State offers new certification path for paraprofessionals
JOPLIN, Mo – Joplin Schools is courting a broader range of area job applicants hoping to make
a difference in a child’s life, thanks to a new state certification path for paraprofessionals and
behavior interventionists.
The new path was recently approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education (DESE), and allows applicants to become certified to work as paraprofessionals and
behavior interventionists by completing just 20 hours of online training. Previous certification
paths required either 60 hours of college credit or a passing score on the DESE para
assessment.
Those routes are also still available to applicants, but Joplin Schools
administrators are hopeful that a wider pool of qualified candidates will take advantage of this
new opportunity to work with students.
“Becoming a paraprofessional or a behavior interventionist offers a unique opportunity to have a lasting impact on the life of a child while also opening doors for advancement, professionally,” said Meghan Klosterman, Joplin Schools Director of Special Education. “You get the best of both worlds: you can be on the front line of helping a child with a disability realize their potential, all while building skills that will be valuable to you as a professional in education and other related fields, such as Applied Behavior Analysis.”
The district has also recently approved pay increases for these roles, and will allow up to 10
years of experience in equal or similar careers to be transferred into the district for accurate pay
scaling.
Paraprofessionals begin at $13/hour. Behavior interventionists begin at $16.11/hr. Full-time
benefits are available.
During COVID and regional job market fluctuations, area schools have been challenged to find
enough certified paraprofessionals and behavior interventionists to fill open job opportunities.
Human Resources Director Justin Crawford said he believes barriers to entry are part of the
problem, and noted his optimism that the new pathway will relieve a real hardship for local
applicants.