Paraprofessional requirements in Alabama
How to qualify as a paraprofessional in Alabama
Alabama does not use the Praxis para exams. It uses the ACT WorkKeys (State Board approved), and that is a different test with its own passing standard. Here is what it is, what is on it, and where we stand on preparing you for it.
The exam Alabama actually uses
Passing scores are set by the state or the district, never nationally.
Required level
ACT WorkKeys (State Board approved)
From ACT. WorkKeys reports skill levels, not a scaled score.
Source: Alabama State Department of Education. Your state or district is the authority. Confirm before you book.
What is on the State Board approved
ACT WorkKeys (State Board approved). Select any band to see what it covers.
Reading
Reading and using the kind of workplace and classroom documents a job actually puts in front of you.
Area confirmed, level not
Three ways to meet the requirement
Federal law gives Title I paraprofessionals three qualifying routes.
Two years of college
Complete at least two years of study at an institution of higher education.
An associate degree or higher
Hold an associate degree or above. Already earned it, and you are done.
Pass the assessment
Pass a formal state or local assessment. In Alabama that assessment is the ACT WorkKeys (State Board approved), not a Praxis exam.
We do not prepare you for the State Board approved yet
We could sell you ParaPathways prep and let you work out later that Alabama does not use it. We would rather tell you now. The ACT WorkKeys (State Board approved) is a different exam and it deserves a course built for it, not a relabelled one.
We will tell you the day it is ready, and nothing else.
Questions we get from Alabama
Which exam does Alabama use for paraprofessionals?
Alabama uses the ACT WorkKeys (State Board approved), from ACT. It is not one of the Praxis para exams, so ParaPathways and ParaPro prep is aimed at a different test.
What is the passing standard on the State Board approved?
We could not confirm the required level from an official source, so we are not printing one. Ask your district or the state department of education before you book.
Does ParaReady prepare me for it?
Not yet, and we are not going to pretend otherwise. Leave your email and we will tell you the day it is ready. The reading, writing and math overlap with what we teach, but the format and the standard are different, and that difference is what a course has to get right.
Do I need a degree to be a paraprofessional in Alabama?
No. Federal law gives three routes: two years of college, an associate degree, or passing a formal assessment. The assessment is the fastest of the three and the one you can finish this month.
Looking for another state? See paraprofessional requirements in every state.