Section 711.5. Personnel

(a) Appropriate certification required. Persons who provide special education or related services to children with disabilities in charter schools and cyber charter schools shall have appropriate certification, notwithstanding section 1724-A of the act (24 P. S. § 17-1724-A).

(b) Educational interpreters. An educational interpreter is an individual who provides students who are deaf or hard of hearing with interpreting or transliterating services in an educational setting. To serve as an educational interpreter at a charter school or cyber charter school, consistent with the Sign Language Interpreter/Transliterator State Registration Act (63 P. S. § § 1725.1—1725.12), an individual shall meet the qualifications in paragraph (1) or (2) and paragraph (3):

(1) Achieve and provide evidence of a score of 3.5 on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) for the appropriate grade level to which the person has been assigned.

(2) Be a qualified sign language interpreter or qualified transliterator under the Sign Language Interpreter or Transliterator State Registration Act and its implementing regulations.

(3) Provide evidence of a minimum of 20 hours of staff development activities relating to interpreting or transliterating services annually.

(c) Review of EIPA score. The Department, in consultation with the State Board of Education will review the EIPA score requirement every 2 years.

(d) Paraprofessionals.

(1) An instructional paraprofessional is a charter school or cyber charter school employee who works under the direction of a certificated staff member to support and assist in providing instructional programs and services to students with disabilities. This support and assistance includes one-on-one or group review of material taught by certificated staff, classroom management and implementation of positive behavior support plans. Services may be provided in a special education class, regular education class or other instructional setting as provided in the student’s IEP. Special education instructional paraprofessionals shall meet one of the following qualifications effective July 1, 2010:

(i) Have completed at least 2 years of postsecondary study.

(ii) Possess an associate degree or higher.

(iii) Meet a rigorous standard of quality as demonstrated through a State or local assessment.

(2) Nothing in subsection (a) should be construed to supersede the terms of a collective bargaining agreement in effect on July 1, 2008.

(3) Each school year, instructional paraprofessionals shall provide evidence of 20 hours of staff development activities related to their assignment.

(4) A personal care assistant provides one-to-one support and assistance to a student, including support and assistance in the use of medical equipment (for example, augmentative communication devices; activities of daily living; and monitoring health and behavior). A personal care assistant may provide support to more than one student, but not at the same time. Personal care assistants shall provide evidence of 20 hours of staff development activities related to their assignment each school year. The 20 hours of training may include training required by the school-based access program.

The provisions of this § 711.5 amended June 27, 2008, effective July 1, 2008, 38 Pa.B. 3593. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (279622).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 711.5 amended under sections 1732-A(c)(2) and 1749-A(b)(8) of the Charter School Law (24 P. S. 17-1732-A(c)(2) and 17-1749-A(b)(8).

Cross References

This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 501.5 (relating to exemptions).