A Living Wage For Assistants

Written By: Deborah McDonald

Can we talk about a Living Wage for Teacher’s assistants?

In Frankfort, thousands of teachers are protesting Governor Matt Bevins’ #pension proposal, as well as his constant #disrespect for our state’s most needed workers, and I support them wholeheartedly. Teachers are an essential aspect of our #livelihood-- we need them. Every #profession, #career choice, and direction that you will go in requires that you have a teacher at some point in life. While teachers definitely should be #paid their worth. We are overlooking the teacher’s #assistant. You don’t see them as much, but they are a major part of our children’s #school days.

If your wondering what #assistants do, you wouldn't be so far from the truth. Often times,

assistants do all of the things that a #teacher does, as well as all of the things a teacher doesn’t want to do. Want me to spell it out? Assistants monitor student behavior, create lesson plans, teach and lead small groups, perform duties as a #job coach, administer assessments, attend meetings, assist students during meals, #assist children with hygiene practice which includes changing them, and at times bathing them. They also assist students during #classroom transitions and #community-based instruction. Sounds a lot like teaching, however, assistants aren’t #paid nearly as much as teachers.

I know what you are going to say, “Assistants are not as educated as teachers.” It is true that to be a teacher’s assistant the only educational requirement is your high school diploma. That is the minimum; but, it is preferred that assistants have 48 college credit hours. Many assistants have that, others obtain an Associate or Bachelor’s degree.

What do assistants get paid?

On paper teacher assistants pay doesn’t look that bad at all, it’s attractive even. For a job who’s #educational requirements are high school #diploma, the pay seems decent. That is not the whole story, however. All Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) teachers and assistants are required to participate in the escrow program. What #escrow does is, take a portion of your money from working days and saves it for non-working days. It takes a portion of the pay from school days and saves it for when #staff is out for #summer or any other break. How much money is escrow taking out? It’s different for each position.

Starting Salary Days’ Work # of Hours Hourly Pay

$19,255 87 7 $14.71

Hours per week Hourly Pay Gross Per Week - Escrow Net Pay

35 $14.71 $514.85 -28% $370.69

Net pay -Taxes Take Home Biweekly Monthly

$370.69 -25% $278.02 $556.04 $1,112.08

.

We haven’t even touched the cost of health care, dental, eye care, and retirement that is also taken out. When the average cost of rent in Louisville is $924 a month ("Average Rent in Louisville & Rent Prices by Neighborhood - RENTCafé," n.d.), it is safe to say that teacher’s assistants barely make enough to live. To add to this there are almost no #opportunities to make more money or get more hours.

I interviewed 2 #ECE teacher assistants, Michael Collins and one who wished to go by FK and asked what their views were, here is how that went?

Your name, your school district, school and position? (What grade you teach as well)

FH: JCPS, ECE instructional assistant, Transition Classroom

MC: . Michael Collins, JCPS Instructional Assistant

What are some of your duties as a teacher assistant?

FK: We do everything the teacher does but the paperwork and making lesson plans

MC: My day to day duties consist of everything the teacher does besides the paperwork associated with putting data into the JCPS system involving the students.

Do you feel you get paid enough to live on independently a living wage?

FK: No!!

MC: It does not pay enough to make a living off of.

So since you can't live off your wage, what do you do to supplement your income?

FK: I have a 2nd job and spouse that helps me.

MC: Well thankfully I transferred from a corporate job that paid really well. So, the money I invested allows me to work this current job. However, with that being said I'm currently looking for a new job. For the reason listed, the money is simply not worth it for the work.

If you didn't have your supplement income would you be able to stay at JCPS?

FK: Yes, because I love my job. But I would have to get another job . And, work it on the nights I didn't work my second job.

MC: No way period.

Anything else you wish to say?

It is clear that Teacher’s Assistants cannot live off their income alone. Many have one or more other jobs to help them with their expenses. Others have family or spouses to assist them.

Sometimes side jobs and family aren’t enough; causing many assistants to leave the position that they happen to love. This would explain why, as of February 2019, JCPS has 15 open positions for Classroom Instructional Assistant ("Jefferson County Public Schools Frontline Recruitment"). Assistants simply cannot afford to work with our children.

Giving all those assistants do for our #students and for our teachers, don’t you believe it is time for them to be paid a living wage? Teachers who teach ECE, Early Childhood, Preschool and Kindergarten cannot do their jobs without their assistants. So, isn’t it about time that we fight to see that they are paid a living #wage, so that the people who love, help, and care for our students (our most valuable assets) can afford to do so? I do.

Works Cited

"Average Rent in Louisville & Rent Prices by Neighborhood - RENTCafé." www.rentcafe.com/average-rent-market-trends/us/ky/louisville/.

"Jefferson County Public Schools Frontline Recruitment." www.applitrack.com/jefferson/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Classroom+Instructional+(Non-Certified)&subcategory=ECE+Instructional+Assistant.

“JCPS PAYROLL DEPARTMENT UNDERSTANDING ESCROW PAY Daily Pay Basis Employees” Understanding Escrow Pay for Daily Employees.pdf

Written By: Deborah McDonald