LTHS Aides Work Below Poverty Line, Board Told

LA GRANGE, IL — Teacher's aides at Lyons Township High School are pushing for higher pay, saying morale is dropping as their union's mediation with the school continues.

Their last contract expired in June 2020, but was extended a year under the same terms. The aides, known formally as paraeducators, have been working without a contract for six months.

At this week's school board meeting, aide Mary Fran Griffin said starting pay for an aide is $20,548, which is under the poverty line of $26,500 for a family of four.

"As you might imagine, paraeducators are working not only second jobs, but third jobs, just to make ends meet," Griffin said. "No matter what we do, we keep falling behind. We care about our students. We care about our most vulnerable students."

Another aide, Pat Callahan, told Patch that a paraeducator's starting wage is $15.48, compared with $17 to $25 at nearby high schools. Because of shortages, she said, aides are not given proper breaks and must do the jobs of two people.

This is all happening, she said, while the school has added two new administrative salaries totaling about $300,000 in the last year.

"We're talking about a glaring discrepancy," Callahan said in an interview. "To attract quality people, you have to pay people a living wage."

In her speech, Griffin said more than half of the school's paraeducators hold at least a bachelor's degree, with many having teaching licenses.

"LT has had a para shortage that began four years ago when other districts began paying more. Obviously, it predates COVID. COVID is not the reason it is happening," said Griffin, who started in 2007. "Three paras resigned just last week. It seems like every time I turn around, someone's saying they're looking for a new job because they're frustrated. They know they're not appreciated, and the morale has gone down."

The teachers union has expressed support for teacher's aides. At this week's meeting, Andrew Johannes, the teachers union's president, said his group hopes the contract dispute can be resolved.

"The uncertainty and staff shortages continue to put pressure on the system," he said. "Something must be done soon."

School board members did not respond to the comments about teacher's aides.

Asked about the statement at the school board meeting, school spokeswoman Jennifer Bialobk said, "It is important to note that the Lyons Township High School Board of Education/Administration and the LT Paraeducator Association continue to negotiate cooperatively in good faith, and we remain confident that we will reach a contract resolution that is competitive and fair. The LT Administration also continues to communicate with the LT Paraeducator Association's executive leadership team, and we appreciate all of their efforts, as well as the efforts of all paraeducators."