OMAHA- The Omaha Public Schools district is making several policy changes in an effort to increase staff during a critical workforce shortage. The first change is an extra bump in pay for special education teachers because of the required work outside a standard school day. The second is a new agreement that allows paraprofessionals to step in as a substitute teacher if one isn’t available, in exchange for an hourly pay raise.

Special education teachers will get a 10% pay boost to help compensate them for paperwork and meetings outside the school day. That is an increase from the current 7% boost. Kathy Poehling, president of the Omaha Education Association, said the district brought the proposal to the union and it was agreed that special education teachers would receive back pay for the extra 3% raise, going back to Aug. 1, 2023.

Paraprofessionals with a local substitute permit will now receive a $9.65 per hour increase when they are asked to substitute for a half or whole day when a substitute isn’t available. Starting paraprofessionals receive from $14.86 to $16.26 per hour, depending on the position. During the 2025-26 school year, the extra pay for substitute work will rise to $10.40 an hour.

For the full article click HERE