Search and Filter

Submit a paper

Not yet affiliated? Have a paper you wish to post? Check out the EdWorkingPapers' scope and FAQs, and then submit your manuscript here.

Untapped Potential? Understanding the Paraeducator-to-Teacher Pipeline and its Potential for Diversifying the Teacher Workforce

Paraeducators are among the largest categories of public education employees and are increasingly seen as a pool of potential teachers. However, little is known about paraeducator-to-teacher transitions. Using statewide administrative data, we show that while paraeducators may be more racially/ethnically diverse than the teacher workforce, Black and Hispanic paraeducators are less likely than White paraeducators to transition into teaching. We additionally show that teachers with paraeducator experience are similarly effective to teachers without paraeducator experience. Lastly, we use simulations to show that the potential for the paraeducator-to-teacher pipeline to diversify the teaching profession may be limited unless they are highly targeted. Our results have policy design implications for efforts to expand the paraeducator-to-teacher pipeline or to diversify the teacher workforce.

Keywords
Paraeducators, teacher pipeline, teacher diversity, educator preparation
Education level
Document Object Identifier (DOI)
10.26300/k2jp-j027
EdWorkingPaper suggested citation:
Camp, Andrew, Gema Zamarro, Josh B. McGee. (). Untapped Potential? Understanding the Paraeducator-to-Teacher Pipeline and its Potential for Diversifying the Teacher Workforce. (EdWorkingPaper: -1034). Retrieved from Annenberg Institute at Brown University: https://doi.org/10.26300/k2jp-j027

Machine-readable bibliographic record: RIS, BibTeX