Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Fall 2023
Abstract
Dallas Center Elementary is a small kindergarten through fourth grade elementary school in the rural town of Dallas Center, Iowa, just outside of Des Moines. In the past, the school has had difficulty training and retaining paraprofessionals to ensure quality support for their special education students. A review of literature was conducted to determine implications for limited training, best practices, and benefits to training paraprofessionals. Feedback from current employees was also considered in designing this school improvement plan and professional learning calendar for the 2023-2024 school year. The professional learning for paraprofessionals will also support the building wide social emotional learning goal. Building, district, and community data is examined and was considered in the creation of the plan. The goal of the plan is ultimately to create a supportive community among staff members, specifically paraprofessionals and special education staff, while targeting the building social emotional learning goal, and preparing the paraprofessionals for their work with our most unique and vulnerable learners.