В Лос-Анджелесе открыли курсы для подготовки ассистентов по особому образованию

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. 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. In the class, students learn how to collaborate with teachers, monitor academic progress, manage and document behavior, use assistive technology, support personal care and perform first aid. They also role-play scenarios they might encounter with students, an effort to help them enter classrooms with more confidence and hands-on experience that could help them succeed and stay in the role, Lopez said. Eighteen students enrolled in the spring course, and the six-week course will be offered in the evenings during both the fall 2026 and spring 2027 terms. It’s the third course added to LBSA’s offerings that attempts to create a pipeline of workers to fill open LBUSD positions; already LBSA prepares adults to work as campus staff assistants and custodians. The instructional aide course expands those offerings and also serves as a “great stepping stone to get into teaching,” Lopez said.