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Paraprofessionals ask board to restore hazardous-duty pay, describe daily risks in public comment
Summary
A special-education behavior teacher and behavior-support paraprofessionals described frequent physical and hygiene-related risks on the job and urged the board to reconsider a district decision to equalize pay that would eliminate an extra dollar historically paid to high-risk paras.
Capella Morris, a special education behavior teacher at Rendezvous Elementary, told the Fremont County School District #25 board that behavior-support and IDEA paraprofessionals regularly face serious on-the-job hazards and asked trustees to reconsider a recent decision to pay all paraprofessionals the same rate.
Morris asked several behavior-support and IDEA paraprofessionals to stand and listed the types of incidents those staff commonly encounter: "hitting with a closed fist, slapping, kicking, biting, scratching, spitting, headbutting, pinching, uh dealing with feces, dealing with urine, changing diapers," and repeated instances of elopement and threats. She said these duties require specialized training and constant vigilance and that the district has historically recognized that work with an extra dollar in pay.
"I would ask that we reconsider this decision," Morris said, explaining that these roles are hard to fill and that losing the differential would strain general-education staff and the districts ability to provide a free, appropriate public education for all students.
Board chair Catera replied that the board would "take everything under advisement." The same meeting later recorded approval of an updated salary schedule for 2026 27; the transcript does not specify whether the approved schedule preserves, modifies or eliminates the behavior-support/IDEA paraprofessional pay differential.
Why it matters: Paraprofessional staffing levels and compensation directly affect classroom supports for students with high needs and can affect special-education program continuity and general-education operations.
What happens next: The approved salary schedule will be published and implemented by Human Resources and the Business Office; staff and trustees may need to clarify and report whether differential pay for behavior-support/IDEA paras is included in the new schedule.
