Partner with OPEPP to Strengthen Paraprofessional Practice
If you are a school leader, you know how essential paraprofessionals are to the daily functioning of your schools and to the success of your students.
You also know that sustainable systems for hiring, onboarding, coaching, celebrating, and developing paraprofessionals don’t happen by accident—they require clarity, structure, and intentional support. OPEPP provides the guidance and partnership needed to help leaders build those systems with confidence.
OPEPP partners with educational agencies that hire and support paraprofessionals—including school districts, independent schools, ESCs, boards of developmental disabilities, and career-technical and public charter schools.
OPEPP works with educational agencies across Ohio—school districts, independent schools, ESCs, county boards of developmental disabilities, and career-technical and public charter schools—to strengthen paraprofessional preparation and support.
As a partnering local education agency, you will work through a 3.5-year partnership process. Your team will collaborate with an OPEPP consultant to design and implement sustainable practices that elevate paraprofessional roles and align with your organization’s mission, context, and needs.
Partnership efforts help school leaders and teams:
- Clarify expectations and roles for paraprofessionals
- Strengthen collaboration between educators and paraprofessionals
- Build supportive environments where paraprofessionals feel prepared, included, and valued
- Increase student access to inclusive learning experiences
With OPEPP’s tools, coaching, and structured resources, school leaders can create long-term systems that elevate paraprofessional practice and expand high-quality learning opportunities for every student.
Our Partners
- Adams County, Ohio Valley School District
- Alliance City School District
- Beachwood City School District
- Bright Local Schools
- Brown County ESC
- Carey Exempted Village Schools
- Crestwood Local Schools
- Dayton Public Schools
- Defiance County Board of DD
- Dublin City Schools
- East Clinton Local District
- ESC of Central Ohio
- Fairfield County ESC
- Fairfield Local School District
- Fairhaven School – Trumbull County Board of DD
- Fairview Park City School District
- Field Local Schools
- Forest Hills School District
- Franklin City Schools
- Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools
- Guiding Hand School – Gallia County Board of DD
- Hamilton City Schools
- Hudson City Schools
- Indian Hill School District
- Ironton City Schools
- KIPP Columbus
- Lawrence County ESC
- Lebanon City Schools
- Learning Center – Southern Ohio ESC
- Madeira City Schools
- Mariemont City Schools
- Monroe Local Schools
- Monroeville Local Schools
- Mt. Healthy City School District
- New Lebanon Local Schools
- New Philadelphia City Schools
- North Point ESC
- Northmont City Schools
- Northwest Local School District
- Orange City School District
- Orrville City Schools
- Ottawa Hills Local Schools
- Sidney City Schools
- Springfield City Schools
- The Early Learning Center – Lorain County ESC
- Trumbull County Career Tech
- Washington Local Schools
- West Clermont School District
- Westlake City Schools
- Whitehall City Schools
Stories of Transformation
Paraprofessional Spotlight: Ruth Thompson
At OPEPP, we know paraprofessionals bring heart, dedication, and care to their daily work. Ruth Thompson, a paraprofessional with the Fairfield County ESC, is a ...
Paraprofessional Spotlight: Jaclyn Cottrell
Paraeducators are often the unsung experts in the room—especially when it comes to assistive technology for children who are deaf, blind, or deafblind. Jaclyn Cottrell ...