Sharing IEP data collection with paraprofessionals
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
To share IEP data collection with paraprofessionals, pick the goals a para can measure during their scheduled time, give them a simple sheet with a clear definition of correct, and check that your scores agree on 10 trials. Then set a daily hand-off and a weekly review. Share only what the para needs: first names, goal names and the sheet.
A case manager with 18 students and 50 goals cannot take every data point alone. Paras are with students for much of the day, so sharing data collection with them makes sense. Done carelessly, it produces sheets nobody trusts. Done well, it gives you more data points than you could ever take yourself.
The para records; the teacher designs the measure, reads the data and reports progress. That split matches the federal rule that paras assist under supervision,[1] and the IEP's requirement that progress toward each goal is measured and reported to parents.[2] The reporting stays with you.
The para's side of the routine is in how paras collect accurate IEP data. This page is the teacher's side: what to share, how to set it up and how to check it. For the overall role, see paraprofessional roles and responsibilities.
What you need before you start
- Each student's goals, with how each is measured.
- The para's schedule, so you know when they are with each student.
- A blank data sheet for each measure. The free IEP data sheets cover the common ones.
- 15 minutes to train and 1 session to check agreement, per goal.
The steps, with the time each takes
| Step | What you do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pick the goals to share | Match goals to the para's scheduled time | 10 minutes per student |
| 2. Write the definition of correct | One sentence per goal | 5 minutes per goal |
| 3. Build a para-ready sheet | One sheet per goal, pre-filled | 10 minutes per goal |
| 4. Train with practice trials | Model, then the para scores practice trials | 15 minutes per goal |
| 5. Check agreement | Both score the same 10 trials | 1 session per goal |
| 6. Set the hand-off | Where sheets go and when | 5 minutes, once |
| 7. Review weekly | Total, graph and give feedback | 10 to 15 minutes a week |
Step 1: Pick the goals to share
Share goals the para can measure in a block they already work. A work-initiation goal during math support fits. A reading fluency probe that needs a timed, standard passage may be better kept with you. Do not ask a para to take data in a block where they are not scheduled.
Step 2: Write the definition of correct
One sentence, observable, with a time limit if there is one. "Starts writing or picks up the pencil within 15 seconds of the direction, with no prompt." An operational definition like this is the difference between data and opinion.
Step 3: Build a para-ready sheet
Pre-fill the student's first name or initials, the goal in plain words, the definition and the number of trials. Print the prompt codes at the top. Most shared goals fit the opportunity and trial data sheet or the frequency data sheet.
Step 4: Train with practice trials
Model 5 trials with the student, then have the para score 10 while you watch. Correct right away. Paras learn data faster from practice than from explanation.
Step 5: Check agreement
Both of you score the same 10 trials on separate sheets. Count matches. Aim for 9 of 10. The interobserver agreement guide shows the math for frequency and duration data too.
Step 6: Set the hand-off
Name one place and one time, such as the gray folder on your desk by 2:45. Loose sheets get lost. Repeat the agreement check once each grading period.
Step 7: Review weekly
Total the sheets, add the points to the graph, and tell the para one thing you noticed. A para who never hears what happened to their data stops taking it carefully.
Worked example: Kai in grade 6
Kai is a fictional grade 6 student with three goals. The case manager decides which ones the para will measure.
| Goal | Measure | Who takes data | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starts independent work within 15 seconds | Opportunities, 8 per math class | Para | Para supports math daily |
| Asks for a break with a card instead of leaving | Frequency, per class | Para | Para is present at transitions |
| Reads grade 6 passages fluently | Words correct per minute, weekly | Case manager | Needs a standard timed probe |
Setup. The case manager spends about 50 minutes: 10 to choose the goals, 10 writing two definitions, 20 building two sheets and 10 setting up the folder. Training takes 15 minutes per goal on Monday and Tuesday.
Agreement. On Wednesday, both score the same 8 math opportunities. They match on 7 of 8. The miss: the para marked independent when Kai started after a peer pointed. The case manager adds a line to the definition: "a peer's cue counts as a gesture." On Thursday they match on 8 of 8.
First four weeks.
| Week | Work starts, independent | Break card uses | Leaving without card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 10 of 40 | 3 | 6 |
| Week 2 | 14 of 40 | 5 | 4 |
| Week 3 | 19 of 40 | 7 | 2 |
| Week 4 | 22 of 40 | 8 | 1 |
The case manager reviews every Friday for 12 minutes and graphs the points. In week 2, she notices the para's sheets have no data on Wednesdays. The para is pulled for lunch duty that day. The case manager fixes the schedule instead of the data. At the next progress report, every point on the graph came from a measure the case manager designed and checked.
If your team uses IEP Atlas Pro, you can send the para a data-entry link for the students and goals you choose, with an end date. The para opens it on a phone with no account and sees only first names or initials and goal names. Each entry joins your data marked as collected by the para, and stays flagged until you mark it reviewed.
Common mistakes
- Weak: Handing a para the full IEP and asking for "data on all goals." Better: One sheet per shared goal, with the definition printed on it.
- Weak: No agreement check. Better: 10 trials scored side by side before the para works alone.
- Weak: Sharing more than the para needs, such as evaluation results. Better: First names, goal names and the sheet.
- Weak: Sheets stacked on a counter. Better: One folder, one time, every day.
- Weak: Data reviewed only before progress reports. Better: A weekly 10 to 15 minute review with one note back to the para.
- Weak: Asking for data in a block the para does not work. Better: Shared goals match the para's schedule.
Privacy when sharing data
Everyone who collects or uses personally identifiable student information must be trained on the state's confidentiality procedures.[3] Paras who work with the student have a legitimate need for the information on their sheets under FERPA, but not for the rest of the file.[4] Keep it minimal. The rules for paras are in paraprofessional confidentiality.
Tools you can use
- Behavior data sheet for paraprofessionals, for behavior goals you share.
- What paraprofessionals should know about the IEP, for what else to tell the para.
- IEP data collection schedule, to decide how often each goal needs data.
- The data sheet glossary entry and the opportunities measurement page.
Frequently asked questions
Can paraprofessionals collect IEP data?
Yes. Paras commonly collect goal data under a teacher's direction. The teacher designs the measure and the sheet, trains the para, checks that their scores agree, and stays responsible for reading the data and reporting progress.
How much of the IEP should a para see?
What they need to do their part: the goals they support, the accommodations they give, the behavior plan steps and the data sheets. Many teams use a one-page summary instead of the full document.
How do I know a para's data are accurate?
Score the same 10 trials side by side and count the matches. Aim for 9 of 10 or better. Repeat the check each grading period and whenever the para's numbers change sharply.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Free IEP data sheets
- Data sheet in the IEP glossary
- Paraprofessional in the IEP glossary
- Opportunity trial data sheet
- Operational definition in the IEP glossary
Related guides
- Paraprofessional roles and responsibilities
- How paras collect accurate IEP data
- Behavior data sheet for paraprofessionals: template and example
- What paraprofessionals should know about a student's IEP
- Paraprofessional confidentiality: what you can and cannot share
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.156: Personnel qualifications, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.623: Safeguards, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- FERPA, Protecting Student Privacy, U.S. Department of Education
Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.