Paraprofessionals work side-by-side with fully licensed teachers in the state of California. Their job is to support instructors, work one-on-one with students, and generally collaborate in classroom management.

The process of becoming a paraprofessional in the state of California is shaped by both state and federal guidelines. 

You do not need a college degree, but your educational background will influence what the process looks like.

In this article, we take a look at how to get started, how long it will take, and what you can do to make yourself stand out as a strong applicant.

(Related article: Do I need a license to become a para in CA?)

California Requirements

A high school diploma or GED is the minimum educational threshold that all paraprofessionals must meet in the state of California. 

California also complies with a standard called the Every Student Succeeds Act. This applies to paraprofessionals working in Title I schools.

There are currently three paths to meeting the requirement thresholds in California. You must meet at least one of these three criteria.

• An associate's degree or higher. If you hold an associate's degree or higher, you are automatically eligible for paraprofessional work. The degree does not need to be in education or early childhood development to meet the qualification threshold, but of course, relevant experience is always helpful to have.

• Forty-eight semester units of college coursework. If you don't have a formal associate's degree, but do have approximately that level of college credit, you can also apply for paraprofessional positions. Once again, the classwork does not need to be specific to education, but having that experience will always help with the application process.

• State-approved paraprofessional assessments. If you don't have your associate's degree, but do meet the minimum qualification of a high school diploma, you can still apply after completing a state-approved paraprofessional assessment. There are several commonly used tests, including the ETS parapro assessment, which is widely accepted across the country, and the California Basic Educational Skills Test, which is accepted in the state of California as an equivalent. Any assessment that you complete will be expected to satisfy CTS's rigorous standard of quality based on common Title I requirements.

Note that private schools are held to a different standard and are able to set their own hiring requirements.

 It's relatively common for many to conform with the same processes that public schools apply, but you may meet a more permissive standard in some private schools, particularly if you demonstrate a strong ability as an instructor.

Additional Requirements

In addition to meeting the minimum educational or assessment criteria, there are a few qualification thresholds you must meet before you can get hired.

You will need to complete a background check, typically conducted through LiveScan.

Having a criminal record does not necessarily exclude you from employment, but will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

• Health and Legal Requirements: You'll also need to pass Tuberculosis Clearance, which is required under the California Education Code Section 49406, and be able to provide work authorization proof, essentially verifying that you are either a citizen of the United States or an immigrant with full employment eligibility.

• Identification and Transcripts: Finally, like any job application, you need to be able to prove your identity and work history.

Title I schools do feature slightly more strenuous standards. Title I schools are simply those serving a particularly low-income area. 

These districts need to meet highly qualified criteria, which means that your educational qualifications must be met before you can even begin the application process.

In other districts, you can apply and be hired at a school prior to full educational completion. In these cases, you're usually given one year to complete all of the requirements.

Application Process

The first step to becoming a paraprofessional in the State of California is to secure employment. You can find listings, and there will most likely be many, on edjoin.org.

Once you've secured employment, the verification process will begin. Unless you are applying for a Title I school, you do not necessarily need to have all of your educational credentials completed at this point.

However, you can still create a compelling application/ cover letter by highlighting any existing experience that you do have.

 For example, if you've worked in a daycare or even at a church youth group, it may demonstrate your ability to work with young children. This is particularly true if you can support that experience with letters of recommendation.

Verify Qualifications

Once you've begun your job, the credential verification process will begin. If you've been hired conditionally, which is to say that you've gained employment with the understanding that you'll complete assessments later on, you'll then begin a timeline for when all requirements must be completed.

Obtain Approval and Begin Employment

Once you've jumped through all the hoops, you will not be issued a license the same way that teachers are, but your paraprofessional authorization will be more formalized.

In other words, if you are to apply to a different California school district later on, the screening process will most likely be more streamlined.

Standing Out

The good news is that school districts are in an almost constant state of needing paraprofessionals. 

This means that from a certain standpoint, it's a seller's market. As long as you can behave professionally and signal reliability consistently throughout the interview process, you'll be viewed as a strong candidate.

Schools want people who will work well with children, of course. But they're often going to be measuring your skills by an even more basic qualification standard. 

Will this person show up on time every day? Will they quit without notice one rainy Wednesday morning?

If you can prove yourself as consistent and reliable, it will go a long way toward advancing your application.

If you're struggling to determine how to proceed, consider signing up for Zen Educate. We have employment resources that take the stress out of finding paraprofessional work.

We also have lots of educational materials that will help you thrive in your new role. Check it out.