This has been a problem for years. I have a personal friend who works as an aide and has struggled to pay her mortgage, gone without a car, and had many other financial hardships due to not being allowed to work enough hours to even get full health benefits. One year, the district even cut hours in the middle of the school year! We really need to value these workers more for the important work that they do.

As a Board/District watcher and participant particularly over the last decade - I must give some credit - for Trustee Ellen Wheeler at least trying to get-her-head around this problem. And she Voted Against Administration (2010) trying to cut the autism aides hours across-the-board (the fiscal Reserves percent then when UP at the end-of-the year! Hooray???) At least 'she lost' in honor (IMO).

The damning district quality report that Superintendent Rudolph commissioned - spotlighted this area as just about the Most Deficient in the District. Time for the Board - to stand up and Inject Itself in the PUBLIC POLICY that they control. Ellen - that means you. Please take the lead - and ask 2 of your Board colleagues to join you on a Discussion Agenda Item (forced by a majority of the Board). "SPECIAL ED EMPLOYEE RETENTION INITIATIVE" (BTW "unfortunate" problem solution is why we would pay an administrator a 1/4 million salary. Pay for results, not intentions.)

My personal observations exactly match parent/community organizer Case-Low. I was fortunate enough as a substitute teacher for a few years to be drawn into special ed classes in Monta Loma, Landels, Huff, and Crittenden. The special ed instructional aides were phenomenal in making it possible for me to get through those days - and help bring some education to those kids. I could usually see the strong parent/aide connectedness at the end of the day - when parents came for their kids and talked with the aides.