Plan for Use of Instructional Assistants

Prime Time is a funding formula designed to reduce class size in kindergarten through third grade. Participating school corporations receive state funding toward the hiring of classroom teachers and instructional assistants, where necessary, to reduce class size or target teacher/pupil ratios.
Instructional assistants may be included in the Prime Time funding computation if:

1. The school corporation has, insofar as practical, reduced its average pupil/teacher ratio through the use of teachers.
2. The school corporation can substantiate each year that providing adequate classroom space for attainment of an average pupil/teacher ratio permitted under I.C.§ 20-43-9-8 creates an unreasonable hardship for that school corporation.

School corporations must have a Plan for the Use of Instructional Assistants when they are placed in Prime Time classrooms, and that plan must be approved by the Indiana State Board of Education as stipulated in I.C.§ 20-43-9-8(b). 

1. Situational Requirements (Section II)
A description is needed of the situation which substantiates . . . that providing adequate classroom space for the attainment of an average pupil/teacher ratio permitted under I.C.§ 20-43-9-8(a) creates an unreasonable hardship for that school corporation (511 I.A.C.§ 1-8-7) and justifies the need for the use of instructional assistants, rather than teachers.
For each building, figure your projected student enrollment for each grade level in Kindergarten through Grade 3. Using your school corporation’s target class size ratio given on the attached sheet, anticipate the number of classrooms needed. Contrast the number of classrooms needed with the number of classrooms available. A need for use of instructional assistants exists when the number of classrooms available is fewer than the number needed.

2. Instructional Assistant Qualifications and Training Requirements (Section III)
In accordance with 511 IAC 1-8-7.5, an Instructional Assistant is required to have a high school diploma, or its equivalent, and one of the following:

• Post-high school work in education or a related field; or
• Experience in an early childhood program; or
• Experience as an elementary classroom aide; or
• The completion of a 15-contact hour training program conducted by the local school corporation. The Rules require plans for this training program to be filed with the Department of Education prior to the beginning of the school year.

On the Plan for Use of Prime Time Instructional Assistants, please present your local training plans and the person responsible for the instructional assistants' training program. Include any related publications/materials you have prepared that have not previously been provided to the Department of Education.
The instructional assistants' plan and training program description should be received by the Department of Education by June 29, 2007. This will allow the Indiana State Board of Education to act upon your request at its July meeting.
Paraprofessionals in a targeted assistance program who are paid with Title 1, Part A, funds or paraprofessionals with instructional duties in a school wide program school must meet the qualification requirements regardless of the age of the children being served. http://www.doe.in.gov/TitleI/nonregulatoryguid.html Refer to: Title 1 Paraprofessionals March 1, 2004

Please send your plan to:

Indiana Department of Education
Division of Prime Time
Room 229, State House
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2798

If you have any questions concerning the plan for use of Prime Time instructional assistants, please call the Division of Prime Time at 317-232-9124.