MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — The Berkeley County Board of Education approved an Autism Classroom Workforce Initiative during its recent meeting aimed at strengthening recruitment, retention, and long-term support for educators serving students with autism.
The initiative is part of Berkeley County Schools’ 2026–2031 Strategic Plan and supports the district’s stated commitment to “ensuring every student has the opportunity to Reach Individual Success Every Day (RISE).” The initiative is designed to recruit, develop, support, and retain highly qualified professionals serving students with autism.
Berkeley County School Superintendent Dr. Ryan Dr. Saxe joined Monday’s Panhandle Live to discuss several things ahead of the new school year, among them the Autism Classroom Workforce Initiative.
“Where we have had the most need in filling these classrooms has been in our special education classrooms and especially our autism classes,” Saxe said. “So we have 73 autism classrooms across Berkeley County schools. Half of those have certified teachers. The other, another 30 or so have long-term permanent subs. Now those don’t mean that they’re not necessarily qualified. They could be retirees or what have you. But we want to be able to have long-term stable staffing in those positions.”
Dr. Saxe says it is more than just a pay raise. “While there’s a significant portion of it that is about pay, it’s about being able to more intentionally recruit folks, develop and support them through professional development, and then how do we retain them, and how are we accountable to the families that we serve?”
“It’s a four-pillared approach in this autism initiative that the board approved,” Saxe said. “But the major component of it is the financial incentive. So because specialized classrooms require specialized support, we want to be able to pay those people differently when they choose to come into those autism classrooms.”
Dr. Saxe says Berkeley County could be a state leader in funding with this initiative. “Because of this supplement, it’s really hard to track exactly how each county does things. beyond when they add supplements,” Saxe said. “But I would venture to say we’re probably going to be the highest paying school district in the state for individuals going into autism classrooms.”
Berkeley County Schools currently operates 73 autism classrooms serving students with specialized learning and behavioral needs but as of August 4, 2026, only 26 classrooms were staffed by a certified special education teacher.
An additional eight classrooms were led by educators actively pursuing their autism endorsement, while 31 classrooms were staffed by permanent substitutes. The district continues its recruitment efforts to fill the eight remaining classrooms.
The Board-approved plan establishes assignment-based salary supplements for eligible certified teachers serving in autism classrooms, recognizing the specialized training, responsibilities, and instructional expertise required to meet the needs of students with autism.
Information provided by Berkeley County Schools reveals that with the approved supplement, a newly hired certified teacher with a bachelor’s degree and no prior experience who meets the qualifications to serve in an autism classroom could begin at $54,814 annually. A new teacher with a master’s degree could begin at $57,720. Teachers entering Berkeley County Schools with four years of experience could begin at $60,522 with a bachelor’s degree or $63,430 with a master’s degree.
“Our goal is to ensure every autism classroom is led by a highly qualified teacher who has the knowledge, training, and support needed to help every student succeed,” said Saxe. “While comparable salary schedules with assignment-based supplements are not readily available across the state, we believe this positions Berkeley County Schools among—if not at—the highest starting salaries for teachers holding or obtaining autism certification and serving in autism classrooms in West Virginia. This investment reflects our commitment to both our students and the educators who serve them.”
Those with the school system hope the initiative will create “sustainable career pathways for autism classroom aides and permanent substitutes through alternative certification and Grow Your Own opportunities. It also includes expanded mentoring, instructional coaching, professional learning, and ongoing support designed to improve instructional quality and workforce stability.”
“While today’s action focuses on supporting certified teachers, we recognize the critical role our autism classroom aides play in the success of our students every day,” Saxe said. “We will continue exploring additional ways to support our aides through expanded professional development, specialized training, and other meaningful supports as we strengthen our autism programs that align with state law and service personnel classification.”
District leaders believe the initiative will increase the number of certified teachers serving in autism classrooms, reduce vacancies, strengthen instructional continuity, and improve educational outcomes for students with autism while building long-term capacity within Berkeley County Schools.