In the fiscal year of 2002, the teaching workforce grew by five percent. If the current growth rate continues, Georgia will employ more than 115,000 teachers in 2007 and more than 136,000 in 2012.
In the 2000-2001 school year, there were over 23,000 paraprofessionals/teachers aides in Georgia Classrooms.
The Georgia Legislature passed a bill to reduce class size in the public school system, and at the Pre-K and Kindergarten levels, the teacher to pupil ratio can be as low as 1:10. With the shortage of teachers, and the reduced ratio, assigning a Paraprofessional/Teacher Aide to assist lead teachers in the classroom is becoming an increasing opportunity.
According to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, all paraprofessionals hired prior to January 8, 2002 must meet the requirements for qualifications by Janurary 8, 2006. All Title I funded paraprofessionals (includes all paraprofessionals in school wide programs) must have:
- Completed 2 years of college (60 semester hours)
- Earned an associate's degree; or,
- Demonstrate through a formal state academic assessment, "their knowledge of" and "ability to assist in instructing" reading, writing and math or "readiness" in those subjects.
Students interested in becoming a paraprofessional may choose to complete the Early Childhood Studies Program offered through HGTC. |
