Paraeducator Courses Are Being Offered at No Cost to Anyone Who Would Like to Receive A Paraeducator Certificate

Iowa’s AEAs and community colleges are providing paraeducator certification courses at no cost to anyone who would like to receive a paraeducator certificate. Courses through Heartland AEA are full for the fall however, there are several other AEAs and community colleges offering the free courses this fall. Please see this list of available courses in Iowa.

Paraeducator Courses Are Being Offered at No Cost to Anyone Who Would Like to Receive A Paraeducator Certificate

Iowa’s AEAs and community colleges are providing paraeducator certification courses at no cost to anyone who would like to receive a paraeducator certificate. Courses through Heartland AEA are full for the fall however, there are several other AEAs and community colleges offering the free courses this fall. Please see this list of available courses in Iowa.

Paraeducator Courses Are Being Offered at No Cost by Heartland AEA Through the Teacher and Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship Grant

Heartland AEA has been approved for grant funding through the Iowa Department of Education to provide the paraeducator certification courses at no cost to candidates needing this certification to qualify for the paraeducator-to-teacher model pathway through the Teacher and Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship (TPRA) Grant Program. The full list of districts that were approved for the TRPA grant can be found here. There are three courses you must register for and complete to be able to apply for the Paraeducator Generalist Certificate through the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. There are two cohort options listed below.

NOTE: Paraeducators that have an associate's degree or a bachelor’s degree are able to participate in the TPRA program without the paraeducator certification. So you do NOT need to take these courses.

Participants must have access to a computer/internet in order to take the courses. Participants must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or equivalent GED to apply for the paraeducator certificate through the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners.

Click on the name of each course below to link to the registration system. You must register for all three courses separately.

Cohort 1

Sept. 6 - Dec. 8, 2022
Maximum 25 participants
Registration ends Aug. 30

Course Name: HL - Paraeducator Generalist Certification Program - Course I Introduction/Foundation (TPRA Grant)
Course 203936, Section 313016
Dates: Sept. 6, 15 & 29, 2022 (4:30-5:45 p.m.)
Via Zoom + Online Work due by Sept. 29, 2022, at 11:59 p.m.

Course Name: HL - Paraeducator Generalist Certification Program - Course II Instructional Support (TPRA Grant)
Course 203937, Section 313017
Dates: Oct. 20 & Nov. 3, 2022 (4:30-5:15 p.m.)
Via Zoom + Online Work due by Nov. 10, 2022, at 11:59 p.m.

Course Name: HL - Paraeducator Generalist Certification Program - Course III Behavioral Supports (TPRA Grant)
Course 203938, Section 313018
Dates: Nov. 17 & Dec. 1, 2022 (4:30-5:15 p.m.)
Via Zoom + Online Work due by Dec. 8, 2022, at 11:59 p.m.

Cohort 2

Sept. 7 - Dec. 21, 2022
Maximum 40 participants
Registration ends Sept. 1

Course Name: HL - Paraeducator Generalist Certification Program - Course I Introduction/Foundation (TPRA Grant)
Course 203936, Section 313051
Dates: Sept. 7, 22 & 28, 2022 (4:30-5:45 p.m.)
Via Zoom + Online Work due by Sept. 29, 2022, at 11:59 p.m.

Course Name: HL - Paraeducator Generalist Certification Program - Course II Instructional Support (TPRA Grant)
Course 203937, Section 313052
Dates: Oct. 26 & Nov. 2, 2022 (4:30-5:15 p.m.)
Via Zoom + Online Work due by Nov. 16, 2022, at 11:59 p.m.

Course Name: HL - Paraeducator Generalist Certification Program - Course III Behavioral Supports (TPRA Grant)
Course 203938, Section 313053
Dates: Nov. 30 & Dec. 14, 2022 (4:30-5:15 p.m.)
Via Zoom + Online Work due by Dec. 21, 2022, at 11:59 p.m.

Questions? Contact:
Professional Learning Department at (515) 473-6780 or profdev@heartlandaea.org 

Andrea Krier at (515) 473-6845 or akrier@heartlandaea.org