Illinois and New York top ratings in AFT progress report on No Child Left Behind

Most states are not on schedule to meet a 2006 deadline under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) that requires raising standards for hundreds of thousands of paraprofessionals who work with disadvantaged students, according to a new AFT report.

The state-by-state evaluation rates Illinois and New York as the only states “very well prepared” to meet NCLB’s deadline for ensuring that paraprofessionals meet the new standards. Kansas, New Jersey, New Mexico and North Carolina earned a “well prepared” rating.

Overall, the report found that 23 states are having at least some success in helping paraprofessionals meet the requirements. But 27 states and the District of Columbia have made insufficient progress in meeting the deadline, which could force dedicated, experienced paraprofessionals out of classrooms where they are needed most.

“Paraprofessionals help students from disadvantaged communities catch up with their peers from more affluent neighborhoods,” says Nat LaCour, AFT executive vice president. “We need to commend the states that are evaluating and supporting these dedicated school workers, and we need to light a fire under states that are dragging their feet.”

AFT’s report measures whether states that use federal Title I funds for students in disadvantaged communities are helping paraprofessionals meet NCLB requirements. By Jan. 8, 2006, Title I paraprofessionals must have a two-year degree, two years of credit toward a four-year degree or a passing score on a state assessment.

The report, issued at the midpoint between NCLB’s enactment and the deadline, was released in New Orleans in conjunction with the PSRP program and policy council meeting. It grades states in several areas, including whether they provide multiple assessment options for paraprofessionals, financial support for college costs and testing fees, test preparation and helpful information on state Web sites.

Because NCLB aims to help students learn more, support for paraprofessionals is vital, says Lorretta Johnson, AFT vice president and PSRP division leader. “One great way to improve statewide student achievement is to help paraprofessionals who work with our most vulnerable students. Not enough states are being supportive,” Johnson says.

“AFT Midterm Report on the Status of State Efforts To Assist Paraprofessionals in Meeting No Child Left Behind Requirements” appears online at www.aft.org/psrp/topics/midtermreport.htm.