Influence of Non-Monetary Factors On Paraprofessionals’ Perceptions of Workplace Belongingness

<p>The persistent, critical shortage of special education paraprofessionals demands a fundamental shift in retention strategy from solely monetary incentives to an understanding of contextual, non-monetary drivers. This quantitative, correlational study investigated the influence of eight contextual factors on special education paraprofessionals’ perceived sense of workplace belongingness within a North Georgia suburban school district. The study utilized the Integrative Belongingness Framework (IBF). Data were collected from 103 current and former paraprofessionals using a validated, self-report survey. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed a complex pattern of predictors, led by a novel finding termed as the Prestige Paradox. The overall models for prestige and reputation (adjusted r2 = 0.302, p < 0.001) and workplace engagement (adjusted r2 = 0.230, p < 0.001) were the most substantial predictors of belongingness. Counter-intuitively, the Prestige Paradox demonstrated that as paraprofessionals' perceived external prestige increased, their self-reported sense of organizational belonging significantly diminished (B = +0.88). This signals a Dissonance of Value, where high-stakes external importance is undermined by unfulfilled internal psychological contracts of respect and procedural fairness. Conversely, social engagement (peer-to-peer relationships) was a robust and conventional predictor of belonging (B = -0.65, p < 0.001), emphasizing that peer support is the primary source of organizational attachment. Furthermore, the overall model for professional development was not statistically significant, indicating that existing training structures are ineffective as a non-monetary retention tool. These findings underscore that a paraprofessional’s sense of belonging is a highly sensitive, relational construct. Educational leaders must move beyond generic praise and address the Dissonance of Value by actively fostering peer-led social collaboration, implementing informational and procedural fairness, and reforming professional development to build genuine, role-specific competencies. This targeted approach is essential to cultivating an environment of internal value that is necessary to stabilize this critical workforce.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Teacher Education

Year dc:date.available

2026

Author dc:creator

• Henry, Tyler Randal

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Parul Acharya
• Dr. Dana Griggs
• Dr. Christopher LeMieux

• paraprofessional
• workplace belongingness
• engagement
• prestige
• professional development
• job satisfaction
• perceptions
• and retention
• Education
• Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
• Special Education and Teaching

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/788

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:csuepress.columbusstate.edu:theses_dissertations-1771