OAR 581-037-0015: Assignment and Direction and Supervision of Instructional Assistants

(1) The instructional assistant shall assist a teacher or Early Childhood Specialist or Supervisor or related service provider only in a supportive capacity. The role of the instructional assistant is adaptable to many support tasks, and nothing in these rules should be interpreted as limiting assistants only to the performance of classroom duties. Instructional assistant tasks may include but are not limited to: (a) Instructional support — Tasks performed by assistants to supplement students' basic instruction by offering students opportunities to practice and apply what they have learned, including social skills, life skills, and transition skills; (b) Clerical support — Tasks such as preparing materials, duplicating and operating audiovisual equipment, which are primarily concerned with the physical arrangement of the learning environment; and (c) Student control — Duties such as supervision of students in school buildings, buses, and grounds including but not limited to lunch rooms, and playground areas, assisting with fire drills, monitoring students in hallways, etc. (d) Personal care; (e) Translation or Parent/Family Involvement activities; and (f) Media center or computer laboratory support. (2) Any instructional assistant assigned to instruction-related activities shall work under the supervision of an appropriately licensed teacher (or administrator, Early Childhood Specialist or Supervisor; or related service provider). Supervision means: (a) The assigned teacher (or administrator, Early Childhood Specialist or Supervisor; or related service provider) plans the instructional activities that the instructional assistant carries out; (b) The assigned teacher (or administrator, Early Childhood Specialist or Supervisor; or related service provider) evaluates the achievement of the students with whom the instructional assistant is working; and (c) The assigned teacher (or administrator, Early Childhood Specialist or Supervisor; or related service provider) provides a supervision plan that includes regular monitoring of the instructional assistant’s effectiveness and access to assistance and consultation. (3) In addition to the supervision requirements under section (2) of this rule, Title I instructional assistants must work in close and frequent proximity to the appropriately licensed teacher identified as “highly qualified” as defined by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act. (4) A plan of supervision for the instructional assistant shall provide for: (a) Access to assistance and consultation; and (b) Regular monitoring of the instructional assistant's performance to determine effectiveness of the assigned tasks and the effect on students and their families