Click on a Major to view printable requirements page.

Majors:
Paraprofessional Education - AAS  Certificate (Gainful employment info)

Degrees:
Associate of Applied Science
Certificate

Paraprofessional Education

The purpose of the Paraprofessional AAS Degree and certificate
program is to prepare prospective teacher aides to enter the
workforce after meeting the Federal Teacher Aide Certification
requirements. As education has moved towards specialization, one
of the largest areas of growth is the teacher aide field. This growth
has created an increasing need for properly trained and certified
teacher aides. The Highland Community College, Teacher Aide,
Paraprofessional AAS Degree Program offers the student the
theory and practical skills training necessary to not only meet
certification requirements, but to exceed them.

The target population for the Teacher Aide, Paraprofessional AAS
Degree Program includes the following: persons desiring career
entry skills; displaced workers pursuing retraining into new career
areas; and current teacher aides in need of upgraded skills.
There are two items of particular interest in this program. The first
is the attention given to communications and math skills. Feedback
from the college curriculum and instruction committee has
traditionally assured faculty that emphasizing these areas will afford
improved academic value for students.

The second noteworthy feature concerns the component of special
education and educational technology in the curriculum. These
areas are of vital importance to today's educator, and having strong
skills in each will enable teacher aides who are graduated from our
program to contribute significant value to full-time teachers in their
school settings.

The Teacher Aide, Paraprofessional AAS Degree Program is
complementary to the Early Childhood Education Program and
Associate of Applied Science programs at Highland Community
College. The programs will share faculty, facilities, and resources
allowing improved economies of delivery. Appraisals of local
market need have shown a considerable demand for trained
teacher aides. A review of local employers indicates a steady
demand for this career to address issues of growth and employee
retention.

Our Paraprofessional Education Faculty:
Melissa Johnson, early childhood development faculty

Paraprofessional Education Scholarship Opportunities:
Dr. and Mrs. Ozro Hill Scholarship
Harold D. Walkup Scholarship
Eduard Buss Humanities and Social Science Scholarship

View all of our scholarships here.