A Paraeducator is defined as a school employee who works under the supervision of teachers or other professional practitioners. Their jobs are instructional in nature and they provide other direct services to children and youth and their families.
Paraeducators provide instructional support which includes:
- one-on-one tutoring,
- assisting with classroom management,
- conducting parental involvement activities,
- providing instructional support services under the direct supervision of a highly qualified teacher or professional practitioner.
For more information regarding credentialing and accreditation please see the Accreditation page.
This program may provide prior learning credit and extended learning opportunities for persons previously or currently employed in related professions.
For more information see the Credit for Prior Learning page.
Associate of Applied Science
- Education - Paraeducator Emphasis AAS (curriculum map | catalog)
One Year Certificate
Less-Than-One-Year Certificate
What are the program admissions requirements?
All education students must successfully pass a criminal background check.
What does a paraeducator do?
According to the National Education Association, a paraeducator is "a school employee who works alongside and under the supervision of a licensed or certificated educator to support and assist in providing instructional and other services to children, youth, and their families."What is required to teach in Oregon?
The Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission sets requirements for teaching. If you are pursuing an initial teaching license you will need a bachelor's degree. Additionally, you will need to complete a commission-approved teacher preparation program, pass a subject matter test for your teaching content area(s), pass the required Protecting Student and Civil Rights in the Educational Environment exam, and pass a criminal background clearance.What do I do after completing the program at KCC?
If you choose to continue your education, Klamath Community College has articulation agreements with Southern Oregon University and Oregon Institute of Technology. These agreements allow you to transfer the classes you have taken to a university with no loss of credit. This means you will enter university at a junior level.I want to be a middle school or high school teacher, what degree should I declare?
Because state licensure depends on completing a teacher education program and
passing the subject endorsement test, it's best for you to earn your Bachelor's degree in the subject you want to teach. From there, you will enter into a Master's of Arts in Teaching program to do your student teaching, take your licensure coursework, and complete the requirements for licensure. The AGS or AAOT would be degrees you would want to declare at KCC and then work with your advisor in choosing the appropriate subject-matter coursework for your BS degree. You would then need to transfer to a university offering a BS degree in your desired subject.
Careers in Paraeducation
Median Annual Salary
- United States:
$35,550 - Oregon State:
$40,224 - Klamath Region:
$37,903
2021-2030 Employment Projection
5% GrowthEntry Level Educational Requirements:
High School DiplomaProspective Jobs
| Teacher assistant | Social and human service assistant |
| Preschool childcare and administrator | Social worker |
All data was gathered from the State of Oregon Employment Department and Bureau of Labor Statistics
State of Oregon Employment Department.