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Paraeducators, classified staff press Cajon Valley board to raise hours and pay
Summary
Multiple paraeducators and classified staff testified that a 2% tentative raise is insufficient, urged an increase from 6 to 6.5 working hours to qualify for insurance and described hardship from low wages; union reps urged the board to budget for livable wages and better benefits.
A succession of paraeducators, classified staff and union representatives told the Cajon Valley Union School District board that current compensation and benefits leave many staff unable to make ends meet, urging immediate changes to hours and pay.
Annette Powell, a Vista Grande paraeducator, told trustees she works six hours and requested a change to 6.5 hours so she and others would qualify for district insurance. "I'm asking the board for help to change our hours from 6 to 6 and a half hours. This will not only save me $756 a month..." she said, adding that the additional half hour would also provide critical preparation time.
Melia Saez, a paraeducator at Magnolia Elementary, described recent paydays that led to panic and said a 2% raise negotiated at the table equates to "about 50¢ an hour" for many — an amount she called insufficient to cover living expenses. "We are the backbone of this district... We are asking you to reconsider the salary proposal," Saez said.
Several speakers added firsthand details about job duties: toileting and feeding students, supporting those with significant special needs, and regularly covering for absent staff. "We have students who spit, scratch, need toileting... The work is hard. We are not getting paid enough," one paraeducator testified.
Union representatives and advocates amplified those concerns. A CSEA speaker urged the board to include pay and insurance changes in the budget and to build recurring funds for classified staff so pay keeps pace with cost-of-living increases.
Board members listened and thanked speakers but did not announce an immediate change to schedules or compensation at the meeting; trustees noted that negotiated settlements and budget process constraints shape what can be adopted and that follow-up will be required.
Ending: The testimony established clear priorities for staff — more hours to qualify for benefits, higher salaries, and improved recruitment/retention measures — which the board will need to address through negotiation and budget planning.
