Paras are grossly underpaid in NYC and deserve a living wage. Entry level paras are only making about $18.50 an hour. According to the MIT living wage calculator, a single person with no children should be making $33 a hour.

Too many of our paras are forced to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet for themselves and families. This issue alone is at the root as to why there are so many para vacancies and thousands of students with IEP in New York City schools are not being serviced because of shortages.

Longevity increases are additional compensation offered for service to NYC public schools specifically, rather than professional experience in general. Teachers after 22 years get over $30,000 in longevity, yet paras only get just over $3,000 in longevity raises. That is NOT a typo, but it is a huge disparity, and it needs to be fixed as this would help paras who are not at top pay because they don’t have the time to take college classes as they are working extra jobs.

The nature of para work can make them most prone to injury in the line of duty. Paras should have parity with the LODI benefit teachers receive. No to only 2/3 pay with workers compensation. No to having to use all your CAR days. Full pay from day one until you can return to work!

Teachers, and district 75 paras who work Chapter 683 during the summer, have retention rights. What are retention rights? Upon completing two consecutive years of satisfactory service in the same per-session activity these educators gain “retention rights,” giving them priority for hiring in future years in the same activity. Paras don’t have similar rights to retain their per session positions. It’s time for parity.

D75 paras who work Chapter 683 summer school for July and August receive 17.5% extra pay and paid days off during this time.

Chapter 683 paras work with 12 month IEP students throughout the summer. Similarly, non-D75 paras also work with 12 month IEP students in the Extended School Year (ESY) summer program. These ESY paras work both July and August, and similar hours during summer school, yet do not get the same compensation. This is unjust and needs to be fixed..

All paras are essential and not disposable. Even with due-process paras can be terminated at the will of a rogue, abusive administrator.

Experienced paras should have tenure-like job protections just like teachers.