📖5 min read · 940 words
This is the plain-language version. Same content, written for a quick read.
The paperwork you write (data sheets, notes from a session, communication logs, write-ups of incidents) is part of the student's school record. A family can ask to see it. It can be looked at in IEP meetings. It can be brought into a due process hearing. Paperwork written with that fact in mind protects the student, the para, and the school.
Which paperwork you do depends on your role and your district. Most paras write some mix of these:
Good paperwork says what you saw and heard, not what you decided it meant or how it made you feel. Observable means a stranger watching a video could agree it happened. Objective means no opinion mixed in. The paperwork is a record for other people to read, not a diary for you.
If the word names a feeling, a thought, or a reason ("frustrated," "doing it on purpose," "wants attention"), swap it out for what the student did.
Write it down as close to the moment as you can. Memory fades fast, especially for behavior details. If you can't write it down right then:
If the note is going in late, say so on it: "This note was finished at 4:00 PM for a session at 10:00 AM."
Some things do not belong in an official record:
For paper records: draw one line through the mistake, write your initials and the date next to it, and write what it should say. Do not use white-out. Do not erase.
For digital records: follow your district's steps. Most systems track every edit with a time stamp. Do not delete a record. Fix it with a note that explains what changed.
IDEA (the federal special education law) does not set a number of years. It says close to the opposite: once the school no longer needs a student's personal information to provide services, it has to tell the parents, and if the parents ask for it to be destroyed, the school has to destroy it (34 CFR 300.624). A small core record (name, address, phone, grades, attendance, classes taken, grade level and year finished) can be kept forever. A separate federal funding rule makes schools keep records tied to federal money for three years after the final financial report, and state rules often make schools keep records longer. The safer way to think about it: treat your paperwork as something that could last forever. Don't write anything you would not want read in a hearing five years from now.
| ✅ Try this | ⚠️ Watch out for |
|---|---|
| Use observable, objective words. Describe behavior the way a stranger could check it on video. Read your paperwork before you turn it in, if you see opinions where you need facts, fix them. | Using vague or emotional words ("bad day," "lost it," "seemed fine"), writing it from memory days later, or leaving out big events because they're hard to put into words. |
Bottom line. Para paperwork is a legal record. Write it factually, write it the same day, and write it knowing anyone, including families and lawyers, may read it. Observable, objective, on-time records protect everyone.
What paras are responsible for documenting, how to document it well, and what good practice looks like when records could be reviewed by families, administrators, or legal counsel.
Who this brief is for
Paras who complete any written records
Supervising teachers establishing documentation expectations
What Paras Typically Document
The scope of a para's documentation responsibilities varies by role and district, but commonly includes:
Daily data: trial data, interval observations, frequency counts, duration measures tied to IEP goals or behavior programs.
Session notes: brief narrative notes about the session, what was worked on, how the student responded, anything notable.
Communication logs: records of communication with the supervising teacher, specialists, or (where appropriate) families.
Incident records: written accounts of behavioral incidents, near-misses, injuries, or any situation that required unusual intervention.
Medical or health records: if the para administers medication, provides personal care, or responds to a health event, documentation may be required by district protocol.
The Core Standard: Observable and Objective
Good documentation describes what was seen and heard, not what was concluded or felt. This distinction matters because documentation is a record for others, not a diary for yourself.
Observable: 'Student pushed peer's materials off the table.' Not: 'Student was aggressive.'
Observable: 'Student completed 8 of 10 math trials independently.' Not: 'Student did great today.'
Observable: 'Student said no and walked to the corner. Para used a calm voice to offer a choice. Student returned to seat after 3 minutes.' Not: 'Student had a tantrum but calmed down.'
If the word describes a mental state or motive ('frustrated,' 'refusing on purpose,' 'seeking attention'), replace it with the observable behavior.
Timing: When to Document
Document as close to the event as possible. Memory degrades rapidly, especially for behavioral details. If you cannot document immediately:
Make brief notes (even single words or phrases) during the session that you can expand later.
Complete documentation the same day, not at the end of the week.
If a significant incident occurred, do not leave for the day without completing the required written record.
Late documentation should note that it was completed after the fact: 'This note was completed at 4:00 PM for a session that occurred at 10:00 AM.'
What Not to Write
Some content does not belong in official documentation:
Speculation about cause or intent: 'She does this to get out of work.' Document the behavior and the context, not the inferred function.
Opinions about family, colleagues, or other students: Documentation is not the place for interpersonal commentary.
Diagnoses or medical conclusions: 'He seemed like he was having a seizure.' Write what you observed: 'Student's eyes rolled upward, body stiffened for approximately 30 seconds, then he was unresponsive for 2 minutes. Nurse was called.'
Humor or informality: Documentation may be read years later by people who don't know the student or the context. Write for a reader who knows neither.
Correction of Errors
For paper records: draw a single line through the error, write your initials and the date, and write the correct information. Never use correction fluid or erase entries.
For digital records: follow your district's protocol. Most systems have an audit trail; edits are logged with timestamps. Never delete a record. Correct it with a note explaining the change.
How Long Records Are Kept
IDEA does not set a minimum number of years for keeping a student's records. It points the other way: once personally identifiable information is no longer needed to provide educational services, the district must inform the parents, and must destroy it if the parents ask (34 CFR 300.624). A core permanent record (name, address, phone number, grades, attendance record, classes attended, grade level and year completed) may be kept without time limitation. Retention floors come from elsewhere: records tied to federal grant funds must be kept three years after the final financial report (2 CFR 200.334), and state retention schedules often run longer. As a practical matter, para documentation should be treated as potentially permanent. Don't write anything you would not want read in a hearing five years from now.
| ✅ Try this | ⚠️ Watch out for |
|---|---|
| Use objective, observable language. Describe behavior in terms a stranger could verify by watching a video. Review your documentation before submitting: if you see conclusions where you need observations, revise. | Write documentation using vague or emotional language ('bad day,' 'totally lost it,' 'seemed fine'), complete it from memory days after the fact, or omit significant events because they seem too hard to explain in writing. |
Bottom line. Para documentation is a legal record. Write it factually, promptly, and with the knowledge that it may be read by anyone, including families and attorneys. Observable, objective, timely records protect everyone.
Reading is useful, but recall is where it sticks. Three short scenarios, low-stakes, no scoring. About 3 minutes. You can stop any time.
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