A new course at the Long Beach School for Adults aims to train special education instructional aides to work in Long Beach Unified, an effort to fill a workforce gap that some teachers say is dire.
The class began last spring after LBSA principal Nicole Lopez observed consistent vacancies for aide positions in the district. She partnered with district administrators with expertise in special education to develop a 30-hour curriculum that covers everything from academic support to behavior management to first aid. At the course’s conclusion, students can receive help from the Long Beach Unified personnel commission to apply for instructional aide jobs within Long Beach Unified.
The course could help train a workforce that is in high demand in LBUSD. Teachers in the district told the Long Beach Post that the lack of aide support in the classroom was a contributing factor to a rise in severe injuries. Some teachers said they spent so much time managing behaviors that there was little time for learning.
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LBUSD contracts with other agencies to supplement aide support in the classroom, but some teachers said aides don’t always arrive with enough training to safely deescalate situations. While this course is not a prerequisite for employment as an aide, it could better prepare applicants for the job — “a feather in your cap,” Lopez said…