One-on-One Support

One-to-One (1:1) Instructional Support

One-to-One (1:1) instructional support may be needed if a student is unable to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) without additional support beyond the classroom teacher. An aide or paraprofessional will support the student as indicated/described in their IEP during school. The aide or paraprofessional may be present the entire school day or may only be needed during certain times during the day. 

One-to-One (1:1) services must be documented in the schedule of services and with a Personal Care Services (PCS) plan.

A 1:1 AID requires an evaluation, the Para Matrix. The ARD committee must meet and REED for a Para Matrix to be completed. Upon completing the Para Matrix, the ARDC will meet to discuss the results and review the need for a 1:1 aid. 

Considerations for Determining if a Student Needs a One-to-One Aide

Prior to making this recommendation, the campus coordinator should schedule a staffing with the Area Director of Special Education, the Director of Special Education Academics, and the Assistant Executive Director of Special Education Academics. Each decision to recommend a one-to-one aide must weigh the factors of both (1) the student’s individual needs and (2) the available supports in the setting where the student’s IEP will be implemented. These include, but are not limited to, consideration of each of the following:

• The student’s individual needs that require additional adult assistance.

• The skills and goals the student plans to achieve will reduce or eliminate the need for the one-to-one aide.

• The specific role (e.g., instructional, assistance with personal hygiene) that the aide will provide for the student.

• Other natural supports, accommodations, and/or services that could support the student to meet these needs (e.g., behavioral intervention plan; environmental accommodations or modifications; changes in scheduling; instructional materials in alternate formats; assistive technology devices; peer-to-peer supports).

• The extent (e.g., portions of the school day) or circumstances (e.g., for transitions from class to class) the student would need the assistance of a one-to-one aide.

• The potential benefits from the assignment of the one-to-one aide and how these will be measured to determine the continuation of the recommendation.

• The potential negative impact of assignment of a one-to-one aide for the student (e.g., self-image, isolation and/or development of independence).

Roles and Responsibilities of the One-to-One Aide

When the decision is made that a student requires a one-to-one aide, school personnel must:

• consider the qualifications of the individual (i.e., teaching assistant or teacher aide) that would be necessary to meet the needs of the student;

• establish a plan to monitor the student’s progress toward the goals to be addressed by the assignment of the one-to-one aide and the student’s continuing need for the one-to-one aide;

• consider, as appropriate, a plan for progressively reducing the support provided to the student and his or her dependence on an aide over time;

• plan for substitutes to serve as the student’s one-to-one aide to cover staff absences in order to ensure the student receives the recommended IEP services of the one-to-one aide; and

• ensure that the one-to-one aide has access to a copy of the student’s IEP, has been informed of his or her responsibilities for IEP implementation for the student, and has received the professional development and supervision necessary to carry out these responsibilities.

Once the IEP/ARD committee recommends a one-to-one aide for an individual student, the staff person is expected to be in close proximity to and work with that student throughout the assigned period.