Woefully Underpaid 'Paraprofessional' Earns $1,000 the Hard Way

Here's the good news:

Christina Guhl, an education paraprofessional at Lancaster Elementary School in Orange County, was named the 2010 Florida School-Related Employee of the year.

Guhl, who helped organize all of her schools service learning projects and raised reading achievement levels for many of her students in the reading lab, was honored with a $1,000 check from the Department of Education for her "outstanding efforts and superior commitment to the children she serves," Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith said today.

Here's the dreary news: Guhl earns ... wait for it ... $16,659 a year.

Like thousands of "education paraprofessionals" across Florida, Guhl helps to keep the state's K-12 system running -- and they do it on a wage that qualifies them for food stamps.

Relative to Guhl's annual salary, $1,000 is a windfall. Wouldn't it be nice if she and her fellow "paras" got a little more monetary respect each paycheck?