Some paraprofessionals with the Butler Area School District are feeling a lack of appreciation, according to one who has been with the district for more than 19 years.

During a school board meeting Monday, Sept. 9, Brenda Turner, of Evans City, questioned the addition of positions like dean of students, director of curriculum and assistant to the superintendent, while those in her role feel “underpaid and underappreciated,” she said reading a prepared statement as she spoke publicly during the board meeting at the intermediate high school.

Turner’s concern was rooted in the money being spent within the district and the contract extension for paraprofessionals on the agenda that evening, which will go into effect in July 2027 and last until June 2029.

Brenda Turner speaks at the Monday, Sept. 9, meeting of the Butler Area School District board. Cindy Alexander/Special to the Eagle

“The administration wonders why it can’t attract or retain paraprofessionals. Uncompetitive pay and lack of health care are a few of the reasons,” Turner said.

Turner, who has been with the district since 2004, cited as an example the new contract extension, which awards those in the position with less seniority.

Superintendent Brian White addressed Turner’s statements and said the contract extension on the agenda that evening for a vote included “a significant increase for paraprofessionals, which is very well deserved.”

White said the raises are across the board, but Turner pointed out that increases for someone who has been with the district for a longer time would have to wait two to three years to see any advantage of the contract extension.

“I’m staying the same for the next couple years. Somebody that is just starting is making $6 less than me an hour,” said Turner.

White confirmed the pay increases mentioned by Turner, advising that as a whole, the increase was nearly 10%, but most of the increases were front-loaded for the initial years for a hire. White said the immediate need for paraprofessionals within the district drove the increases to be set up the way they were, with a larger increase for new hires.

Turner said paraprofessionals at the district have been informed that while conducting an Applied Behavior Analysis session, which Turner said is something they do throughout the day, an outsider should not be able to tell the difference between the teacher and the paraprofessionals. Turner said the expectations are high, but the rewards don’t match up.

“Dr. White, I would just like to say, not only am I talking salary, I am also talking respect and feeling like we’re appreciated. We feel like you think we are replaceable,” said Turner.

White said when he sat down for the contract negotiations, he heard a different message.

“We’re trying to build our starting rates up, trying to fill positions and hang onto people, and that’s what we did with our proposal,” said White, expanding that at one point the district needed upward of 20 paraprofessionals and now has just three vacancies.

The consent agenda, which included the contract extension, also contained the proposal to approve a new weapons detection system by the company Evolve, with cost to the district of $84,207.

The consent agenda passed 8-0.

The next meeting of the Butler Area School Board will be on Monday, Sept. 16, when the board visits the senior high school on Campus Lane. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Oct. 14.