The PAR²A Center is primarily supported by grant projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education and contracts with state and local education agencies, classified employee associations, and private foundations. The majority of our projects focus on Colorado school districts, school professionals, and paraeducators. We have recently broadened the scope of our work and have received a contract from the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) to develop state wide training for paraprofessionals who work with families of infants and toddlers (birth through two years) with disabilities and developmental delays. Paraeducators who work with these families hold the title of Developmental Intervention Assistants (DI Assistants) in Colorado. In the recent past, the PAR²A Center has also housed projects that reach out to other states. The projects of the Center fall under three broad categories:
- Career
Ladders are the projects designed to provide training
to paraeducators, other non-certified school personnel, mid-career changers as well as recent graduates so that they can move into a professional
teaching position.
- Training projects provide preparation for paraeducators and developmental intervention assistants,
as well as professionals and administrators regarding
the employment, preparation, and supervision of paraeducators and DI assistants
using the CO-TOP
Model.
- Research
Projects focus on research about employment, training,
supervision and effectiveness of paraeducators.
