit to the instructional program. The licensure committee will review the request and provide a written decision either approving or denying the request. An individual who holds a paraeducator certificate without a bachelor’s degree and completes the substitute authorization program is authorized to substitute only in the special education classroom in which the individual paraeducator is employed.