Schools in southwest Missouri seeking to fill vacant positions

MISSOURI (KOAM) - In Missouri, school districts are grappling with a significant shortage of paraprofessionals. According to Joplin School District Director of Special Education, Stacey Tracy, paraprofessionals play a crucial role in supporting teachers and students, particularly in special education settings.

“It might be physically that they need help, behaviorally or more one on one attention to learn academic content areas to our paraprofessionals are working with very at risk high needs students and without them our students wouldn’t be getting their needs met so they’re critical to the school process,” said Tracy

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education defines paraprofessionals as specially trained and certified individuals who assist in the provision of special education services. Tracy says that DESE has helped make the process of becoming a para easier over the past few years. However, despite the ease of getting qualified she says it’s still difficult to get qualified individuals hired. Superintendent Dr. Benjamin O’Connor of the Lamar School District says that the school district will be fully staffed going into the 2024-25 school year. However, he says the district always keeps the paraprofessional position open to allow for those who want to help students to do so.

“Sometimes when you're a classroom teacher and you have twenty kids, there is always going to be that kid who needs a little more support, and that's where those people fill and get a kid to love school and change their world,” said Dr. O’Connor.

SEE THE FULL LIST OF DISTRICT OPENING BELOW Joplin - Joplin Schools - TalentEd Hire (tedk12.com) Carthage - Carthage School District R9 - TalentEd Hire (tedk12.com) Neosho - Neosho SD - TalentEd Hire (tedk12.com) McDonald County - McDonald County R1 School District - Frontline Recruitment (applitrack.com) Carl Junction - Carl Junction MO - TalentEd Hire (tedk12.com) Webb City - Webb City R-7 School District - TalentEd Hire (tedk12.com) Lamar - Lamar R-I - Frontline Recruitment (applitrack.com) Nevada - Employment (nevada.k12.mo.us)

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