Kalamazoo Public Schools - Paraprofessional Hourly Wages

[Shadowninja]

Dearest reader,

Sometimes the numbers in a contract tell one story.

Sometimes an actual paycheck tells another.

A FULL-TIME Kalamazoo Public Schools paraprofessional recently sent Lady B a copy of her paystub.

She has worked for KPS since 2015.

More than a decade serving students.

Her gross pay for this particular check was a little over $1,100.

And before anyone assumes health insurance premiums are eating up the paycheck, they aren't.

This employee DOES NOT take the district's health insurance.

She elects the cash-in-lieu option instead. Under the KPS support professionals contract, that benefit is $400 per month for full-time employees.

Even without a health insurance premium coming out of her check, approximately 35% of her gross earnings are going toward taxes, retirement-related deductions, union dues, and other deductions.

Her take-home pay?

A little over $700.

Now, let us add a little perspective.

There is something called ALICE.

Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.

ALICE households earn more than the federal poverty level, but still do not earn enough to cover the basic costs of living.

Not vacations.

Not luxury cars.

Not elaborate dinners.

Basic necessities.

According to the Michigan ALICE Household Survival Budget:

1 ADULT
$29,580/year
$14.79/hour

1 ADULT + 1 SCHOOL-AGE CHILD
$42,648/year
$21.32/hour

1 ADULT + 1 INFANT REQUIRING CHILD CARE
$47,724/year
$23.86/hour

Now remember, this isn't someone who started working for Kalamazoo Public Schools last month.

She has been there since 2015.

She is a FULL-TIME paraprofessional.

A support professional working directly with students in a public school system that depends on people like her every single day.

After more than a decade with the district, this is what the paycheck looks like.

So perhaps the question isn't simply whether Kalamazoo Public Schools says it values its support professionals.

The better question is:

Does their compensation show it?

Because "valued" is a lovely word.

Lady B prefers numbers.

With receipts and respect,
Lady B 🪶

Kalamazoo Public Schools

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