Kadeem Roberts

Paraeducators provide critical and direct support to teachers and students, which makes them an integral part of the school ecosystem. That is why I am happy to share that the Paraeducator Healthcare Subsidy Program will provide $5 million in financial assistance and increase access to quality health care.

This program was created during the 2023 Legislative Session and signed into law as part of the bipartisan biennium budget. It will help paraeducators enrolled in high-deductible health plans with a health savings account and employed by a local or regional school district with a one-time stipend to reduce out-of-pocket costs. Payments are expected to go out in September to more than 4,000 paraeducators.

Legislative leadership prioritized appropriating these funds in budget negotiations to help bridge the painful gap between high-deductible health plans and low wages for paraeducators, who are critical to our classrooms. We must continue efforts to ensure that paraeducators receive proper compensation and benefits.

As a reminder, Filling in the Blanks Day is coming up on Saturday, September 30th from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. The purpose of this event is to support children in our community by distributing bags of food to kids between pre-kindergarten and 12th grade in five affordable housing complexes. 

Filling in the Blanks is a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting childhood hunger. Their mission is to ensure that no child goes hungry by providing them with nutritious food on the weekends when they may not have access to regular meals. For this event alone, they will donate over 2,000 bags of food, equivalent to 14,00 pounds! By participating in Filling in the Blanks Day, we can significantly impact the lives of these children and their families. 

Please spread the word about this event! If you have any questions, feel free to email Julianna Goldfluss.