2025 Session Last amended: 2017 session

§ 120B.363 — Credential for Education Paraprofessionals

Plain-Language Summary

This section requires the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board to adopt rules creating a statewide credential for education paraprofessionals who assist licensed teachers with student instruction. A credentialed paraprofessional is considered highly qualified under federal law. All new paraprofessionals must receive mandatory initial training within their first 60 days covering emergency procedures, confidentiality, vulnerability, reporting obligations, district discipline policies, roles and responsibilities, and a building orientation.

120B.363 CREDENTIAL FOR EDUCATION PARAPROFESSIONALS.

Subdivision 1.Rulemaking.

The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must adopt rules to implement a statewide credential for education paraprofessionals who assist a licensed teacher in providing student instruction. Any paraprofessional holding this credential or working in a local school district after meeting a state-approved local assessment is considered to be highly qualified under federal law. Under this subdivision, the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, in consultation with the commissioner, must adopt qualitative criteria for approving local assessments that include an evaluation of a paraprofessional’s knowledge of reading, writing, and math and the paraprofessional’s ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and math. The commissioner must approve or disapprove local assessments using these criteria. The commissioner must make the criteria available to the public. §

Subd. 2.Training possibilities.

In adopting rules under subdivision 1, the board must consider including provisions that provide training in: students’ characteristics; teaching and learning environment; academic instruction skills; student behavior; and ethical practices. §

Subd. 3.Initial training.

Within the first 60 days of supervising or working with students, a district must provide each paraprofessional with initial training in emergency procedures, confidentiality, vulnerability, reporting obligations, discipline policies, roles and responsibilities, and a building orientation.

History:

2003 c 129 art 1 s 10; 1Sp2017 c 5 art 3 s 1

History: History: 2003 c 129 art 1 s 10; 1Sp2017 c 5 art 3 s 1

Practical Notes

School districts must provide mandatory initial training to all new paraprofessionals within the first 60 days of working with students — this is a legal requirement, not optional orientation. Paraprofessionals with the state credential or a commissioner-approved local assessment are considered federally highly qualified, which affects a district’s Title I compliance. Districts that rely on paraprofessionals for reading interventions under the Read Act (section 120B.123) must also ensure those staff have completed appropriate literacy training.

Source: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes