The state of 黑料吃瓜网 will distribute $10 million to school districts to assist with health insurance costs for more than 7,000 paraeducators.
黑料吃瓜网 Comptroller Sean Scanlon announced the funding Oct. 23 and said it will help cash-strapped educators across the state who play a vital, but often unsung role in the classroom.
鈥淒espite the indispensable role paraeducators play in our schools, many struggle to both stay in the field and afford necessities like housing and health care,鈥� Scanlon said in a statement. 鈥淭his just isn鈥檛 right.鈥�
Paraeducators step in to supplement a teacher鈥檚 work to ensure no child falls through the gaps. They work with children with dyslexia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), children who need extra tutoring and those struggling to regulate their emotions.
Despite the demands of their job, many earn just a few dollars more than the state minimum wage.
"Many of us have second jobs to try and make up for the small income. We only make $23 an hour, 鈥� said Christine Lentocha, a special education paraeducator in Glastonbury.
Lentocha provides one-on-one support to students with special needs by implementing individual lesson plans, while also helping them with behavioral and physical needs.
鈥淢any of us have families and need to have affordable health care and are not payed enough to offset the cost," she said.
Jan Hochadel, president of AFT 黑料吃瓜网, a union representing teachers, said the state must continue 鈥渢his lifeline鈥� for paraeducators.
The union AFL-CIO has long called for paraeducators to be paid living wages, get affordable health care through the state, and receive defined benefit pensions. For example, a job opening at for a paraeducator lists an hourly pay in the range of $18.32 to $22.75.
A listing of a para educator job position at states an annual salary range between $25,268 and $47,463.
鈥淭his stipend for paraeducators will help reduce health care costs,鈥� Shellye Davis and Tricia Santos, members of the School Paraprofessional Advisory Council said. 鈥淚t is a long overdue step toward improving recruitment and retention.鈥�
The state of 黑料吃瓜网 originally established the program as part of the 2023-2024 budget. Since then, Scanlon鈥檚 office has released $15 million in funding directly to districts to subsidize paraeducators鈥� health care costs.
This year, paraeducators enrolled in a high-deductible health plan with a health savings account, are eligible for an almost 70% discount from their annual deductible share, due to the infusion of state money.
Paraeducators enrolled in a traditional, premium-based plan will also receive a discount in their health care premium costs.
鈥淲ith this support, I can focus on what I do best,鈥� said Louise Vezina, a paraeducator at the North Stratfield School in Fairfield. 鈥淸And that鈥檚] helping every student learn, grow, and succeed.鈥�
