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Board approves paraprofessional pay increase for special education; administrators say raises are cheaper than contractors
Summary
The Sierra Vista Unified governing board approved initial wage placement increases for special education paraprofessionals and Sierra School paraprofessionals after presentations that cited staffing shortages, legal obligations under special education law, and cost savings compared with contracting. Administrators also discussed a recent payroll
The Sierra Vista Unified District governing board on Tuesday approved an increase to the district’s initial wage placement for special education paraprofessionals and Sierra Schools paraprofessionals, a move administrators framed as both a retention strategy and a cost-saving alternative to using contracted aides.
District staff presented the proposed change and asked the board to raise starting pay levels: a $1‑per‑hour increase for program and adult‑support paraprofessionals and a $2‑per‑hour increase for Sierra Schools lead paraprofessionals. In the presentation, district staff said the current starting wage for paraprofessionals is $14.85 per hour and that the district pays contract agencies about $38 per hour for paraprofessional services when filling vacancies.
“Every child with a disability is entitled to a free appropriate public education,” the…
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