Virginia Title I Paraprofessional Qualifications
The Commonwealth of Virginia adheres to federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) standards for all instructional aides working in public elementary, middle, and high schools. To be classified as a qualified instructional paraprofessional, candidates must:
- Possess a valid High School Diploma or state-recognized GED.
- Satisfy one of the three established academic qualification pathways:
- ETS ParaPro Assessment: Score 455 or higher.
- Higher Education Coursework: Complete at least 48 semester hours of collegiate coursework.
- Associate Degree: Earn an AA, AS, or higher collegiate degree.
Major Virginia School Divisions & Local Requirements
School divisions in Northern Virginia, Central Virginia, and Hampton Roads frequently recruit paraprofessionals:
- Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS): One of the largest employers of Special Education (SPED) instructional assistants in the US; requires official 455+ ParaPro score verification.
- Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS): Recognizes ETS ParaPro and offers instructional assistant career progression steps.
- Virginia Beach City Public Schools: Employs Title I paraprofessionals for kindergarten readiness and reading interventions.
- Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS): Accepts official scores from both Prometric test centers and ProctorU at-home testing.
Preparation Strategies to Guarantee a 455+ Score
A scaled score of 455 requires answering approximately 58 of 90 questions correctly. Candidates should take advantage of full diagnostic practice sets and review our step-by-step guides:
Full 90-Q Diagnostic Simulator
Take our timed 150-minute exam simulation to measure your Virginia passing readiness.
Score Calculator (420–480)
Simulate raw correct answers to estimate your official Virginia scaled score.
Grammar Error Matrix
Master comma splice fixes, verb tenses, and subject-verb agreement for the Writing subtest.
50-State Passing Scores Hub
Compare Virginia's 455 benchmark against Maryland (455) and DC (461).