At the Miami-Dade County School Board’s meeting on April 19, School Board member Mary Blanco proffered agenda item H-13, exploring the feasibility of hiring hourly classroom assistants in the elementary school setting.
Consideration was being given to prioritizing kindergarten through third grade and how an hourly classroom assistant position could be promoted.
“Classroom assistants have always been critical team members in delivering quality education to students. As we continue to face challenges with the teacher shortage and retention crisis, as well as student learning gaps, especially after the pandemic, classroom assistants can help alleviate some of these challenges. Today they are needed more than ever,” School Board member Mary Blanco said in a news release.
She added that this support in the classrooms can positively impact teacher retention and recruitment and student achievement.
“Providing classroom assistants can effectively improve teacher satisfaction and mitigate the retention crisis while simultaneously improving student achievement,” she added.
Blanco further said that classroom assistants will also help alleviate teacher stress and facilitate small-group instruction, adding that hiring hourly classroom assistants is an intentional way to support elementary school teachers and students.
Agenda item H-13 was unanimously approved by the Board.
A report regarding the feasibility of hiring hourly classroom assistants will be provided to the Board at the Personnel, Student, School, and Community Support Committee meeting on June 14, 2023.
The report should include a potential budgetary impact with possible assistant-to-classroom ratios.
