| Some researchers conducted a survey aimed at | | | | waivers are granted for the student teaching |
| understanding the programs, called | | | | requirement in cases where the paraprofessional has |
| "paraeducator-to-teacher" programs, that prepare | | | | worked successfully for a number of years under |
| paraprofessionals to become teachers. These | | | | supervision. |
| programs, although available in most states, are more | | | | A few program initiatives address the shortage of |
| prevalent in states with high percentages of culturally | | | | certified teachers by allowing paraprofessionals to |
| and linguistically diverse students, such as California, | | | | teach while working on a bachelor's degree. Virtually |
| New York, and Texas. The characteristics of | | | | all programs address the academic, economic, and |
| paraprofessionals interested in becoming teachers | | | | personal needs of the participants. Academic issues |
| reflect the general population of paraeducators. | | | | are usually addressed by providing advisement, |
| They are often women with families who live in the | | | | tutoring, and workshops that help paraprofessionals |
| neighborhoods where they work; are members of a | | | | maintain an appropriate grade point average and pass |
| minority group, with low socioeconomic status (given | | | | the required state teacher certification tests. Financial |
| the low salaries of paraprofessionals); and have years | | | | support is offered by providing stipends, laptop |
| of experience in classrooms that they or their | | | | computers, printers, and money for books and |
| children may have attended, and therefore they are | | | | courses. |
| prepared to navigate the school system in at least | | | | Personal needs are addressed through the creation |
| two languages. As a result of their life and work | | | | of support groups, run by the director or the |
| experiences, paraprofessionals have a very good | | | | coordinator of the program, and by encouraging |
| grasp of their students' cultures and needs and are | | | | paraprofessionals to bond with other colleagues with |
| committed to their success. | | | | whom they can take courses. Beatriz Chu Clewell and |
| All paraeducator-to-teacher programs reported having | | | | Ana Maria Villegas conducted a survey called the |
| more than one objective, but the main and common | | | | "Evaluation of the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest |
| purpose of all programs was to build on the strengths | | | | Fund's Pathways to Teaching Careers Program" and |
| of these nontraditional teacher candidates and help | | | | concluded that paraeducator-to-teacher program |
| them become certified teachers or certified bilingual | | | | graduates (a) have a lower rate of attrition than |
| teachers. The characteristics of these teacher | | | | teachers from traditional teacher education programs, |
| education programs vary. Some use mainstream | | | | (b) are often members of minority groups that are |
| teacher education programs that are available to | | | | not well represented in the teaching profession, (c) |
| traditional students but also accommodate the | | | | are more likely to serve in high-need schools in urban |
| paraprofessionals' needs by providing flexible | | | | or rural areas that serve minority students who live in |
| admissions, requirements, and schedules, credit for life | | | | poverty, and (d) are highly successful in these |
| experience, and on-the-job training. In addition, | | | | schools. |