Substitute Paraprofessional Registry Program

By law, the special education classroom is required to have a paraprofessional assigned to assist a teacher on a daily basis. Substitute paraprofessionals provide coverage on the days when a full-time education paraprofessional in a special education assignment is absent. When a special education paraprofessional reports that he/she will be absent, the Paraprofessional Registry identifies a qualified substitute. In certain situations, special skills are required to fill in for the absent special education substitute paraprofessional (e.g. an ability to use sign language, speak another language, etc.). Many assignments require the substitute paraprofessional to assist in the diapering, toileting, lifting and feeding of students.

Once the substitute has been identified, a telephone call is placed during the hours of 5:30 AM - 8:30 AM. Since most telephone calls cannot be made in advance, substitutes are asked to accept an assignment on the morning that an absence is reported.

In order to qualify for full-time paraprofessional positions, it is necessary to begin employment as a substitute employed in a special education classroom setting. A full-time vacancy is offered to the most senior qualified substitute. It is therefore advisable to accept the maximum number of daily assignments offered to you by your Registry Coordinator. Substitutes will be evaluated for placement into full-time positions based on performance and their willingness to accept daily assignments. Since your substitute assignments are based on absences, we cannot predict how often you will work or how long you will work as a substitute before you are offered a full-time assignment.

Begining February 2, 2004 newly hired full-time educational paraprofessionals will be required to pass an assessment test prior to begining employment. Although taking and passing the test does not guarantee that you will be offered a position as a substitute paraprofessional, we encourage you to take this test. More information regarding the New York State Assessment of Teaching Assistant Skills test (NYSATAS) can be found by logging on to www.nysatas.nesinc.com

*Reprinted with permission from the NYC Board of Education, Division of Human Resources, 65 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201