Charleston, W.V.
Rachel brown
Brown said that Bill, SB 680, salary will increase by 10%. It is expected to help in recruitment in increased salary of Brown.
“I am struggling for my classrooms (in Kanha County) employees. I have 66 classes that are self-contained and it has been a struggle to find qualified employees for my rooms, ”said Brown. “Half of my classes is staffed by long-term sub-or alternative certification candidates. I have many rooms that are empty for a long time. ,
Brown said that the parents of the students need relief that the school may give them and children need initial intervention. Brown said that the job is not easy. Most students are non-verbal.
Brown said, “It is difficult when you are experiencing these extreme behaviors and the stress of not having enough employees in your class is really a normal day,” Brown said.
The main sponsors of the bill are the chairman of the Senate Education Committee, Amy Gradi, R-Mason.
“This is an issue and needs to be addressed.” Gradi told Metronws. “These teachers will have to do some things which do not have to do general education teachers regularly. We are talking about our self-contained special education teachers. They are working with our weakest students. ,
Both Gradi and Brown agree that this is a statewide issue.
The Kanwa County Education Board approved a bonus signing $ 2,000 for special education teachers before the current school year, but no one was going to take.
Why vacancies?
Some of them can be blamed on the general teacher vacancy issue, but also an additional factor.
Sen Amy Gradi (R-Manan)
Graddy and Brown said that when the 3G Grade Success Act was passed last year, who created jobs for classmates in regular classes, which motivate many special education class associates to get new jobs to help reading.
“This (bill) is a way to try and encourage them to stay in class and also recognize with our special education teachers that they also have a unique job,” Graddy said.
Brown said that the new law has “reduced” the number of colleagues in special education classes. He said that new jobs are attractive and duties are different.
“There is no toilet in the first grade (general education). You do not expect to experience regular violent outbreaks regularly, ”said Brown. “This job is much easier than a self-contained class, where you are on camera throughout the day, you experience regular violence as well as your toileting, your diapering, your tube-feeding. You are working with the most challenging of behavior. ,
Brown said that he believes that there are teachers and colleagues who will go back to self-contained classes for more money.
For the second grade classes, allies will be kept for the year-two of the third class success act before the next school year. Brown said that additional special education colleagues will apply for those jobs.
Is there a chance in the bill?
Gov. Jim Justice is already proposing an average board average 5% increment for teachers and other state employees. 10% of brown bills will also add to the state’s base budget.
Graddy said that she wants to discuss the bill with the Senate GOP Cocks. She said that she clearly supports it, but does not want to make false hope. He is not sure that the bill will create the agenda of its education committee.
“What I hate to do is put on the agenda and then to know that it is not being run in Finance (Senate Finance Committee) because it is not something that is going to be able to bear. I do not want it to be something that creates false hope for someone, ”Graddy said.
Brown said that he is grateful for what MPs have done in the last few years to improve the safety of special education classes and they hope that they now take the next step.
He said, “The Legislature has worked hard to keep our students safe in self-containing settings with camera bills and microphone bills, which have been passed in the last few years, but without employees and trained staff these students are not getting quality education and security can become an issue if the room is not staff,” he said.
Special education day
Special Education Day has been set in Capital on Wednesday.
“We come to the capital of 300 self-contained special education students. Brown said that we have a lot of fun things.
She hopes to take students to seated areas to see the floor sessions of the House and Senate.