Trustees approve special-education contracts, Medicaid stipends and pay increases for paraprofessionals and substitutes

The School Town of Speedway Board on July 14 approved a package of personnel and program items, including special-education contracted services, Medicaid stipends, hourly-rate increases for paraprofessionals and substitutes, and an EdFlex waiver to expand hiring flexibility in Title I schools.

An administrator told trustees that special-education related services—blind/low-vision supports, occupational and physical therapy, deaf/hard-of-hearing services, behavioral consultants, speech-language and school psychology services—are provided through contracted employees and recommended approval; the motion passed 4 to 0.

Board members then approved $1,500 Medicaid stipends for staff members named in the packet (Madison Evans, Jennifer Jennings and Kelly Scott). The presenter said the Medicaid-related work returned "roughly" $80,000 to the district last year and that this is the initiative's second year.

Trustees also approved increases to hourly rates across several paraprofessional categories: general paraprofessionals $17.50 per hour; self-contained paraprofessionals and bus monitors $19 per hour; alternate-education paraprofessionals $21.50 per hour; social-emotional mentors $24 per hour; bilingual family liaison $30.50 per hour; and substitutes $16.50 per hour (the presenter noted that equates to approximately $111.50 per day). The board voted 4 to 0 to adopt the new rates.

Finally, the board approved renewal of EdFlex waiver(s) that allow broader qualifications for hiring paraprofessionals in Title I elementary schools to help fill hard-to-staff positions; the waiver was approved 4 to 0.

All motions in this package passed unanimously.