Shawnee Mission, Blue Valley and USD 232 in De Soto all report ongoing vacancies for para educators, or classroom aides, that push in to classrooms to work with individual students with special needs. Above, paraprofessional Emily Borchardt at Mill Valley High School works with students. Photo courtesy USD 232.
An ongoing shortage of para educators is putting a strain on staff at several Johnson County school districts and impacting students who may need the extra support.
Brooke Riffel, an elementary para professional in USD 232 in De Soto floats between four to five classrooms a day to support multiple students learning in each classroom.
Why it matters: Para educators work with students who need additional support for a wide variety of reasons, whether that be academic, emotional or social support.
Current struggles: Riffel said the ongoing shortage means para educator packed schedules are constantly changing.
What they’re saying: “A lot of our students need a consistent routine to have a successful day at school,” Riffel said. “When there is a paraprofessional shortage, it impacts who they will work with throughout the day and they may not have a consistent schedule or have the opportunity to build relationships with the para they work with.”
There are currently 85 para educator positions unfilled in Shawnee Mission, district spokesperson David Smith told the Post via email .
What’s being done? Riffel said she believes Johnson County districts, including USD 232, are working to increase pay — but it’s still not as competitive as other job opportunities in the area.
What else: Last month, Shawnee Mission’s board of education approved an agreement with staffing agency Kelly Services to try to address the issue.
Key quote: “It is important to understand that being short staff has an impact on every student we serve in SMSD,” Smith said. “That said, we are working collectively to meet needs of all learners within our district. While we have a large number of para educator vacancies, we have a variety of staff who are stepping in and supporting students.”
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