Connecticut State Department of Education

Background

Application Procedures

The following requirements must be met for your district paraeducator of the year to apply for Connecticut’s 2027 Anne Marie Murphy Paraeducator of the Year Program.

The method and materials used to select the district paraeducator of the year may vary by district. The process must be fair and inclusive. Prior to Friday, June 30, 2026, the district-selected paraeducators of the year may apply for Connecticut’s 2027 Anne Marie Murphy Paraeducator of the Year Award. Applicants should submit the electronic application via the following survey link: 2027 Anne Marie Murphy Paraeducator of the Year Award (https://bit.ly/2027CTPOY). 

Applicants must provide three (3) letters of recommendation with their application, one of which must be from the paraeducator’s principal or supervisor, and one from a teacher or related services staff member the paraeducator has worked with in the previous three (3) years. The third letter may come from a paraeducator colleague, parent, another teacher/related services staff member with whom the applicant has worked, a student, or other administrator.

Recommendation letters must provide specific examples of the paraeducator’s contributions to his/her school and district, and should relate to the candidate’s work as a paraeducator.

  • No more than three (3) recommendation letters (limited to one (1) page each) will be accepted. All recommendations should be in PDF or WORD format and should be labelled with the district’s name and the author’s last name.

  • Please provide a photo of you working with students that meets your school district's media release policy. Photos should be in JPEG format with at least 1,000 x 600 pixels and labelled with the district’s name and the paraeducator’s last name.

Selection committee members will review the application materials to assist in identifying the finalists. Selection committee members may include representatives from:

  • the CSDE

  • the CT Teacher of the Year Council

  • educator professional and service organizations

  • paraeducators

  • higher education faculty

  • teachers

  • parents and

  • administrators

 

 

Award Recognition

The 2027 Anne Marie Murphy Paraeducator of the Year will be honored during the 20276Connecticut Teacher of the Year Ceremony at The Bushnell Auditorium in Hartford, CT, on November 17, 2026. The awardee will become a member of the School Paraeducator Advisory Council during the 2026-27 school year and may represent paraeducators in forums and conferences.

  

Eligibility

Connecticut defines paraeducator as follows: a paraeducator is an employee who assists teachers and/or other certified professionals or therapists in the delivery of instructional and related services to students. The paraeducator works under the direct supervision of the teacher and/or other certified or licensed professional(s). The ultimate responsibility for the design, implementation, and evaluation of instructional programs, including assessment of student progress, is a collaborative effort between certified and licensed staff.

 

Only paraeducators who assist teachers in the delivery of instruction and related services to students are eligible for this award. The 2027 honoree must be serving in the role of a paraeducator during the 2026-27 school year.

 

Each district may identify only one paraeducator of the year annually to apply for the Anne Marie Murphy Paraeducator of the Year award. Only the district superintendent or school principal should forward the application link to the district-selected paraeducator of the year.

 

Selection of the district paraeducator of the year should be made without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability (including, but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or present history of mental disorder, physical disability or learning disability), genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by Connecticut state and/or federal nondiscrimination laws.

  

Selection Criteria

Each district applicant will be evaluated based on six criteria adapted from the National Resource Center for Paraeducators (NRCP) Model, which Connecticut selected as a framework for articulating key competencies for Connecticut paraeducators. The model defines six (6) primary areas of responsibilities for paraeducators:

1. Assisting teachers/providers with building and maintaining effective instructional teams.

2. Assisting teachers/providers with maintaining learner-centered supportive environments.

3. Supporting teachers/providers with planning and organizing learning experiences.

4. Assisting teachers/providers with engaging students in learning and assisting in instruction.

5. Assisting teachers/providers with assessing learner needs, progress, and achievement.

6. Meeting standards of professional and ethical conduct.

 

 

 

If you have questions, please contact Dr. Jessica Ocasio, Program Manager, Anne Marie Murphy Paraeducator of the Year, by phone at (860) 713-6717 or by e-mail: jessica.g.ocasio@ct.gov.