The following is a list of individuals that may have unique roles.  It is local decision as to whether these individuals within PAETEP are treated as teachers or nonteaching professionals.


Autistic, MDS and Life Skills

Behavior Specialist Teachers

Career and Technical Education Teachers

Early Childhood Teachers

Emotional Support Teachers

English as a Second Language Teachers

Gifted Education Teachers

Instructional Coaches

Learning Support Teachers

Reading Specialists

School Librarians

Speech and Language Pathologist Teachers*

Teachers of Students Who are Blind or Visually Impaired

Teachers of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing


According to Act 13... 

  • Classroom Teacher is defined as a professional employee or temporary professional employee who provides direct instruction to students related to a specific subject or grade level.
  • Nonteaching Professional is defined as an educational specialist or professional employees or temporary professional employees who provide services and who is not a classroom teacher. 
  • Based on the definitions listed above, LEAs should decide whether a teacher with a unique role is treated as classroom teacher or nonteaching professional. Note - According to PDE, the two-pronged approach is no longer a factor under Act 13.



Teachers with Unique Roles and Roles within PAETEP
  • Classroom Teachers - Professionals that are determined to be classroom teachers should be given the Teacher role within PAETEP.  The Teacher role allows the professional to be evaluated within PAETEP using a Formal Observation and/or Differentiated Observation.  
  • Nonteaching Professionals - Professionals that are determined to be nonteaching professionals should be given the NTPE and NTPE Other role within PAETEP.  The NTPE and NTPE Other role allows the professional to be evaluated within PAETEP using a NTPE Observation, Formal Observation, and/or Differentiated Observation.
  • Regardless of whether a user is given the role of Teacher or NTPE/NTPE Other within PAETEP, the associated evaluation framework will be the one for Teachers as discipline specific frameworks for the professionals listed above are not provided by PDE under Act 13.  


*Note - Under certain circumstances a certified teacher may be working as a Speech Language Pathologist without a Speech Language Pathologist certificate from the state.  In those instances, it is recommended that the individual be evaluated as a Teacher or NTPE/NTPE Other.  Please note that under Act 13, there is a discipline specific framework for certified Speech Language Pathologists. Certified Speech Language Pathologists should be given the NTPE Speech Language Pathologist role within PAETEP.  Given this role, it allows the professional to be evaluated within PAETEP using a Formal Observation, Differentiated Observation, and/or NTPE Observation,