Parent liaisons help to ensure smooth communication between parents and schools.
Like teachers, parent liaisons interact with school administrators, educators, students, and parents, ensuring that those people have a resource and a "sounding board" at the school. Parent liaisons also fulfill many administrative roles as they manage communications between schools and parents. APS may refer to public school systems in Atlanta, Akron, Albuquerque, or other school system in a location beginning with the letter "A."
School and District Determine the Pay Rate
The district in which the school is located determines the pay rate for parent liaisons. For example, in the Albuquerque public school system, the minimum hourly start rate for an educational assistant parent liaison at Whittier Elementary School was $10.93, as of September 2011. The job qualifications stated that candidates should have a high school diploma or equivalent, be 18 years of age or older, and must meet the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirement of 48 college credit hours or have passed the paraprofessional test.
Average National Salary of a Teacher
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not collect salary data specific to the parent liaison job title. However, because of their role and rank in the school, a parent liaison may have a similar salary to a teacher, depending on the school district. In 2008, the average median annual wages for kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers across the U.S. ranged between $47,100 and $51,180. The lowest 10 percent earned between $30,970 and $34,280 per year, and the highest 10 percent earned between $75,190 and $80,970 annually.
Average National Salary of a Secretary
Because parent liaisons also manage communications between schools and parents, their roles are partially secretarial. Therefore, the salary of a parent liaison may be similar to that of a secretary, depending on the school district. In 2008, the average median annual wages for secretaries was $29,050, with the middle 50 percent earning between $23,160 and $36,020, the lowest 10 percent earning less than $18,440, and the highest 10 percent earning more than $43,240. When secretaries worked for the local government, their average annual salary was $32,610. When they worked for elementary and secondary schools, their average annual salary was $29,850.
Average National Salary of a Secretary and Administrative Assistant
Due to the administrative nature of their jobs, parent liaisons may also receive pay that is similar to that of an administrative assistant, depending on their school districts. In 2008, the average median annual wages for secretaries was $45,190, with the middle 50 percent earning between $32,410 and $50,280, the lowest 10 percent earning less than $27,030, and the highest 10 percent earning more than $62,070. When administrative assistants worked for the local government, their average annual salary was $41,880.
Additional Compensation for Salaried Parent Liaisons
In addition to their annual salary, parent liaisons may be eligible for more compensation in the form of benefits. For example, employees of the Atlanta public school system are eligible to receive benefits if they are full-time employees who work a minimum of 20 hours per week in a position that is eligible for benefits. Those benefits may include group health insurance, group dental insurance, group term life insurance, group vision insurance, group long-term disability insurance, a dependent-care spending account, a medical spending account, annuities, and participation in a pension plan.
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