Breaking the Class Ceiling: Paraeducator Pathways to Teaching.

This report examines a grass-roots movement for teacher diversity and development: paraeducator pathways into teaching. The desire to recruit a more diverse pool of teachers for urban schools and critical shortage areas has spurned a renewed interest in paraprofessional career opportunity programs. The 149 paraeducator-to-teacher programs identified in a survey by Recruiting New Teachers are described in terms of program scope and purpose; a profile of participants; overcoming barriers to participation; program models; recruiting, evaluating, and tracing participants; program budget and administration; and outlook. Sources of support for paraeducator-to-teacher programs include foundations, federal and state sponsorship, and teacher unions and paraprofessional associations. The study suggests that the paraeducator-to-teacher programs are an important influence in diversifying the teacher workforce, can be an important link between schools and communities, and can raise skill levels and earning power of their participants. A substantial bibliography is included. The appendices include profiles of nine programs; study methodology; presentation of data from the program survey; strategies to help paraeducators surmount barriers to career advancement; and workshop topics for staff. (ND)