How to Become a Teacher's Aide in Ohio: Certification & Qualifications
Teacher's aides requirements differ from state to state. Read on to learn more about education and certification requirements if you want to become a teacher's aide in Ohio.
Overview of Requirements for Ohio Teacher's Aides
The state of Ohio issues two separate permits that qualify an individual to work as a teacher's aide in a school. The first Educational Aide Permit is valid for one year and the second one for four years. Both permits allow an individual to fully perform the tasks of the teacher's aide, which will be detailed later on.
| Education Required | High school diploma or the equivalent |
| Permit Validity Period | One and four years |
| Advancement Requirements | A minimum of two years working experience |
| Qualifications Available | ESEA Qualified designation (Title 1 schools) |
| Annual Mean Wage (2018)* | $27,290 (Ohio teacher assistants) |
| Projected Job Growth (2016-2026)* | 8% (teacher assistants nationwide) |
Source: *US Bureau of Labor Statistics
Certifications for Ohio Teacher's Aides
The state of Ohio issues two permits for teacher's aides: a 1-Year Educational Aide Permit and a 4-Year Educational Aide Permit.
The individual who seeks to apply for the one-year permit must have a high school diploma or equivalent. The permit is issued at the request of the school the individual works for, it is valid for one year, and it can be renewed for an additional year.
The four-year certificate requires that the individual has been granted the permit as a one-year aide at least twice, for a total of a two-year experience.
Qualifications for Ohio Teacher's Aides
The state of Ohio has adopted the No Child Left Behind Act, which introduces additional requirements for a teacher's aide working in a Title 1 school. To add the designation 'Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Qualified' the individual must have successfully completed one of the following:
- In addition to having a high school diploma or equivalent, the individual must obtain an associate degree (or higher) from an accredited institution of higher education or at least two years of study at an accredited institution of higher education (defined as 48 semester hours or 72 quarter hours).
- The candidate must pass the ParaPro assessment with at least a score of 456.
- The candidate must provide international credentials, that is, a course-by-course analysis from the institution outside the United States.
It should be noted that Title 1 schools are designed to help disadvantaged students reach high educational goals.
Career and Economic Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2018), the annual mean wage for teacher assistants in Ohio was $27,290. Employment of teacher assistants is projected to grow 8% nationwide from 2016 to 2026.
Job Duties and Skills
Teacher's aides are also called teaching assistants, paraprofessionals, paraeducators, instructional aides, and education assistants. Teacher's aides help teachers perform their duties. They assist teachers in supervising students, reinforcing class rules, taking attendance, getting equipment or classroom material, informing parents about their children's progress, among other duties. They give children additional instruction and review the class lessons with students one-on-one or in groups. Some teacher's aides work with special education students and young adults with disabilities. Others may specialize in a computer laboratory or work as cafeteria attendants, helping watch students in the cafeteria.