ACT Launches Certificate Program for Paraprofessionals

March 21, 2003

IOWA CITY, Iowa—ACT is launching a new system for use by school districts in assessing and training paraprofessionals, helping them meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. The system—the WorkKeys Proficiency Certificate for Teacher Assistants—includes assessments already widely used to assess paraprofessionals by school districts in several states, including Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina and South Carolina. The system will be available in April.

No Child Left Behind legislation requires that Title I-funded paraprofessionals be able to demonstrate knowledge of reading, writing and mathematics, reflecting the knowledge equivalent of two years of college.

ACT created the WorkKeys Proficiency Certificate for Teacher Assistants based on its WorkKeys job skills assessments, which have been used for more than a decade by thousands of schools, businesses and organizations to hire, train and improve the skills of the workforce.

"The system is designed to be affordable and easy to administer," said Jon Erickson, vice president of ACT's Educational Services. "It's also a proven system with a long track record. More than 6 million WorkKeys assessments have been scored. With WorkKeys, schools have a proven system of assessment that has been in place throughout the workforce for years."

ACT's new system combines testing, training and on-the-job observation and evaluation of paraprofessionals. Three WorkKeys skills assessments are included: Applied Mathematics, Writing and Reading for Information. Also included is an Instructional Support Inventory, which is filled out by a knowledgeable observer, taking note of the pedagogical skills demonstrated by the paraprofessional. The WorkKeys assessments currently are available. The Instructional Support Inventory will be available in April.

"The new WorkKeys Proficiency Certificate for Teacher Assistants gives educators a tool to identify skill gaps, helping them pinpoint skills that are vital in today's classrooms," said Erickson.

Once a paraprofessional's skills are assessed, ACT facilitates training to help improve specific skills, if necessary. WorkKeys-customized training materials—developed by KeyTrain and Worldwide Interactive Network—are available at ACT Centers, computerized training centers located at two- and four-year colleges across the country. WorkKeys-specific training is also available through WorkKeys Value-Added Resellers, one-stop career centers and similar agencies.

"ACT believes that if paraprofessionals are to be assessed for their content knowledge, they should also have access to training so that they can meet the required skill levels," said Erickson. "With WorkKeys, schools have a proven, validated system of assessment that is affordable and convenient, and ACT also makes computerized and online training available to help paraprofessionals meet the skill levels required of their jobs."