Paraprofessional Educator COA

The Paraprofessional Educator Certificate of Achievement prepares students to work as paraprofessionals in preschool through grade 12 (TK-12) school settings. Coursework includes knowledge of child development from the prenatal stage through adolescence, as well as California’s content standards and frameworks. Completing the certificate satisfies the federal No Child Left Behind requirements for employment in school districts, meets unit requirements for paraprofessionals, incorporates subject matter to prepare students for the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST), and provides a pathway to complete an Associate Degree for Transfer in Elementary Teacher Education or Early Childhood Education.

Upon satisfactory completion of this award, the student should be prepared to:

• Demonstrate understanding of fundamental reading, writing, and mathematical skills.
• Discuss teaching strategies and approaches appropriate for students of diverse needs, abilities, and backgrounds as instructional support to preK-12 grade classroom teachers.
• Apply knowledge of the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development theories of the learner in a school setting.
• Apply child development and learning theories when choosing developmentally appropriate practices and curricula for specific individuals and groups of children.
• Critically assess the components of culturally relevant, inclusive, and age-appropriate approaches in promoting optimum learning and development.

To earn this Certificate of Achievement, complete the course requirements with a C (or P) or better. 

According to the Student Enrollment and Program Completion data dashboards, in the Children and Teaching Program of Study/Pathway, there is an average of 228 students enrolled within the past 5 years declaring Child Development or Education as their major, and awards average 42.6/ year in this pathway. Specifically, Child Development awards (COA, AA, AS-T) average 21.6/yr over the past 5 years, and Education (AA-T) has averaged 3/yr (trending up 2 in 21-22 and 6 in 23-24). There are many factors in the completion of the degrees, including limited course offerings and students' ability to take courses when scheduled. Many students in the Education pathway end up transferring without earning an AA-T in Education and opt to get an AA in Social Behavioral Science and/or a GE COA. Offering a stackable certificate with a variety of elective options can help raise completion numbers in this pathway. Estimate 25-50 awards per year. Also, Sonora High School’s Education Pre-Apprenticeship students would be eligible for this award after an additional year at Columbia (18-25 students each year).

This Certificate of Achievement prepares students with the necessary knowledge for working as an educational paraprofessional inside or outside of a classroom setting. Completing this certificate satisfies the federal No Child Left Behind compliance requirements for employment as a Title 1 Paraprofessional in preschool through grade 12 settings. It also provides the foundation of an Associate Degree for Transfer in Elementary Teacher Education or Early Childhood Education. The COA requires completion of the major (48 units) with a ‘C’ or better grade in each course.

Upon satisfactory completion of this award, the student should be prepared to:

• Demonstrate understanding of fundamental reading, writing, and mathematical skills.
• Discuss teaching strategies and approaches appropriate for students of diverse needs, abilities, and backgrounds as instructional support to preK-12 grade classroom teachers.
• Apply knowledge of the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development theories of the learner in a school setting.
• Apply child development and learning theories when choosing developmentally appropriate practices and curricula for specific individuals and groups of children.
• Critically assess the components of culturally relevant, inclusive, and age-appropriate approaches in promoting optimum learning and development.

To earn this Certificate of Achievement, complete the course requirements with a C (or P) or better.