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Board adds Registered Behavior Technician role to classified salary matrix after debate
Summary
Trustees approved adding Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) positions to the classified salary schedule after discussion about appropriate pay column, training, Medicaid billing and certification; the motion carried 2-1.
The board approved adding Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) personnel to the district—s classified salary matrix after administrators and trustees debated which salary column best matched the role.
Kelsey Badger, potential programs director, described the RBT training pathway: a 40-hour course (the district located a free option), followed by 30 hours of supervised practice and a national certification exam. Staff said the in-house training occurred during paid district hours and that employees pay testing fees themselves. The district plans to use RBTs primarily in life-skills classrooms and for Medicaid-billable services under BCBA supervision.
Trustees debated whether RBTs should be placed closer to paraprofessionals or BI specialists on the matrix; staff recommended Column D to avoid exceeding BI specialist pay, while some trustees argued Column C better reflected the one-on-one classroom work and training requirements. Finance and special-education staff said Medicaid reimbursement for RBT services could range roughly $21 to $24 per 15-minute unit, which informed the cost-benefit discussion.
Board members also discussed capacity limits tied to BCBA supervision; staff said two BCBAs can supervise a limited number of RBTs and that an initial cap would allow roughly three newly trained RBTs with plans to expand training later.
The motion to add RBTs to the classified salary schedule passed with two trustees in favor and one opposed. Staff will proceed with classification and implementation steps and will monitor program capacity and reimbursement.
