Increasingly, schools are turning to paraprofessionals to supplement the administrative and instructional functions of teachers. Because of their roots in the community, paraprofessionals are a special human resource for rural and small school districts, while permitting such districts to address the needs created by educational reforms, federal and state mandates for services, and chronic teacher shortages. Besides participating in all phases of the instructional process, paraprofessionals now are deployed in related service areas, inlcuding speech therapy, physical and occupational therapy, crisis intervention for students with behavioral and emotional problems, early intervention and preschool programs, and case management. Meanwhile, the teacher role has evolved to include the function of manager of multiple human resources such as paraprofessionals and volunteers. Confusion over the roles and functions of paraprofessionals who work alongside teachers can be avoided through well constructed job descriptions, while retention of skilled staff can be enhanced by the development of career ladders that specify structured procedures for paraprofessionals' career mobility. Systematic training for paraprofessionals should combine on-the-job coaching with formal inservice training sessions. In addition, school districts should collaborate with colleges to design preservice and inservice training programs and to develop mechanisms that would smooth the transition of paraprofessionals into teacher education programs. (SV)