The tip of the iceberg: Determining whether paraprofessional support is needed for students with disabilities in general education settings

Paraprofessionals represent an important and growing segment of the personn el support used in American schools to provide inclusive educational opport unities to students with disabilities. When and how to utilize paraprofessi onals effectively persists as an ongoing challenge in the schools. After pr esenting selected issues associated with employing paraprofessionals, this article extends the discussion on paraprofessional issues by exploring guid elines to assist teams in making decisions about paraprofessional supports. This includes both considerations for the appropriate use of paraprofessio nals when assigned, as well as alternative support solutions. Our discussio n is intended to advance dialogue on this important topic and to support th e appropriate involvement of paraprofessionals in the education of students with disabilities as valued participants on collaborative teams whose role s are clearly defined and supported.