The HSLS staff includes 25.75 FTE faculty librarians and 23.6 FTE paraprofessional and technical staff. These paraprofessional mental health counselors undergo an intensive orientation and basic training period. The role of the paraprofessional educator is constantly evolving. Research shows that students performed higher when the paraprofessional was trained in inclusive classroom management. The training of paraprofessional educators varies widely by state and district. Nursing in the United States is provided by several levels of professional and paraprofessional staff. Alaska Christian College offers an associate degree in Christian ministry and in paraprofessional education. These students are typically paired with a paraprofessional in the classroom. There were 125 teachers and 78 other professional and paraprofessional staff. This links the paraprofessional to the students, but not the teacher or schools itself. He formerly worked as a paraprofessional in the Decatur public schools. Veterinary nurses are professionals in their own right, and as such, not deemed a paraprofessional. It was a paraprofessional residential school until 1979 when it became a distance learning institution. Others may require a contracted paraprofessional to pass an examination. The VLA sponsors an Annual Conference and a Paraprofessional Annual Conference.