CSEA works for paraprofessionals on NCLB

On January 8, 2002, President Bush signed legislation known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) which spells out the student testing, school accountability and paraprofessional qualification standards for schools that receive federal Title 1 funding. It has created new and higher standards for paraprofessionals who provide instructional services in schools receiving Title 1 funding, without providing increased resources.

As California and other states scramble to implement one of the most far-reaching national education laws in decades, paraprofessionals, teachers and students are caught in the middle. With more than $30 billion in federal education funding a stake, states are trying to figure out how to comply with NCLB.

CSEA sponsored legislation (SB 1405) which was signed into law on January 1, 2003, in order to clarify the requirements contained in NCLB. CSEA has since discovered that despite the protections of SB 1405, there is an inconsistency of testing among school districts which created unique circumstances that require specialized interventions at the local level.

CSEA is working on several fronts to help ensure that all "veteran" paraprofessionals are able to meet their NCLB requirements before the June 30, 2006 deadline. CSEA's organizational plan includes providing the latest information to all interested members and training for CSEA field staff to better respond to NCLB situations that could develop in your school district.

Frequently asked questions and more information

Download CSEA’s NCLB presentation from the 2004 Paraeducator Conference:
“Moving Paraprofessionals to Safety” (PDF 1MB)

CSEA's NCLB Question and Answer Page

U.S. Dept. of Ed Non-Regulatory Guidance for Title I Paraprofessional (PDF 80KB)

California Department of Education NCLBA Paraprofessional Requirements

Contact your local field office for localized information relative to your district.