Marking college success

Deanne Damm accepted that attending college after marrying young and starting a family would have been impossible. That was nearly 20 years ago.

Through the years, as her oldest child entered kindergarten, Damm volunteered at her school and was eventually hired as an instructional assistant.

Damm learned she loves students, but by federal law that’s no longer enough of a qualification to work as a classroom assistant.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act requires that instructional assistants must have at least two years of college, or be able to pass a reading and writing skills test to keep their jobs. Existing classroom assistants have until January 2006 to obtain a two-year degree or pass a 2½-hour skills test.

“I know there are several people who quit their jobs rather than go back to school or take a test,” Damm said.

She wasn’t one of them.

On Monday, 71 instructional assistants, including Damm, from four area school districts, were invited to celebrate their college success at Spokane Falls Community College.

A one-year $125,000 Targeted Industry Partnership Grant through the state Employment Security Department paid for five quarters of college for 71 instructional assistants.

Free tuition and books gave an incentive to workers trying to balance full-time jobs with their busy lives at home.

They enrolled in math and English classes along with more specialized education theory classes that helped them work with children. Many were able to either obtain their two-year degree or get close.

They were applauded Monday, given certificates of completion and handed a book on leadership called, “Never Scratch a Tiger with a Short Stick.”

“This is a celebration,” said Gary Livingston, Chancellor of Community Colleges of Spokane. “Thank you all.”

Damm was one of 24 Spokane Public School classroom workers who signed up for classes in the summer of 2003. Participating districts included Mead, Central Valley, and Cheney School District.

Spokane Public Schools has about 395 instructional assistants; 121 have at least a two-year degree. All but 31 remaining assistants have passed the federal standards test, according to the district office.

For Damm, who completed 41 credits, the college work gave her the confidence to take the skills test, which she passed in June. She’s met federal standards on all accounts. Now, she wants to pursue a teaching degree.

Teaching assistants took the training very seriously because they would likely lose their jobs otherwise, said Deborah Nutt, an instructional assistant in the Mead School District. Nutt organized Mead co-workers around the program. Mead sent 18 people to the free college classes.

“We don’t get paid much,” Nutt said.

Instructional assistant pay generally ranges from $8 to $12 in area districts. After 24 years, Spokane Public School instructional assistants can make $14.23 an hour.

Connie Carlson, Spokane Falls Community College early childhood education liaison, coordinated the program.

“I’m so proud of these guys,” Carlson said.

They were able to balance working full-time and taking classes, she said.

“A lot of these people hadn’t ever been to college,” Carlson said. “For many people, they would not have been able to do it. A lot of them said this was the catalyst they needed to see if they could do it.”

For Damm, the education brought her a new confidence in the classroom.

“When you know what you’re talking about and you can talk theories and strategies, teachers are more apt to listen to you than if you didn’t have that background,” Damm said. “I’m not a very vocal person, but through this class I’ve built this part of me that says it’s all right for me to step forward and speak.”

One assistant, Rachel Samaha, a longtime ballet teacher on the side, supports the new standards.

“I think it’s about time the instructional assistants are qualified,” said Samaha, who’s starting her third year with Spokane Public Schools at the Bryant Center.

“I was a ballet dancer. I’m surprised I got the job,” Samaha said.

At the ceremony, 11-year-old Conner Allen got out of his chair and gave his mom an impromptu hug as she walked with a completion certificate in her hand.

“Good job, Mom,” he said to Sandra Allen, who works at Cooper Elementary.

“He’s proud of me,” she said.