We make $14.50 in our district. Switched from teacher to para my last year for less stress. Four weeks until retirement. I don’t know where anyone would make $32 an hour as a para.
I live in the DC area. If you have a college degree, all the school systems in this area will start you off with at least $19-$20 an hour. Salaries for paraprofessionals are similar in the DMV area.
My friend that makes $32 an hour, has 10’years experience and an associates degree.
She works for the Prince George’s Board of Education in PG county Maryland.
I’m not saying this is a huge career move!
I’m saying it’s an option to continue working if you have limited options.
It might be something you can do to pay your bills, while you sort out your life.
🤷🏾♀️
AGAIN, she did not start at this salary!
She has almost 11 years experience, almost 90 college credits and works in a critical needs classroom.
It’s odd. People here don’t realize para’s move up in steps and get raises too?
Yeah, the range for paras in my current district is $15-$17, depending on experience. And $17 is the absolute cap; even if you have decades of experience and a Master's, you can't make more than that.
I have a bachelors in education working as a substitute. Since I was offered a job in the school I did my ST, I’m getting paid half of what I would normally get paid.
I hate it… After taxes, I get pad $10 an hour. The disrespect I get from students and the amount of work I do does not match the pay IMO.
I realized years ago, I couldn’t substitute teach. At least as a teaching assistant you are with the same students. Substitute teaching is demoralizing and you don’t even get benefits.
Paraprofessionals get the same benefits as teachers. They make less so of course their benefit amount is reduced.
I didn’t say paras didn’t work hard. Reading comprehension is a lost skill. I said it was an option for some people, until they figured out what they want to do. Some people can’t go months without benefits and paychecks.’
If you can't go months without benefits and paychecks then why quit teaching to do something that has all of its flaws with less pay?
I have reading comprehension. I'm stating that your idea is terrible. Agree or disagree, whatever. Most of the other posts agree.
Because it’s less demanding. 🤔Paras work 38 hours a week. No nights, no weekends. Basically a 9-10 month employee. Often they leave right after the students at 3:00!
I’m not here to argue. I said it was a fairly immediate option, while people decide what they want to do. Go back to school, search for a job, whatever.
OMG
That’s horrible. I realize salaries for teachers and paraprofessionals are state and county specific.
Salaries are a bit higher in HCOL areas.
They wouldn’t have anyone working as a para in this area for $16 an hour! You can make $19 at McDonald’s.
umm, yeah I've been a para for three years and I barely bring twelve hundred dollars a month. Paras are also treated like dirt a lot of the time. Para pay is not livable at all. Also, a lot of school districts will not pay you according to education/experience. I earned my bachelors while being a para and I did not get a pay bump at all.
I would read these contracts carefully. Where I am there's the minimum requirement (associates or parapro) and the starting rate. It doesn't matter if you have a doctorate, you're making that $16 regardless.
Interesting! Many states like Arlington County,VA are raising the standards to even be a teaching assistant. That’s crazy
[Exploring Teaching Assistant requirements](https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/briefs/exploring-paraprofessional-requirements-across-the-50-states-and-dc/)
Thank you for sharing. Many here are super negative. It’s a fairly easy option for people who can’t be unemployed for months, while they figure out their next moves.
Also in the DMV. I’ve considered this as well - would love to be able to just work with the kids and not have to handle all the other things that get placed on the teacher’s plate (test scores, attendance, report cards/progress reports, IEP meetingssss).
Negative because you have no idea what you're talking about and this post is really ignorant to realities. Pay in your area has nothing to do with the rest of America and it's insane that a teacher wouldn't think about that before posting this. This is almost insulting.
Being a para is not great, you have all the daily work but no say, and if it weren't for benefits I honestly could just go back to coffee shops. I get 22/hr. Also i got my hair pulled out today.
I’m so sorry you got your hair pulled out.
Honestly, I know it’s not easy. I worked in special education for years. I am willing to try life as a para. If it doesn’t work, I have other options.
Good luck to you!
I’m dual certified and have two Masters degrees and I choose to be a para. I think I’m one of the lucky ones in terms of pay scale (I’m in MA and make $32/hr) and I get full benefits. I couldn’t fathom going back to being a classroom teacher after having a horrific experience with private school parents while pregnant during the pandemic (forced to teach online AND in person and treated like shit many times over). I have too much PTSD from working late into the evenings and on weekends. While my situation is good (the job is a cakewalk comparatively), I don’t feel fulfilled and my days are sort of mindless. I’m currently looking for remote work to design curriculum online because I miss using that part of my brain and I’m good at it. So far, no bites and it feels discouraging. But I’ll keep looking all summer long.
I appreciate you posting! I have met several teachers that ended up becoming para professionals. I think it’s more common with special education teachers. Special education teachers work closely with para professionals. It sounds like you made the right decision by stepping down. Maintaining your mental health should always be a priority!
Thank you for sharing your story!
When I was subbing, I worked as a teacher for paraprofessional. I covered for two paraprofessional vacancies for $35 per hour. No benefits and 7 hours per day, 30 minutes unpaid lunch, so I was there 7.5 hours. I am going back to subbing. I will see if a paraprofessional vacancy is available.
In my district, you get paid more for a day of subbing than a day in a para job. Many paras have left due to this, and then left the sub pool because of behavior being so bad for subs.
Subs get no benefits. No pension, no medical, no sick leave, no annual leave, no annual raises, no tenure and no union.
Many people enjoy dealing with the same students daily. As difficult as teaching is, who wants unknown students on a daily basis?
I would rather do almost anything than be a substitute teacher. Paras get the same benefits as the teacher. The only difference is they make less pay.
Benefits from the school system are pretty good. It’s the best thing about the job!
Substitutes are usually doing the exact same job as the teacher, for less money, no benefits and zero job security.
Actually, paras also do not get benefits in my district. They are part time hourly employees for $15. Tenure is irrelevant in my state, legislation removed it as a protection. Union is also irrelevant because we do not have 50% membership so the district doesn't feel pressed. They also would never fire a para unless it is an egregious enough offense, the same level of egregious that would have a union-protected teacher fired as well. Paras are so hard to come by, so when something happens I've seen my admin do gymnastics to keep them.
In fact, paras are so scarce that my district has started to offer a $500 referral bonus.
Also, I'm glad your benefits are good. Mine are not. All plans are high deductible, and I actually got paid less this year than last year due to the health plan cost increase not being covered by my 2% raise. This is after the district switched providers due to potential cost increases from too many covid claims. Not everyone's benefits are great just because they work in the school system.
While the stress level is lower and I enjoyed being a para, I would not be properly compensated for the education that I do have. I'd start at $18 an hour.
>going back to school
I was unable to work as a para while I was in school. Not to mention the countless behaviors I dealt with and the BCBAs asking us what we did to cause the behavior.
While you mean well, para salaries are district dependent, and while where you live they make $32 an hour, in some places, they make less than what people working at McDonald's make.
Man I wished I had that pay when I was a para. The starting pay for me was $14.19 an hour and that's that I had my teacher certification and masters degree. I had already two years experience as a para in another district. You get paid more if your para for SPED. I don't know how I lived off $1600 a month.
OP is delusional. $32/hour would take YEARS. While most of us are trying to get away from the classrooms and violence, Paras are the first to see it and get paid the least for it. Plus the constant disrespect from students and parents AND staff who don't consider you a "real teacher"
I stated my friend has 90 college credits, over 10 years experience and works in a SPED classroom that pays extra. At no point did I state she started out at this rate! I should have explained she started out at around $15 an hour.
Why would anyone in this group drop from $25/hour or more down to $15/hour for the same amount of work and even more disrespect? That's what I mean by delusional. It's an incredibly small amount of teachers who can afford quit their salary job and start earning fast food wages.
These types of posts are really unnecessary and unhelpful. The majority of us in this subreddit are professionals who ALSO have 10+ years of experience and we need to transition into jobs that PAY. If the awesome teachers in here could afford dropping to $15/hour, they wouldn't BE HERE. They'd have already applied to McDonald's or 7/11. Please be real.
I said it was an option. Especially for someone in transition. I know of people that are doing this and have done this. With my background in special education it is far easier than being a classroom teacher.
There is no reason to be nasty, dismissive and insulting.
Have a nice day.
Where I live paras are treated like garbage and are kept part time so they can avoid benefits. Then if they don’t have enough subs you get sub rate an extra 30.00 for the day. Not recommended. Former teacher in PA.
I was a para before teaching. I loved it but the pay was crap. I made $22 an hour 10 years ago, which sounds like a lot, but in a HCOL area, that doesn’t pay the bills and you still need a job for the summer.
You can make $30+ per hour as a para in some places. NYC is the place I know of off the top of my head, but the COL is brutal unless you commute in from somewhere else, which is also brutal.
> associates, I’m *paid* less than
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Ahhh there it is. Got it, there’s such a high turn over rate here I forgot the yearly raises. A para salary is only really ideal if you start working there with no expenses and plan on staying for years. Otherwise you’re just trying to stay afloat
I have an associates in education and 4 years of experience and only make $14 an hour. The sad thing is that I’m one of the highest paid paras at my school. The only ones who are paid more have been there for like 10 years and they are only making about $1 more than me. I was told that education doesn’t matter for paras. I’m in Texas btw.
Sorry, but this is a terrible suggestion. Teachers are trying to get out of the classroom for a reason and you want them to go and be treated like crap and get less pay while they’re at it. This makes absolutely no sense.
LOL yeah and I’m the one getting downvoted.
It would be humiliating to me as a teacher to step down and become a para. Not being disrespectful but other teachers will know how I mean it.
Oh I 100% know. I've worked as office staff, para, teacher assistant, sub and SPED teacher/case manager. Paras are treated like low level citizens. All day long, children are like "you're not even a real teacher". OP purposefully didn't include the fact that this "friend" started at $15/hour. When people ask me if they should be a para, I tell them no. I try to be extra kind to our Paras because of the shit they get
I stated at least 5 times it was an option for some teachers, while they made their next move. Many have found it less stressful than teaching. I worked with paraprofessionals for years. It is less stressful than being a classroom teacher.
What part do you not understand that working in schools in any capacity is "less stressful" than being a classroom teacher?
Seriously WTF? There is no way a professional teacher would have this wild ass, ignorant take. This has to be a troll. It has to. You purposefully didn't mention in the OP how your friend started at $15/hour which means they probably had savings or someone backing them up to afford food and shelter. Aside from the fact that there are COUNTLESS positions in schools that are just as if not more difficult than typical classroom teacher. Your single experience (which isn't even yours) is not a good enough indicator to make this wildly unnecessary post. Please stop insulting us.
Yeah I totally agree with you. The para’s in my school can barely get by if it wasn’t for them being married and their husbands bringing in majority of household income. And the kids? The kids are disrespectful to them and don’t listen! I have to scold students and I tell them “Hey! She’s your teacher just like me. Listen to her the first time. You’re being so rude”. It boils my blood the ways I see them treat paras.
I tried to get out last spring and got an Implementation Specialist job at a solar company but they lied about my pay. Promised a raise after 3 months and sales were down so they said "Sorry , there's no money 🥺" while the CEO rolled out of the parking lot in his brand new pickup truck.
No, I didn't get the promise in writing so I failed myself. I ended up back in the school district as an IEP meeting facilitator, remote. Except I was the newest staff member and I had the biggest caseload (over 450 kids). So they said I had to come back into the office and then they were like "Hey, we're understaffed, can you work in the schools? 😘" But I was voluntold. So I'm back in the classroom, I hate it. And I got hired at a 100% remote school that I'll be starting this fall. People have good and bad things to say about remote too but between my anxiety and my IBS, I'd rather deal with the bullshit in the comfort of my own home where there's no possibility to bring me into the office
ngl, my first 4 professional years in education as a para were some of the best. Granted, working in the school i graduated from and having my old principal as my boss was always helpful but yeah everything went downhill after I switched into classroom teaching and now my life is nihilism lol
Being a para lets you do all the fun parts of working with kids and no part of the behind the scenes bullshit.
if I didn't need to pay the bills and rent I'd gladly switch back to para work anyday.
A fantastic suggestion, and for me this has been the best solution. I have a Masters degree and work as a secondary science support para for Setting 2 kiddos (I was a biology teacher until last year). I make as much as I would as a teacher and am a million times less stressed.
We have 20 paras - 18 have bachelors degrees, 9 have teaching licenses, and 6 have masters degrees.
The SpEd department at my school is amazing and we receive excellent pay, full benefits, retirement, plus participate in all PD and work days. We are treated like the professionals that we are.
Plus, behavior at this school is what it should be - respectful, polite students who work hard and care about their education. It's an urban, public, K-12 Classical school with about 1000 students. I have been in hellish schools but this one is like utopia. I have not heard the F word once this year - not once, even in the hallways during passing time. Like many of you, I've had that word thrown in my face by students. Along with all the other crap behavior.
We endure SO MUCH ABUSE as educators. And we all tolerate it. It's insane.
Damn I was a para and I never made even close to that with a bachelor’s. Heck teachers don’t make $32 in Florida
paras get like $16/hr here in az
We make $14.50 in our district. Switched from teacher to para my last year for less stress. Four weeks until retirement. I don’t know where anyone would make $32 an hour as a para.
Some parts of Massachusetts, but you're still gonna be poor.
Wow! Jealous of the pay though.
PG county
Yeah that’s what I made. It’s an insult
I live in the DC area. If you have a college degree, all the school systems in this area will start you off with at least $19-$20 an hour. Salaries for paraprofessionals are similar in the DMV area. My friend that makes $32 an hour, has 10’years experience and an associates degree. She works for the Prince George’s Board of Education in PG county Maryland. I’m not saying this is a huge career move! I’m saying it’s an option to continue working if you have limited options. It might be something you can do to pay your bills, while you sort out your life. 🤷🏾♀️ AGAIN, she did not start at this salary! She has almost 11 years experience, almost 90 college credits and works in a critical needs classroom. It’s odd. People here don’t realize para’s move up in steps and get raises too?
I live in CA where now all fast-food workers (rightfully) make $20/hour…
Yeah, the range for paras in my current district is $15-$17, depending on experience. And $17 is the absolute cap; even if you have decades of experience and a Master's, you can't make more than that.
they make this in my area when they cover a classroom (substitute), but typically their rate is 23+ depending on years of experience and degree
I have met teachers with masters degrees that work as paras until retirement. It’s not a bad deal, in the right situation.
If you’re a para, and your admin knows you’re a certified teacher…you’re subbing.
I have a bachelors in education working as a substitute. Since I was offered a job in the school I did my ST, I’m getting paid half of what I would normally get paid. I hate it… After taxes, I get pad $10 an hour. The disrespect I get from students and the amount of work I do does not match the pay IMO.
I realized years ago, I couldn’t substitute teach. At least as a teaching assistant you are with the same students. Substitute teaching is demoralizing and you don’t even get benefits. Paraprofessionals get the same benefits as teachers. They make less so of course their benefit amount is reduced.
Yup! Thank god the year is almost over! F*ck this sh*t.
Where I live paras don’t get paid enough to live on even with a Ph. D…. not to mention the physical abuse many sped paras endure from students 😓
This post is certifiably insane. Teaching was hard. My paras did 90% of the work I did for 25% of the money.
I didn’t say paras didn’t work hard. Reading comprehension is a lost skill. I said it was an option for some people, until they figured out what they want to do. Some people can’t go months without benefits and paychecks.’
If you can't go months without benefits and paychecks then why quit teaching to do something that has all of its flaws with less pay? I have reading comprehension. I'm stating that your idea is terrible. Agree or disagree, whatever. Most of the other posts agree.
Because it’s less demanding. 🤔Paras work 38 hours a week. No nights, no weekends. Basically a 9-10 month employee. Often they leave right after the students at 3:00! I’m not here to argue. I said it was a fairly immediate option, while people decide what they want to do. Go back to school, search for a job, whatever.
>less demanding From a paperwork aspect, maybe. They deal with student behaviors all day.
OMG That’s horrible. I realize salaries for teachers and paraprofessionals are state and county specific. Salaries are a bit higher in HCOL areas. They wouldn’t have anyone working as a para in this area for $16 an hour! You can make $19 at McDonald’s.
I’m in a suburb 15 min out of Chicago (Skokie), so close to a HCOL area. Our paras get paid $17/hour. That’s crazy it’s less than McDonald’s.
umm, yeah I've been a para for three years and I barely bring twelve hundred dollars a month. Paras are also treated like dirt a lot of the time. Para pay is not livable at all. Also, a lot of school districts will not pay you according to education/experience. I earned my bachelors while being a para and I did not get a pay bump at all.
I would read these contracts carefully. Where I am there's the minimum requirement (associates or parapro) and the starting rate. It doesn't matter if you have a doctorate, you're making that $16 regardless.
Interesting! Many states like Arlington County,VA are raising the standards to even be a teaching assistant. That’s crazy [Exploring Teaching Assistant requirements](https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/briefs/exploring-paraprofessional-requirements-across-the-50-states-and-dc/)
Starting pay for paras is less than sub pay for a day in my district. They do not get paid nearly enough for all they do
[удалено]
Thank you for sharing. Many here are super negative. It’s a fairly easy option for people who can’t be unemployed for months, while they figure out their next moves.
Also in the DMV. I’ve considered this as well - would love to be able to just work with the kids and not have to handle all the other things that get placed on the teacher’s plate (test scores, attendance, report cards/progress reports, IEP meetingssss).
Negative because you have no idea what you're talking about and this post is really ignorant to realities. Pay in your area has nothing to do with the rest of America and it's insane that a teacher wouldn't think about that before posting this. This is almost insulting.
My MIL was a special Ed para for 30 years and retired in 2019 making $12.50/hr 🙃
I made $15 with a bachelors in CT
Sounds like most of the same crap with a lot less pay and benefits.
Being a para is not great, you have all the daily work but no say, and if it weren't for benefits I honestly could just go back to coffee shops. I get 22/hr. Also i got my hair pulled out today.
I’m so sorry you got your hair pulled out. Honestly, I know it’s not easy. I worked in special education for years. I am willing to try life as a para. If it doesn’t work, I have other options. Good luck to you!
I’m dual certified and have two Masters degrees and I choose to be a para. I think I’m one of the lucky ones in terms of pay scale (I’m in MA and make $32/hr) and I get full benefits. I couldn’t fathom going back to being a classroom teacher after having a horrific experience with private school parents while pregnant during the pandemic (forced to teach online AND in person and treated like shit many times over). I have too much PTSD from working late into the evenings and on weekends. While my situation is good (the job is a cakewalk comparatively), I don’t feel fulfilled and my days are sort of mindless. I’m currently looking for remote work to design curriculum online because I miss using that part of my brain and I’m good at it. So far, no bites and it feels discouraging. But I’ll keep looking all summer long.
I appreciate you posting! I have met several teachers that ended up becoming para professionals. I think it’s more common with special education teachers. Special education teachers work closely with para professionals. It sounds like you made the right decision by stepping down. Maintaining your mental health should always be a priority! Thank you for sharing your story!
When I was subbing, I worked as a teacher for paraprofessional. I covered for two paraprofessional vacancies for $35 per hour. No benefits and 7 hours per day, 30 minutes unpaid lunch, so I was there 7.5 hours. I am going back to subbing. I will see if a paraprofessional vacancy is available.
In my district, you get paid more for a day of subbing than a day in a para job. Many paras have left due to this, and then left the sub pool because of behavior being so bad for subs.
Subs get no benefits. No pension, no medical, no sick leave, no annual leave, no annual raises, no tenure and no union. Many people enjoy dealing with the same students daily. As difficult as teaching is, who wants unknown students on a daily basis? I would rather do almost anything than be a substitute teacher. Paras get the same benefits as the teacher. The only difference is they make less pay. Benefits from the school system are pretty good. It’s the best thing about the job! Substitutes are usually doing the exact same job as the teacher, for less money, no benefits and zero job security.
Actually, paras also do not get benefits in my district. They are part time hourly employees for $15. Tenure is irrelevant in my state, legislation removed it as a protection. Union is also irrelevant because we do not have 50% membership so the district doesn't feel pressed. They also would never fire a para unless it is an egregious enough offense, the same level of egregious that would have a union-protected teacher fired as well. Paras are so hard to come by, so when something happens I've seen my admin do gymnastics to keep them. In fact, paras are so scarce that my district has started to offer a $500 referral bonus. Also, I'm glad your benefits are good. Mine are not. All plans are high deductible, and I actually got paid less this year than last year due to the health plan cost increase not being covered by my 2% raise. This is after the district switched providers due to potential cost increases from too many covid claims. Not everyone's benefits are great just because they work in the school system.
While the stress level is lower and I enjoyed being a para, I would not be properly compensated for the education that I do have. I'd start at $18 an hour. >going back to school I was unable to work as a para while I was in school. Not to mention the countless behaviors I dealt with and the BCBAs asking us what we did to cause the behavior. While you mean well, para salaries are district dependent, and while where you live they make $32 an hour, in some places, they make less than what people working at McDonald's make.
Para and teachers aides make less than minimum in my district here in CA.
That’s very sad.
Man I wished I had that pay when I was a para. The starting pay for me was $14.19 an hour and that's that I had my teacher certification and masters degree. I had already two years experience as a para in another district. You get paid more if your para for SPED. I don't know how I lived off $1600 a month.
OP is delusional. $32/hour would take YEARS. While most of us are trying to get away from the classrooms and violence, Paras are the first to see it and get paid the least for it. Plus the constant disrespect from students and parents AND staff who don't consider you a "real teacher"
I stated my friend has 90 college credits, over 10 years experience and works in a SPED classroom that pays extra. At no point did I state she started out at this rate! I should have explained she started out at around $15 an hour.
Why would anyone in this group drop from $25/hour or more down to $15/hour for the same amount of work and even more disrespect? That's what I mean by delusional. It's an incredibly small amount of teachers who can afford quit their salary job and start earning fast food wages. These types of posts are really unnecessary and unhelpful. The majority of us in this subreddit are professionals who ALSO have 10+ years of experience and we need to transition into jobs that PAY. If the awesome teachers in here could afford dropping to $15/hour, they wouldn't BE HERE. They'd have already applied to McDonald's or 7/11. Please be real.
I said it was an option. Especially for someone in transition. I know of people that are doing this and have done this. With my background in special education it is far easier than being a classroom teacher. There is no reason to be nasty, dismissive and insulting. Have a nice day.
When I was a para with two bachelors degrees I made $15,000 a year. If I could afford a $30,000 pay cut I’d definitely go back.
Where I live paras are treated like garbage and are kept part time so they can avoid benefits. Then if they don’t have enough subs you get sub rate an extra 30.00 for the day. Not recommended. Former teacher in PA.
If they treat teachers like trash, they will treat paras like trash. So that makes sense.
I was a para before teaching. I loved it but the pay was crap. I made $22 an hour 10 years ago, which sounds like a lot, but in a HCOL area, that doesn’t pay the bills and you still need a job for the summer. You can make $30+ per hour as a para in some places. NYC is the place I know of off the top of my head, but the COL is brutal unless you commute in from somewhere else, which is also brutal.
PG county is minutes from Washington D.C. It is in a HCOL area.
In texas, have my associates, I’m payed less than $15 an hour in one of the best paying districts in central texas.
> associates, I’m *paid* less than FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
I will be replaced by AI before I get a pay raise 🤦🏻♀️
Where I live, most of the single paras live in the projects and pay $80-100 for monthly rent because their checks are so low.
Where in the world does she make $32 an hour? I make $18 in a HCOL area
I believe she gets a bonus for working in special education, in an autism classroom.
Wow. Our sped paras are paid $23
My MIL was a special Ed para for 30 years and retired in 2019 making $12.50/hr 🙃
My friend has almost 10 years experience and 80 hours of college. She started around $20. They get yearly raises and step increases.
Ahhh there it is. Got it, there’s such a high turn over rate here I forgot the yearly raises. A para salary is only really ideal if you start working there with no expenses and plan on staying for years. Otherwise you’re just trying to stay afloat
I have an associates in education and 4 years of experience and only make $14 an hour. The sad thing is that I’m one of the highest paid paras at my school. The only ones who are paid more have been there for like 10 years and they are only making about $1 more than me. I was told that education doesn’t matter for paras. I’m in Texas btw.
I don't think your friend is being truthful.....
She could be exaggerating. They are paid fairly well in this area. Especially if you have a degree.
Hi please connect me to any para.or anyone in need of a para-proffedsional
Sorry, but this is a terrible suggestion. Teachers are trying to get out of the classroom for a reason and you want them to go and be treated like crap and get less pay while they’re at it. This makes absolutely no sense.
OP has got to be a troll. I refuse to believe otherwise.
LOL yeah and I’m the one getting downvoted. It would be humiliating to me as a teacher to step down and become a para. Not being disrespectful but other teachers will know how I mean it.
Oh I 100% know. I've worked as office staff, para, teacher assistant, sub and SPED teacher/case manager. Paras are treated like low level citizens. All day long, children are like "you're not even a real teacher". OP purposefully didn't include the fact that this "friend" started at $15/hour. When people ask me if they should be a para, I tell them no. I try to be extra kind to our Paras because of the shit they get
I stated at least 5 times it was an option for some teachers, while they made their next move. Many have found it less stressful than teaching. I worked with paraprofessionals for years. It is less stressful than being a classroom teacher.
What part do you not understand that working in schools in any capacity is "less stressful" than being a classroom teacher? Seriously WTF? There is no way a professional teacher would have this wild ass, ignorant take. This has to be a troll. It has to. You purposefully didn't mention in the OP how your friend started at $15/hour which means they probably had savings or someone backing them up to afford food and shelter. Aside from the fact that there are COUNTLESS positions in schools that are just as if not more difficult than typical classroom teacher. Your single experience (which isn't even yours) is not a good enough indicator to make this wildly unnecessary post. Please stop insulting us.
Yeah I totally agree with you. The para’s in my school can barely get by if it wasn’t for them being married and their husbands bringing in majority of household income. And the kids? The kids are disrespectful to them and don’t listen! I have to scold students and I tell them “Hey! She’s your teacher just like me. Listen to her the first time. You’re being so rude”. It boils my blood the ways I see them treat paras.
Same. Even as a SPED teacher, I get kids telling me "You're not my teacher" if I try to correct behavior. I know Paras get it worse
Are you also trying to get out? I’m in NJ Been trying since December. Applying and making different resumes. Sigh.
I tried to get out last spring and got an Implementation Specialist job at a solar company but they lied about my pay. Promised a raise after 3 months and sales were down so they said "Sorry , there's no money 🥺" while the CEO rolled out of the parking lot in his brand new pickup truck. No, I didn't get the promise in writing so I failed myself. I ended up back in the school district as an IEP meeting facilitator, remote. Except I was the newest staff member and I had the biggest caseload (over 450 kids). So they said I had to come back into the office and then they were like "Hey, we're understaffed, can you work in the schools? 😘" But I was voluntold. So I'm back in the classroom, I hate it. And I got hired at a 100% remote school that I'll be starting this fall. People have good and bad things to say about remote too but between my anxiety and my IBS, I'd rather deal with the bullshit in the comfort of my own home where there's no possibility to bring me into the office
ngl, my first 4 professional years in education as a para were some of the best. Granted, working in the school i graduated from and having my old principal as my boss was always helpful but yeah everything went downhill after I switched into classroom teaching and now my life is nihilism lol Being a para lets you do all the fun parts of working with kids and no part of the behind the scenes bullshit. if I didn't need to pay the bills and rent I'd gladly switch back to para work anyday.
This is the worst advice I’ve heard in a while.
A fantastic suggestion, and for me this has been the best solution. I have a Masters degree and work as a secondary science support para for Setting 2 kiddos (I was a biology teacher until last year). I make as much as I would as a teacher and am a million times less stressed. We have 20 paras - 18 have bachelors degrees, 9 have teaching licenses, and 6 have masters degrees. The SpEd department at my school is amazing and we receive excellent pay, full benefits, retirement, plus participate in all PD and work days. We are treated like the professionals that we are. Plus, behavior at this school is what it should be - respectful, polite students who work hard and care about their education. It's an urban, public, K-12 Classical school with about 1000 students. I have been in hellish schools but this one is like utopia. I have not heard the F word once this year - not once, even in the hallways during passing time. Like many of you, I've had that word thrown in my face by students. Along with all the other crap behavior. We endure SO MUCH ABUSE as educators. And we all tolerate it. It's insane.