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Determining the Certification Authority
The agency given the authority to license and certified teachers varies significantly from state to state. Whereas initial licenses in some states are granted by the college and university programs that prepare teachers, in other states the department of education grants all licenses, while still other states have established a separate and autonomous credentialing or licensing agency.

Because of the autonomy of school districts in most states to determine the definition of "qualified" under NCLB, a significant question is raised as to who would issue or certify a paraprofessional credential. Given the growing value and portability of certification by vendors in other sectors of the economy and the emerging role in assessing paraprofessionals by ETS or ACT, there may be potential for a national paraprofessional certification to be developed and issued by the private sector in conjunction with the assessments being used.

Portability of Paraprofessional Credential
According to a U.S. Department of Education study in 2000, many schools use paraprofessionals for teaching and assisting in teaching when their educational backgrounds do not qualify them for such responsibilities. One of the goals of NCLB’s requirements for paraprofessionals is to ensure that students who need the most help are taught by highly qualified individuals. Once a paraprofessional has met the increased requirements and is certified as qualified, however, is that status "portable," allowing the paraprofessional to be deemed qualified in other school districts in a state? A state certification or credentialing system would allow such portability.

Development of Effective Career Ladders for Paraprofessionals
Career ladders, which often support the transition from paraprofessional to teacher, are an increasingly popular strategy for recruiting qualified teachers and improving the diversity of the teacher labor force. Some programs conducted by school or district staff lead to salary increments and promotions within the paraprofessional ranks. Others, often co-managed by districts and colleges or universities, lead to degrees and certification.

In some school districts, professional development or continuing education courses for teachers and paraprofessionals can be counted for credit at the participant's request. Recognizing that paraprofessionals are often employed at hourly rates, many schools and districts offer compensation for time spent in training, either through the provision of staff development activities during regular hours or through hourly pay or stipends.