Teacher Assistant Salaries in Broward County, FL Need to Be Higher

Listed below are som fast facts about Teacher Assistants:

According to the National Education Association

- Eighty percent (80%) of Teacher Assistants work full time
- Seventy-two percent (72%) work in a school building
- Forty-three percent (43%) work in a preschool, kindergarten or elementary school
- Eighty-six percent (86%) are female
- The average age is 51 years old.
 

On the average a lot of times most TAs are educated and well-trained. More than two in five (42%) have an associate's or more advanced degree. Sixty-five percent (65%) of support professionals take or have taken college courses. Forty-six percent (46%) take or have taken job-related classes. Forty-two percent (42%) have special certificates. Thirty percent (30%) regularly take classes or exams to strengthen and improve their work on the job.

TAs are committed. Eighty-two percent (82%) of TAs plan to stay in the profession. Sixty-seven percent (67%) plan to stay with their current jobs until they retire.

TAs are experienced. On average, teacher assistants have been employed in the field for 12 years. Thirty percent (30%) of TAs have more than 15 years of experience.

In general as listed below these are most of our duties plus some.

1. Have the ability to interact with students.
2. Assume responsibility for the safety and welfare of students.
3. Aid in implementing the programs developed by teachers to reach educational objectives.
4. Run office machines and utilize common clerical procedures needed in the classroom.
5. Utilize media center facilities employing a knowledge of the shelving system, running audiovisual equipment and such specialized equipment as might be part of the instructional program.
6. Prepare and use instructional materials and teaching aids.
7. Assist students with teacher planned activities.
8. Engage in general housekeeping activities.
9. construct specific items for tests and work sheets when provided with guidelines by the teacher.
10. Take an active role in helping the teacher plan instructional activities.
11. Follow up lessons presented by the teacher when provided with guidelines by the teacher.
12. Supervise small group discussions and activities.
13. Grade and record students' work under the direction of the teacher.
14. Tutor individual students under the direction of the teacher.
15. Be Responsible for the planning and implementation of some activities such as physical education, games, and library work.
16. Select specific supplementary materials for utilization in the instructional program.
17. Assist teachers in in-service training programs for other paraprofessionals.
18. Supervise and dine with the Head Start or Pre-K children during meal time.
19. If assigned to a Head Start/Pre-K/Pre-School ESE classroom with ESE students, may provide assistance, as required with activities of daily living which may include any or all of the following by:
a. Assisting with personal hygiene and restroom functions, which may include
diapering or catheterization.
b. Providing mobility assistance including lifting, positioning or transferring student.
c. Assisting with activities related to seizure control.
d. Assisting with feeding needs, which may include suctioning.
e. Assisting with adaptive equipment needs.
f. Providing behavioral assistance, which may include utilizing positive crisis
management (PCM) skills.
20. Perform and promote all activities in compliance with equal employment and nondiscrimination policies of the School Board of Broward County, Florida.
21. Participate successfully in the training programs offered to increase the individual's skills and proficiency related to the assignments job responsibilities.
22. Review current developments, literature and technical sources of information related to job responsibilityies.
23. Ensure adherence to good safety procedures.
24. Follow Federal and State laws, as well as School Board policies.
25. Perform other duties as assigned by the school principal and assistant principal or designee.

Aside from those duties, we may also have:

SIGNIFICANT CONTACTS – On a daily basis works with assigned classroom teacher and classroom students to provide care and supervision to students. Frequently interacts with other personnel within assigned school in performing daily work routine. May periodically communicate on a limited basis with parents under the direction of assigned.

Some teacher assistants work only with special education students. These students often are mainstreamed (attend regular classes), and teacher assistants help them understand the material and adapt the information to their learning style. With students who have more severe disabilities, assistants may work with them both in regular classes and in separate classes. Teacher assistants may help these students with basic needs, such as feeding or personal hygiene. With young adults, they may help students with disabilities learn skills necessary for them to find a job after graduation.

After talking to different TAs and ESPs most would like to see increased salaries, more chances for promotion, and additional professional development opportunities. They would like to see clearer job descriptions and greater awareness and appreciation of their work. Most TAs and ESPs mentioned that they do not have a written job description; do not have any input into changes to their job description; and are often or sometimes asked to perform duties outside of their job description.