Citizen in a Republic
[Op-Ed] A Crisis in Our Classrooms: The Urgent Need to Support Intensive Needs Paraeducators
Why Nashua’s Most Vulnerable Students—and Their Dedicated Educators—Deserve Immediate Action and Fair Compensation
Op-Ed by Gary E. Hoffman, President of the Nashua Teachers’ Union, AFT Local 1044
It’s an unsettling truth: the shortage of qualified paraeducators in our district’s intensive special education programs has reached a critical point. The toll is felt everywhere—on educators, on students with profound needs, and on an institution striving to fulfill its most important mandate: to provide a safe, supportive, and effective learning environment for every child.
Right now, Nashua schools face 72 vacant paraeducator positions. We are not talking about abstract numbers. We are talking about classrooms of children, some nonverbal, some with complex medical, emotional, and behavioral needs, who rely on trained, caring adults for their daily care and educational support. When these positions remain unfilled, the consequences extend well beyond inconvenience. They can become a matter of safety and learn…
