Lincoln Public Schools looking to fill 40 open paraprofessional positions

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Your child’s education is important. Ask a teacher and they’ll tell you a paraeducator can play an important role in the classroom.

However, there are some challenges with getting enough people into the position.

Dr. Vann Price, associate superintendent of human resources at Lincoln Public Schools, said there are about 40 openings for the role right now.

“It is something that we are actively looking for folks who want to be involved with working with students and helping teachers,” she said.

According to the LPS Handbook, a paraeducator can make between $14.50 an hour to $18.50.

“We feel like we were not the highest, but we definitely feel like we pay paras fairly well, but there’s always room for improvement,” she said. “That’s something that we’ll take a look at.”

The district is also making a push at the college level to recruit undergraduates to the profession.

SEE ALSO: LPS, UNL launch pilot program to help paras become special education teachers

“We are exploring some ideas in terms of with the university.” Price said. “Creating a partnership where we would work with them on tapping into some of those students who would like the experience of working with students earlier on in their programs.”

Travis Turner, one of the district’s paraprofessional educators, has been at Park Middle School for two years.

Before working at Park, he had previous experience working alongside kids with developmental disabilities.

“I work with developmentally disabled individuals,” he said. “I support them residentially so give them medications, take them places, set up appointments, you know, hang out with them.”

Turner works in the recovery room, a separate space for students who may need extra support.

“They come down here, and I help them,” he said.

For Turner, the best part of the job is seeing his kids succeed.

“I enjoy seeing them saying, ‘Hey, Mr. Travis, you helped me out with a situation that I was dealing with where normally I would blow up,’ or, ‘Hey, you were able to talk to a student and help deescalate them when maybe a couple administrators and counselors weren’t able to help them.'”