Chicago Public Schools / James Ward School / Special Education Classroom Assist
Job-title file
Carry out the duties of this position in support of the agency's public mission.
7 employees hold this title in James Ward School. Median total compensation for the role is $74,178, below the department median of $124,600.
Compared with the local labor market
Across all employers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area, the median wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — about 46,770 people — is $37,840. James Ward School pays a median base salary of $52,798 for this role, 40% above that figure — above the 90th percentile of local pay for the occupation.
The bar is the range of annual wages for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary across every employer in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area, from the 10th to the 90th percentile, with the middle 50% highlighted. The marker shows James Ward School’s median base salary for this role. Both figures are base pay only.
And across the country
Nationwide, the median wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — about 1,420,350 people — is $36,780. James Ward School’s median base salary is 44% above that national figure, above the 90th percentile of pay for the occupation nationally.
Local and national wages differ for reasons beyond how well a job pays — cost of living, the mix of employers, and local demand for the occupation all move the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN range relative to the national one.
Median total compensation for this role at James Ward School is $74,178, which includes overtime and employer-paid benefits. The benchmark above excludes both, so total compensation is deliberately not compared against it.
Benchmark: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) covers all employers in the area — private, non-profit, and government alike — so this is a comparison against the whole local labor market for the occupation, not against private-sector pay. OEWS wages are straight-time pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials, and employer-paid benefits, so the government figure shown here is base pay on the same basis. Total compensation is not comparable to it. Job titles are matched to the closest standard occupation, so the comparison is between similar work rather than an identical job classification.
Compare departments
Special Education Classroom Assist is held in 514 Chicago Public Schools departments. In James Ward School, the median of $74,178 ranks #77 of 514.
Median total compensation for the Special Education Classroom Assist role in other Chicago Public Schoolsdepartments (highest first). Each bar links to that department’s page for this role.
Record list
Page 1
Special Education Classroom Assist/James Ward School
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Lisa Galarza is a Special Education Classroom Assist at James Ward School. 2026 total compensation came to $86,557.
Special Education Classroom Assist/James Ward School
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Connie Huang holds the role of Special Education Classroom Assist at James Ward School. In 2026, their total compensation was $78,659.
Special Education Classroom Assist/James Ward School
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Lillianna Chavarria holds the role of Special Education Classroom Assist at James Ward School. In 2026, their total compensation was $76,025.
Special Education Classroom Assist/James Ward School
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Cheyenne Newson works as a Special Education Classroom Assist for James Ward School. Cheyenne earned $74,178 in 2026.
Special Education Classroom Assist/James Ward School
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Joyita Elias works as a Special Education Classroom Assist for James Ward School. Joyita earned $71,130 in 2026.
Special Education Classroom Assist/James Ward School
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Diane Brownlee is a Special Education Classroom Assist at James Ward School. 2026 total compensation came to $67,057.
Special Education Classroom Assist/James Ward School
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Mary Mei holds the role of Special Education Classroom Assist at James Ward School. In 2026, their total compensation was $64,347.