Skolans osynliga (men oumbärliga?) arbetskraft – en deskriptiv studie av stöd- och resursfunktioner i svenska högstadieskolor
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63310/edu.2025.4.55617Keywords:
deskriptiv analys, kartläggning, skola, stöd- och resurspersonal, paraprofessionellaAbstract
The number of educational paraprofessionals is increasing in Swedish schools. Despite their growing presence, these support roles have gone largely unnoticed in Swedish educational research. This study addresses this gap by mapping this group through examining the frequency of their deployment, the nature of their professional titles, job duties, job requirements and employment terms using survey data collected in Swedish lower secondary schools. These data were analyzed descriptively to identify potential tendencies and variations in their deployment. The results show that the use of paraprofessional support roles is relatively widespread, with an average of one paraprofessional support staff member for every five teachers. The findings also reveal a heterogeneous and fragmented professional landscape characterized by a wide range of job titles and diverse responsibilities. Moreover, the distribution and use of paraprofessionals differs between public and private lower secondary schools and across socio-economic contexts. Finally, considerations for future research are discussed, highlighting the need for research into how this growing reliance on paraprofessional support staff affects educational outcomes, teacher roles and student support structures in lower secondary schools.
References
Ackesjö, H. (2020). Markeringar av lärararbetets gränser - territorium i omförhandling via införandet av lärarassistenter. Pedagogisk forskning i Sverige, 25(1), 35-53. doi: 10.15626/pfs25.01.02 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15626/pfs25.01.02
Alborz, A., Pearson, D., Farrell, P., & Howes, A. (2009). The impact of adult support staff on pupils and mainstream schools. University of Manchester, Institute of Education.
Bach, S., Kessler, I., & Heron, P. (2006). Changing job boundaries and workforce reform: the case of teaching assistants. Industrial Relations Journal, 37(1), 2-21. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2338.2006.00387.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2338.2006.00387.x
Backlund, Å. (2007). Elevvård i grundskolan – resurser, organisering och praktik (Rapport i socialt arbeten nr. 121). Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för socialt arbete.
Bishop, J. (2022). Propping up the performative school: a critical examination of the English educational paraprofessional. Emerald Publishing Limited. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/9781839822421
Bisht, B., LeClair, Z, Loeb, S. & Sun, M. (2021). Paraeducators: growth, diversity and a dearth of professional supports (EdWorkingPaper No 21-490). Annenberg Institute at Brown University: https://doi.org/10.26300/nk1z-c164
Blatchford, P., Bassett, P., Brown, P., Martin, C., Russell, A., & Webster, R. (2009). Deployment and impact of support staff project (Research Report No DCSF-RR 148). Institute of Education, University of London. https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/10818/
Blatchford, P., Webster, R., & Russell, A. (2012). Challenging the role and deployment of teaching assistants in mainstream schools: The impact on schools (Final report on findings from the Effective Deployment of Teaching Assistants (EDTA) project). Dept. of Psychology and Human Development Institute of Education, University of London. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2012.724672
Boyce, R.A., Borthwick, A., Moran, M., & Nancarrow, S. (2011). Health workforce reform: dynamic shifts in the division of labour and the implications for intrapersonal education and practice. In S. Kitto & J. Chesters (Eds.), Sociology of Interprofessional Health (s.186-205). Nova Science Publishers.
Bryman, A. (1997). Kvantitet och kvalitet i samhällsvetenskaplig forskning. Studentlitteratur.
Burgess, H., & Mayes, A. S. (2009). An exploration of higher level teaching assistants' perceptions of their training and development in the context of school workforce reform. Support for Learning, 24(1), 19-25. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9604.2009.01393.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9604.2009.01393.x
Butt, G., & Lance, A. (2005). Modernizing the roles of support staff in primary schools: changing focus, changing function. Educational Review, 57(2), 139-149. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0013191042000308323
Butt, R. (2016). Employment procedures and practices challenge teacher assistants in mainstream schools. School Leadership & Management, 36(1), 63-79. doi: 10.1080/13632434.2016.1160211
Butt, G., & Lance, A. (2009). ‘I am not the teacher!’: some effects of remodelling the roles of teaching assistants in English primary schools. Education 3–13, 37(3), 219-231. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03004270802349430
Castillo, D. (2015). Dela på jobben. En studie av "kompletterande arbetsmarknad" som arbetsmarknadsmodell (Förvaltningsakademins rapportserie, nr 4). Södertörns högskola. https://sh.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:852435/FULLTEXT01.pdf.
Castillo, D. & Ljung, M.(2017). Arbetsdelning i praktiken. Satsning på nya avlastande tjänster i Skövde kommun (Förvaltningsakademins rapportserie, nr 13). Södertörns högskola. https://sh.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1144906/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Castillo, D. (2019). Arbetsdelningens återkomst i kommunala välfärdsorganisationer. Arbetsmarknad & Arbetsliv, Årg 25, 67-88. doi: 10.1080/13632434.2016.1160211 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2016.1160211
Castillo, D. (2023). Reinventing the division of labour? How organisational and micro-level factors influence work in local public welfare organisations. Journal of Organizational Sociology, 1(2), 199-221. doi: 10.1515/joso-2022-0004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/joso-2022-0004
Clarke, E., & Visser, J. (2019). Is a good Teaching Assistant one who ‘knows their place’? Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 24(4), 1-15. doi: 10.1080/13632752.2019.1625207 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13632752.2019.1625207
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research Methods in Education (8e uppl.). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315456539
Curby, T. W., Boyer, C., Edwards, T., & Chavez, C. (2012). Assistant teachers in Head Start classrooms: Comparing to and working with lead teachers. Early Education & Development, 23(5), 640-653. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2011.607361
Denscombe, M. (2018). Forskningshandboken: För småskaliga forskningsprojekt inom samhällsvetenskaperna. Studentlitteratur.
Department for Education. (2022). School workforce in England. Government UK. https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england, (Hämtad 2024-03-24)
Evetts, J. (1999). Professions. Changes and continuities. International Review of Sociology, March 1.
Europaparlamentet och Europeiska unionens råd. (2016). Förordning (EU) 2016/679 av Europaparlamentet och av rådet av den 27 april 2016 om skydd för fysiska personer med avseende på behandling av personuppgifter och om det fria flödet av sådana uppgifter (allmän dataskyddsförordning). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/SV/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32016R0679 [Hämtad: 12 juni 2025].
Farrell, P., Alborz, A., Howes, A., & Pearson, D. (2010). The impact of teaching assistants on improving pupils’ academic achievement in mainstream schools: A review of the literature. Educational Review, 62(4), 435-448. doi: 10.1080/00131911.2010.486476 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2010.486476
Ferguson, M. (2014). Teacher aides: The fine art of balance. Kairaranga, 15(2), 56-63. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1240582.pdf DOI: https://doi.org/10.54322/kairaranga.v15i2.251
Freidson, E. (1999). Theory of professionalism: method and substance. International Review of Sociology, March 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03906701.1999.9971301
Friskolornas riksförbund. (2023). Fakta om friskolor 2023. Friskolornas riksförbund. https://www.friskola.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Fakta-om-friskolor-2023.pdf, (Hämtad 2024-06-27)
Gadler, U. (2011). En skola för alla – gäller det alla? [Doktorsavhandling, Linnéuniversitetet].
Gardesten, J., & Fonseca, L. (2019). Att hantera lärarbristen - Erfarenheter från skolor som anställt heltidsmentorer. Educare, 3, 34-48. doi: 10.24834/educare.2019.3.3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.24834/educare.2019.3.3
Giangreco, M. F. (2010). Utilization of teacher assistants in inclusive schools: Is it the kind of help that helping is all about?. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 25(4), 341-345. doi: 10.1080/08856257.2010.513537 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2010.513537
Giangreco, M.F. (2013). Teacher assistant supports in inclusive schools: Research, practices and alternatives. Australasian Journal of Special Education, 37(2), 93-106. doi: 10.1017/jse.2013.1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/jse.2013.1
Giangreco, M.F. (2021). Maslow’s Hammer: teacher assistant research and inclusive practices at a crossroads. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 36(2), 278 293. doi: 10.1080/08856257.2021.1901377 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2021.1901377
Giangreco, M. F., Yuan, S., McKenzie, B., Cameron, P., & Fialka, J. (2005). “Be careful what you wish for…”: Five reasons to be concerned about the assignment of individual paraprofessionals. Teaching Exceptional Children, 37(5), 28-34. doi: 10.1177/004005990503700504 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/004005990503700504
Gunnarsson, H., & Gustafsson Hedenström, M (2022). De kallar oss resurs. Kommunalarbetaren. https://ka.se/2022/11/15/resurs/, (Hämtad 2023-11-09).
Göransson, K., & Nilholm, C. (2009). Om smygrepresentativitet i pedagogiska avhandlingar. Pedagogisk Forskning i Sverige, 14(2), 136-142.
Hammersley-Fletcher, L. (2008). The impact of workforce remodeling on change management and working practices in English primary schools. School Leadership and Management, 28(5), 489-503. doi: 10.1080/13632430802499937 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13632430802499937
Hampden-Thompson, G., Diehl, J., & Kinukawa, A. (2007). Description and employment criteria of instructional paraprofessionals (Issue Brief. NCES 2007-008). National Center for Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007008
Harris, L. R., & Aprile, K. T. (2015). ‘I can sort of slot into many different roles’: examining teacher aide roles and their implications for practice. School Leadership & Management, 35(2), 140-162. doi: 10.1080/13632434.2014.992774 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2014.992774
Hasenfeld, Y. (1983). Human Service Organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Hedegaard-Sørensen, L., & Langager, S. (2012). Samarbetskunst, Arbejdsfælleskaber Og Samarbejdsrelationer På Specialskoler. Institut for Uddannelse og Pædagogik, Aarhus Universitet. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7146/aul.40.23
Houssart, J. (2013). ‘Give me a lesson and I’ll deliver it’: Teaching Assistants’ experiences of leading primary mathematics lessons in England. Cambridge Journal of Education, 43(1), 1-16. doi: 10.1080/0305764X.2012.733348 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2012.733348
Jobs and Skills Australia. (2023). Labormarket insights, education aides. Government Australia. https://labourmarketinsights.gov.au/occupation-profile/education-aides?occupationCode=4221, (Hämtad 2024-03-24)
Landahl, J. (2006). Auktoritet och ansvar. Lärares fostrans- och omsorgsarbete i historisk belysning. Arbetsliv i omvandling 2006:2. Arbetslivsinstitutet.
Lidström, T. (2024). Teacher assistants’ values in a discursive space: emerging change and re-negotiation of teacher professionalism in Sweden. Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy, 1-14. doi: 10.1080/20020317.2024.2370989 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/20020317.2024.2370989
Lindqvist, P. (2020). “Låt lärarna vara lärare” – idéer om lärararbete i det offentliga samtalet om lärarassistenter. Pedagogisk forskning i Sverige, 25(4), 7-29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15626/pfs25.04.01
Lindqvist, G., Nilholm, C., Almqvist, L., & Wetso, G.M. (2011). Different agendas? The views of different occupational groups on special needs education. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 26, 143-157. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ924965 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2011.563604
Lindqvist, P., Ackesjö, H., Fonseca, L., Gardesten, J., Nordänger, U.K., Herrlin, K., Klope, E., & Johansson M. (2020). (Lärar)avlastande yrkesgrupper – Var går gränserna? En studie om nya fördelningar av och förhandlingar om arbete i skolan. Forum för professionsforskning, 2020:1. Linnéuniversitetet. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1385055/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Lindqvist, H., Östergren, R., & Holme, L. (2020). Elevassistenter i skolan – en forskningsöversikt. Pedagogisk forskning i Sverige, 24(2-3), 114-137. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15626/pfs25.0203.06
Linnéuniversitetet. (2021). Policy för hantering av forskningsdata vid Linnéuniversitetet, Dnr: 2021/964-1.1.1
Little, R. J., & Rubin, D. B. (2019). Statistical Analysis with Missing Data. John Wiley & Sons. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119482260
Loeb, S., Dynarski, S., McFarland, D., Morris, P., Reardon, S., & Reber, S. (2017). Descriptive analysis in education: A guide for researchers. (NCEE 2017-4023). Washington DC:US. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED573325.pdf
Masdeu Navarro, F. (2015). Learning support staff: A literature review, OECD Education Working Papers 125. OECD Publishing.
Nehez, J., & Schön, S. (2021). Initiering av nya professioner och ny kompetens i skolan för närvarofrämjande arbete. Forskning & Förändring, 4(1), 98-120. https://forskningogforandring.dk/index.php/fof/article/download/2672/5431?inline=1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.23865/fof.v4.2672
Nordin, M., & Pettersson-Strömbäck, A. (2018). Projekt Norräng 2.0: Arbetsmiljö i skolan efter införande av klassmentorer. Delrapport I: Resultat från baslinjemätning, ettårsuppföljning och fokusgruppsintervjuer. Institutionen för psykologi, Umeå universitet. https://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1318866/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Quicke, J. (2003). Teaching assistants: students or servants? Forum, 45(2), 71-74. doi: 10.2304/forum.2003.45.2.10 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2304/forum.2003.45.2.10
Radford, J., Blatchford, P., & Webster, R. (2011). Opening up and closing down: How teachers and TAs manage turn-taking, topic and repair in mathematics lessons. Learning and Instruction, 21(5), 625-635. https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10006754/1/Radford2011Opening625.pdf DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2011.01.004
Ramsey, M. J. (2013). A Case study analysis of paraprofessional work, training, and supervision in inclusive elementary schools. [Dissertation, University of Kansas]. https://hdl.handle.net/1808/15111
Rubie-Davies, C. M., Blatchford, P., Webster, R., Koutsoubou, M., & Bassett, P. (2010). Enhancing learning? A comparison of teacher and teaching assistant interactions with pupils. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 21(4), 429-449. doi: 10.1080/09243453.2010.512800 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2010.512800
SFS 2019:551. Förordning om statsbidrag för anställning av lärarassistenter. Utbildningsdepartementet.
Sharples, J., Blatchford, P., & Webster, R. (2016). Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants. Education Endowment Foundation.
Shih, T., & Fan, X. (2008). Comparing response rates from web and mail surveys: A meta-analysis. Field Methods, 20(3), 249-271. doi: 10.1177/1525822X08317085 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X08317085
Sveriges kommuner och landsting. (2018). Om sambandet mellan skolstorlek och utbildningsresultat. Sveriges kommuner och landsting. https://skr.se/download/18.45167e4317e2b341b24ad0f7/1642681373687/7585-632-2.pdf, (Hämtad 2024-06-27)
Skolinspektionen. (2021). Läraravlastande tjänster. Fokus på grundskolans årskurs 7-9. Dnr. SI 2020:2212.
Skolverket. (2020). Redovisning av uppdrag om att ta fram stödmaterial för hur lärarassistenter, socionomer och andra yrkesgrupper ska kunna avlasta lärare. U2019/02106/GV. Dnr 7.5.2-2019:1285.
Skolverket, (2021). Pedagogisk personal i skola och vuxenutbildning läsåret 2020/21. Beskrivande statistik, Dnr 5.1.1–2021:433. https://www.skolverket.se/publikationsserier/beskrivande-statistik/2021/pedagogisk-personal-i-skola-och-vuxenutbildning-lasaret-2020-21
Skolverket. (2024). Pedagogisk personal i skola och vuxenutbildning läsåret 2023/24. Skolverket. https://www.skolverket.se/publikationsserier/beskrivande-statistik/2023/pedagogisk-personal-i-skola-och-vuxenutbildning---lasaret-2023-24
Skolverket. (2023). Elever och skolenheter i grundskolan läsåret 2022/2023. Skolverket. https://www.skolverket.se/download/18.77dcd21f1870108223468d/1679903647728/pdf11307.pdf, (Hämtad 2024-06-27)
Sveriges kommuner och regioner. (2024a). Arbetsidentifikation, AID. Sveriges kommuner och regioner. https://skr.se/skr/arbetsgivarekollektivavtal/lonebildning/arbetsidentifikationaid.157.html, (Hämtad 2024-04-09)
Sveriges kommuner och regioner. (2024b). Personalstatistik, anställda i kommuner och regioner. Sveriges kommuner och regioner. https://skr.se/skr/arbetsgivarekollektivavtal/uppfoljninganalys/personalstatistik/personalenisiffror/tabellerkommunalpersonal2022.62991.html, (Hämtad 2024-04-03)
SOU 2016:35. Vägen in till det svenska skolväsendet. Utbildningsdepartementet. https://www.regeringen.se/rattsliga-dokument/statens-offentliga-utredningar/2016/04/sou-201635/
SOU 2021:11. Bättre möjligheter för elever att nå kunskapskraven. Utbildningsdepartementet. https://www.regeringen.se/rattsliga-dokument/statens-offentliga-utredningar/2021/02/sou-202111/
Stanfield, R.E. (1973). The Uses of Paraprofessionals in the Delivery of Manpower and Social-Services Through Public Service Employment: The Vermont Experience. Final Report.
Susskind, R., & Susskind, A. (2022). The future of the professions. How technology will transform the work of human experts. Oxford University Press.
Takala, M. (2007). The work of classroom assistants in special and mainstream education in Finland. British Journal of Special Education, 34(1), 50–57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8578.2007.00453.x
Warhurst, C., Nickson, D., Commander, J., & Gilbert, K. (2014). ‘Role stretch’: Assessing the blurring of teaching and non‐teaching in the classroom assistant role in Scotland. British Educational Research Journal, 40(1), 170-186. doi: 10.1002/berj.3036 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3036
Webster, R., Blatchford, P., Bassett, P., Brown, P., Martin, C., & Russell, A. (2011). The wider pedagogical role of teaching assistants. School Leadership and Management, 31(1), 3-20. doi: 10.1080/13632434.2010.540562 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2010.540562
Webster, R., & Blatchford, P. (2015). Worlds apart? The nature and quality of the educational experiences of pupils with a statement for special educational needs in mainstream primary schools. British Educational Research Journal, 41(2), 324-342. doi: 10.1080/13632434.2010.540562 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3144
Webster, R., & De Boer, A. (2021). Where next for research on teaching assistants: the case for an international response. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 36(2), 294-305. doi: 10.1080/08856257.2021.1901368 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2021.1901368
WU, J., Zhao, K., & Fils-Aime, F. (2022). Response rates of online surveys in published research: A meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 7, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.chbr.2022.100206 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2022.100206
Östlund, D., Barow, T., Dahlberg, K., & Johansson, A. (2021). In between special needs teachers and students: paraprofessionals work in self-contained classrooms for students with intellectual disabilities in Sweden. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 36(2), 168-182. doi: 10.1080/08856257.2021.1901370 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2021.1901370
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Per Lindqvist, Helena Ackesjö, Jeffrey Casely-Hayford
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
