Are Paraprofessionals Being Hired to Replace Special Educators? A Study of Paraprofessional Employment

Abstract

Special education teacher employment began to decline in 2006, concurrent with increased paraprofessional employment. At the same time, the prevalence of students with disabilities in several categories changed substantially, and the proportion of students being served in general education settings increased as well. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the decline in special education teacher employment was related to increased paraprofessional employment, and if the increase in paraprofessional employment was related to shifts in the composition of students with disabilities, educational placements, or more general state-level factors. We created a panel dataset for 2006–2015 and analyzed these relationships using a two-way fixed effects model. We found that, although changes in paraprofessional employment were unrelated to changes in special educator employment, they were related to changes in the prevalence of students with autism spectrum disorder. In addition, states with larger populations and higher K12 expenditures employed more paraprofessionals.

Professional Understanding of a Special Needs Educator: Roles, Expectations, and Implications

“…From the few that could be found, trends presented mixed findings. Fisher et al (2021) found that more paraprofessionals are being hired to replace SnE, specifically in the context of students with autism spectrum disorders. It was also found while paraprofessionals lack training in curricular and instructional decisions, estimates of the proportion of paraprofessionals that makes curricular decisions ranged up to 70% (Fisher et al, 2021).…”

“…Fisher et al (2021) found that more paraprofessionals are being hired to replace SnE, specifically in the context of students with autism spectrum disorders. It was also found while paraprofessionals lack training in curricular and instructional decisions, estimates of the proportion of paraprofessionals that makes curricular decisions ranged up to 70% (Fisher et al, 2021). Sindelar, Brownell and Billingsley (2010) found that almost half of the first-year teachers that enter special needs schools do not meet the basic requirements for teaching.…”

“…Findings by Sindelar, Brownell and Billingsley (2010) understood that it is a positive sign that educators can transition into the special needs field. While the circumstantial acceptance of emergency roles allows for the fulfilment of the insufficient supply of teachers (Sindelar, Brownell & Billingsley, 2010;Little & Bartlett, 2010;Fisher et al, 2021;Brittle, 2020), it also indirectly challenges the notion of a profession. Prior studies on professions notes how jurisdictional conflicts present in itself, a challenge to the notion of profession and professionalization due to the dispute it presents in terms of altering established processes and hierarchical expertise (Abbott, 1986(Abbott, , 1991.…”

“…Traditionally, SnE professionalization occurs through formal training in educational institutes akin to teachers in mainstream education with some add-ons. Due to the spectrum of needs of each type of special needs that are often congregated into a single school, SnEs are often not trained adequately to effectively provide for the large range of different learning needs (Giangreco, Broer & Suter, 2009;Giangreco, 2010;Fisher et al, 2021). Due to the large diversity of students, where which there are often high rates of comorbidity with other health and mental issues which requires other additional access arrangements, the matter of student management in a special needs class is often oversimplified by people without relevant experiences (Florian.…”

“…With the bulk of their responsibility in the classroom consisting of delivering the curriculum, an often oversight of this requirement, however, is to account for the diversity of the student's needs due to their different learning needs (Sindelar, Brownell & Billingsley, 2010;Florian. Chapter 14, 21, 22, 2014;Fisher et al, 2021). Swann (1992, as cited by Booth et al) highlighted the drawback of the national curriculum to disregarding the diversity of learners.…”