exactly. right now there is such a shortage of teachers, people can move around to other districts that pay better, etc. I've been teaching for a good amount of time and I have never seen the turn over I am seeing right now. veteran teachers leaving for better districts, young teachers quitting mid year leaving the profession completely and so forth.

as for the paras, their pay is a joke. we have had one para positions for a few years. the pay they get is just horrible. sadly a lot of the open para positions are in sped rooms, so some of our neediest kids aren't getting what they need.