I have worked in poor and middle class schools and subbed in wealthier schools. My next observation is admittedly anecdotal, but I think I’m right and I’m sure my observation matters. Wealthier schools can afford paraprofessionals to help disadvantaged students. Financially-disadvantaged schools have to cut costs somewhere, and noncertified staff often get cut.

Teachers are required by law. Aides and paraprofessionals remain optional unless required by an IEP, and the district writes the IEP. Parents may be involved but if no staff member suggests an aide, parents may not understand the benefits of bringing up the issue. In poorer districts, an incentive exists to avoid requiring that aide. Instead of an aide, an IEP may be filled with requirements for the classroom teacher, such as the following:

·        * Advance notice of transitions

·         * Scheduled sensory breaks

·         * Test breaks with opportunities to move

·         * Use of a scribe or oral testing

·         * Agenda check list for checking in with teacher, counselor or other staff member

·         * Peer-to-peer tutoring

·         * Special seatpads, rolling chairs or sit-upon balls

·         * Picture calendar or schedule

·         * Minimal use of open-ended statements or questions by teacher

·         * Speaking more slowly

·         * Preferential seating away from distractions

I chose familiar fixes for my above bullet points, often seen in classrooms and previous IEPs I had filed away in drawers. For a robust list, I will recommend  https://adayinourshoes.com/printable-list-of-strategies-sdis-for-your-iep-meeting/, which contains over 100 possible management strategies as well as other helpful links. Kudos to Lisa for a genuinely helpful website. If this post resonates with you, reader, I recommend https://adayinourshoes.com — a site that provides help with the IEP process.

Here’s my point though: Many of those fixes are complicated or even impossible to implement consistently in a class with around thirty students. How slowly can the teacher speak while trying to get through a demanding curriculum? How many other students will tune out when she starts doing her slow-speak? Never mind that the teacher may be criticized by administrators for not asking mostly or all critical thinking questions. Short questions of fact are frowned upon in the current climate.

Aides help fill in the gaps between IEP demands and teacher efforts. They break down assignments into smaller pieces. They allow oral testing to happen in the hallway. They act as scribes. They keep track of scheduled sensory breaks and speech therapy appointments. They help ease transitions. In so many little ways, aides can make a pie-in-the-sky IEP work, mostly by making sure provisions are fulfilled when the classroom teacher simply does not have the time or environment to put provisions into practice alone.

Eduhonesty: Another post meant to attack the idea that “throwing money at our problems is not the answer.” Again, money may not be the answer. But lack of money, the lack that has forced some districts to lay off most of their paraprofessionals at year’s end, creates problems in poor districts that do not exist, or do not exist to the same degree, in wealthier districts.

I have subbed in paraprofessional positions a fair amount this year. For one thing, the suburban teacher’s retirement system in Illinois limits teacher subbing to 500 hours per school year before Draconian penalties are inflicted on any poor person who did not track their hours. Aide hours don’t count toward the 500. For another thing, my favorite district pays parapros the same amount it pays teachers. Parapros may work a little longer with lunch and recess duties, but I like recess. It’s fun to play cops and robbers* and Frisbee. It’s a compliment when the autistic kid asks if you would like to go for a walk.

I have a couple of less prosperous districts where I substitute. I hardly ever fill paraprofessional positions in those districts; they don’t post paraprofessional positions. I look at the available subbing opportunities as the days go by and I am clear: Wealthy districts frequently look for aides to help teachers and students in their districts. Poor districts hardly ever do. Maybe they don’t put in for substitutes for absent aides, but I have worked those financially-disadvantaged special education classes. In particular, one-on-one aides are employed far more often in districts where the budget is fat and the property taxes high.

Do we need to “throw money” at financially-disadvantaged districts? No, we don’t. But we might try to create a funding system that allows already financially-handicapped districts to hire more paraprofessionals. Their most vulnerable students are paying the price for our inability to own up to the fact that more $$$$$ = more paraprofessionals = a better quality education for many of America’s kids.

* Yes, they still play that, at least in financially comfortable suburbs.