Meg: I was hired as a 1-1 aide 15 yrs ago. 10 yrs ago, I moved to our pre-k disability class. Still as an aide i worked on IEP & ABA goals under teacher supervision. 3 yrs ago all aides had to get our parapro cert or lose your job. 2 yrs ago I was moved again to a newly created autistic class. We are a general ed district. I am still working on IEP/ DT, ABA goals. My salary has been frozen on an aide guide for the past few years. Generally do districts pay their aides & parapros differently? Currently we have 2 salary guides, aide & assistant. The district does not hire aides anymore. Only parapros (w cert) & assistants (w min 60 credits). I am currently going for my RBT cert & highly doubt I’ll get any extra money for that. I truly enjoy my job, but the salary issue doesn’t seem fair.
The No Child Left Behind Act changed the rules about qualifications for aides & paraprofessionals. Districts (officially the school board) set the salary schedules, but there may be some requirements from the state. In most states, & districts it comes down to convincing the school board & administrators that they can & should pay aides more. State teacher/educator organizations may have some strategies for doing this.