EC-K2: Understanding of the paraprofessional’s role as a member of the educational (IFSP, IIIP, IEP) team responsible for developing and implementing service plans and education objectives for children and their families.

Introduction

This unit will focus on early education and intervention services and the development and implementation of service plans for young children with special needs and their families. Early childhood educators work in a variety of settings that serve young children with and without special needs. Many paraprofessionals work closely with young children with disabilities. Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who are in need of special education services may have a range of disabilities and needs that require individualized instruction and care. Federal law requires that young children with disabilities receive the education and intervention services that they need. Each child over age 3 in an early intervention or special education program receives an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or, for infants and toddlers, an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). The educational team works together with the family and the child to create the IEP and develop goals and objectives for the child. Paraprofessionals can play a major role in helping children and families reach the goals outlined in their service plans. They do so by being familiar with the basic principles of early intervention and education and being aware of their roles and responsibilities in various early intervention settings.

Objectives

As you read the objectives for this unit, think about and rate your current knowledge using the following scale.

1. I do not understand this.
2. I do understand this.
3. I understand this well enough to use in my work.
4. I could teach others about it and use it in my work.

• Clarify the roles and responsibilities of a paraprofessional working in an early childhood program.
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of the components of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) and the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).
• Understand the connection between assessment and intervention in early childhood and special education.
• Gather the correct information needed to identify goals and to provide individualized instruction.

The Para eLink is sponsored by the Minnesota Paraprofessional Consortium, in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Education, located at the Institute on Community Integration in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota.

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