New Lenox School District 122 is looking to hire substitute paraprofessionals for the 2025/2026 school year.
- Starting wage $110 a day
- No employee benefits are offered
A Paraprofessional (teacher's aide) is a paid instructional assistant supervised by a licensed teacher, called the ELS-PARA (educator license with stipulation- Paraprofessional)
Paraprofessionals play an essential role within school districts. Under the supervision of a licensed teacher, a paraprofessional supports teachers and students in many ways.
For instance, a paraprofessional can tutor students or assist the teacher with managing the classroom and organizing instructional materials. What is a Paraprofessional?
Requirements for the ELS-PARA
- Be at least 19 years of age to teach Pre-K- 12th grade. Age 18 may qualify with the same requirements but is only certified to serve Pre-K-8th grade.
- Show proof of one (1) of the following requirements:
- Associate degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education; or
- 60 semester hours of non-remedial coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education; or
- High School Diploma or High School Equivalency and a score of 460 or higher on the ETS ParaPro test; or
- High School Diploma or High School Equivalency and the following scores on the ACT WorkKeys tests
- Applied Mathematics/Applied Math - 4
- Reading for Information or Workplace Documents - 4
- At this time, $100 plus processing fee to apply and $30 plus processing fee to register
***Refer to?Educator License with Stipulations Endorsement Requirements ***
The following websites contain information on the Paraprofessional test options:
How to Apply for the Paraprofessional License
- Create an ELIS account How to create an ELIS account
- Apply for the Paraprofessional License How to apply for the Paraprofessional license
- Submit required documentation to Yola Bzdyk at ybzdyk@willroe.org
How to Submit Required Documentation
- We accept official transcripts from regionally accredited college/universities by email or postal mail.
- A paper transcript is considered official if it is still sealed in the envelope as prepared by the college Registrar.
- Electronic transcripts are acceptable if they are addressed to the ROE and sent directly from the registrar or the registrar company. Yola Bzdyk at?ybzdyk@willroe.org
- The ELS-PARA application instructs individuals to send official transcripts directly to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Be aware that official transcripts can also be submitted to the ROE.
- We cannot accept copies of physical transcripts or forwarded electronic copies through email. Official transcripts already on file in ELIS do not need to be re-submitted. Please contact Dinora Ruiz Jr. to verify.
- If submitting test results, they can be submitted by mail, or email to Dinora Ruiz Jr.
- Copies of a High School Diploma or High School Equivalency are not required to be submitted officially. But must be sent in PDF format.
My certificate was issued! What next?
Once the license has been issued, log into your ELIS account and register in Will County and/or any county within Illinois that you will be serving. ($30 for the first county selected. Additional fee per each county added).
How to register license
Do I receive an official certificate?
The only license verification individuals can print is a screenshot of the Credential page of the Educator Licensure Information System(ELIS) account. ISBE no longer issues printable certificates.
Do I need to hold a PARA certificate if I am licensed with ISBE in another area?
If you hold the following licenses you may work as a PARA without the (ELS) PARA certificate
- Substitute license
- Professional Educator License (PEL)
- An Educator License with Stipulations (ELS) with any of the following endorsements:
- Provisional educator (any grade level or subject);
- Provisional alternative educator (any grade level or subject);
- Transitional bilingual educator;
- Career and technical educator (not, however, provisional career and technical educator);
- Visiting international educator (any grade level or subject);
- Resident teacher (any grade level or subject);
- Short-Term Substitute License
- Paraprofessional educator
*Short-term PARA License*
ISBE has issued a short-term approval for the PARA certificate for those currently working toward a full PARA certification. It is valid for 3 years and non-renewable.
Requirements:
- 19 yrs. of age
- High School diploma or equivalency
***While working on the approval, educator must be fulfilling requirements for the full license.
How to apply for the Short-term Paraprofessional
***Please be aware that, for various reasons, some school districts may go above the state and not accepts the Short-term Para approval certificate***