Paraprofessional requirements in Mississippi
How to qualify as a paraprofessional in Mississippi
Mississippi does not use the Praxis para exams. It uses the ACT WorkKeys (Silver level), 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 Mississippi actually uses
Passing scores are set by the state or the district, never nationally.
Certificate level
ACT WorkKeys (Silver level)
From ACT. WorkKeys reports skill levels, not a scaled score.
Source: Mississippi Department of Education assistant teacher guidance. Your state or district is the authority. Confirm before you book.
What is on the Silver level
ACT WorkKeys (Silver level). Select any band to see what it covers.
Reading for Information
Reading and using the kind of workplace and classroom documents a job actually puts in front of you.
Required
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 Mississippi that assessment is the ACT WorkKeys (Silver level), not a Praxis exam.
We do not prepare you for the Silver level yet
We could sell you ParaPathways prep and let you work out later that Mississippi does not use it. We would rather tell you now. The ACT WorkKeys (Silver level) 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 Mississippi
Which exam does Mississippi use for paraprofessionals?
Mississippi uses the ACT WorkKeys (Silver level), 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 Silver level?
Certificate level is Silver. WorkKeys reports skill levels, not a scaled score.
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 Mississippi?
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.