special education teacher

paraprofessional

social worker

speech language pathologist

substitute teacher

The Menta Education Group

Day one…sat there in a classroom with a teacher from another location. Wasn’t shown much. No training. Kind of figured it out as you go. Paraprofessional was in the room most of the day. They had assistance from other staff from different locations. Chaotic at times. Students mostly have behavioral issues. If a fight breaks out you have to call for help and hope someone comes to assist. You cannot single handed break up a fight so while a student is pounding on another student you sit and wait for help. That’s their policy. As time went one, things didn’t change much. Short staffed. Fights. Computer equipment being destroyed. Not enough chromebooks for every student. They want you to rotate chromebooks between the students. Not so well received by the students. I loved my coworkers. Other leadership not so much. Not very friendly or approachable. Snide comments. No structure when it comes to curriculum. Kind of have to figure it out as you go. Quarterly assessments for students weren’t shared with teachers. I asked a dozen times to have them shown to me. Look at the program and it tells you nothing. Did they actually have the assessments? Who knows. Could never get an answer. Supposed to be a salaried position but my paychecks were never the same. I’d go back if things were changed. I was supposed to have a Paraprofessional in the room with me. Somedays it happened and some not or they were gone for hours and that’s when behaviors started and the fights started. Walkie talkies are not secured frequencies. Anyone with a store purchased walkie could listen in on conversations. Huge privacy concern.  They have Paraprofessionals teaching classes and they are not licensed to do so.  Overheard one comment from leadership referencing staff just as bad as students. Very professional in my opinion. Meaningless paperwork. Behavior charts updated every 30 minutes but no one collected them or looked at them. If a student acted up or did something inappropriate they were sent to a refocus room. At times it was party central. No consequences for being unruly or assaulting other students. It was a 30 minute break for the student and then right back to the classroom to start more issues.  They have an established dress code for the students but was never enforced. Then why have it? 

As an employee who has interned in a traditional education setting and also had the opportunity to work at The Menta Group, I can confidently say that The Menta Group can offer a unique and valuable learning experience for our students.

One of the main benefits of Menta's educational process is its flexibility. There is a very personalized approach to learning, intended to meet the student(s) exactly where they are at. This means that students are able to work at their own pace and focus on their individual strengths and on improving their weaknesses. Menta offers hands-on and interactive learning experience, which can be extremely beneficial for students who struggle in a traditional classroom environment. Students experiencing success is definitely one of the key motivators for all staff members.

Within the building that I work, the staff members are very dedicated and passionate about their students’ success, and they go above and beyond to ensure that each student receives the support they need. There is a great sense of team-work and constant problem-solving in the environment. From the time students enter the program, staff members are working together to ensure the best supports are in place for our students. I appreciate the inclusive and accepting environment of Menta. It creates a sense of community and belonging, which can be empowering for students who have struggled with feeling accepted in traditional schools.

Of course, our setting also has its challenges. It may not be the right fit for every student or potential staff member. I do believe though that these challenges are outweighed by the numerous benefits that Menta can offer.

As someone who has experience in probation for adults/juveniles, residential treatment for youth, foster care, and in various roles at Menta (from paraprofessional to administrator, with all job roles in between), I can attest to the value and effectiveness of our educational setting. I highly recommend considering The Menta Group as a viable option for employment if you are seeking a unique, challenging, and fulfilling experience.

Chicago based company this review is for an AZ location. 

They are always short staffed so it is challenging to work with the kids who have the most behavior problems when there is minimum or often zero support. 
HIGH turnover. You'd think the company would realize that they keep losing their best people because they don't compensate or support them enough but they don't seem to learn. 
HIGH tolerance of staff misconduct. It takes a lot to get fired so that's a plus I guess... 
The staff there are mostly wonderful, even the principal does great things and does her part to help teachers and aides.  But above that the management is flawed. They implement rules and regulations without much consideration for how it will work practically. 
The program they run is good when it's run the right way but that has fallen to the wayside a bit since COVID. 
It's great hours and really great benefits. Paid time off during holidays even summer break. Great insurance. They'll also sponsor you to get a Masters degree in special education but if you want something on the clinical side you're basically out of luck. 
They're short on teachers and desperate to take advantage of anyone willing to go through their system.
This is a great stepping stone on your way to bigger and better things if you're wanting to expand your skill set at the entry level. If you're calling is teaching then stick it out a few years. It's definitely worth it.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The friends I made, the hours, and the pay.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Middle management expects the social workers to do everything, while not allowing them the time to do it. The regional manager and new principal literally wanted us to sit and observe classrooms all day. There was never enough time to write IEP's, FBA/BIP's, and behavior plans. We were expected to make the majority of calls home when the students were absent, which is something I have never done in my many years as a school social worker. 
On top of that, we were constantly micromanaged by the new principal; texts, phone calls, emails, and chats all day long.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
100% toxic. The new principal seemed to enjoy wielding her power like a choke hold. She would often end emails to me saying, and I quote, "Are you refusing to do this task?"

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Start work at least a half hour to an hour before I could punch in. 
Punch in.
Have a morning meeting.
Use plan time until students arrived for class.
Begin making parent phone calls.
Work on paperwork, collaborate with other staff members, see students individually and in SEL push in groups all day.
Meet with the high school team at the end of the day and work on more paperwork.
Punch out and continue working until exhausted,

There are many concerning processes that go on in the school that I work for.  I can not speak for all Menta programs but there is much to be desired in my location.  Initially I was told that all students are 1:1 with devices.  As a virtual teacher, this is to be expected.  This is not the case.  It makes it very hard to assess daily work when students do not have computers and the in-person staff is less than motivated to do their job.  I rarely see student work which places a lack of fidelity within data collection for student IEPs.  Administration does not seem concerned.  In-person staff are on their phones, do not follow procedures in dealing with students with emotional needs, and overall a lack of professionalism and communication.  I have seen IEPs that are copied and pasted from one student to another, IEPs written with no consultation from the LBS1s in charge of instructing students, and many IEPs left to become expired.  Students are not given their social emotional times on a consistent basis. With the norm being only 30 minutes per week, this small amount of time is important.  Students with emotional needs deserve much more SEL time and a more routine schedule with this.  Overall it is sad to see such a lack of structure in an area that necessitates an extreme amount of structure and professionalism.  

Inadequate staff, inept corporate Regional and a high risk working environment. Not a therapy school for children. No social worker will last here. More therapists needed.

Working at Menta is a struggle an very stressful. lack of support from regional directors and no real foundation for academic progression for the students. They lie about providing academics and certified staff!

The students never learn much that will help them advance cognitively. Seems like one big loop to keep the state paying the school for the kids to attend. Its strictly about money and is very limited to benefit of their students. 

First year teachers are stuck in a classroom with no Instructional Assistant, little to no training and in complete chaos.

The Menta Group offers very little incentive for qualified people to work with them. Therefore, schools are staffed with under qualified employees with poor work ethic. This leaves the majority of the work, which is demanding, to be completed by a select few individuals. Incompetent people are moved up in to management positions, while hard working individuals who keep the schools running are paid menial wages. Corporate does not value their employees and does what is best to help the company grow, not what is best for their students. Bottom line, do not work for this company!!!

CORE works on great team building throughout the year to make everyone feel comfortable with what is expected and sharpen already known and new skills. There is a loving staff community that is very helpful to one another and makes you feel heard. CORE is a very structured environment so the kids can reach their max potential. Therapies are given throughout the day to also work on strengths, learning skills, along with sensory needs. If you have not worked with this population, the first visit may seem overwhelming if any child is having an off day. That I believe is the hardest yet most enjoyable part of the job. Once you learn about a child and understand what they have been through, what triggers them, what they don't enjoy, what they do enjoy, and what works for them you are able to assist and make their day and life better. Which is truly the goal.

I worked for this company for years. It started out really well - I enjoyed every minute of what I did. I had supportive admin, the higher ups were deeply involved, and it was a great community of well trained staff. Fast forward years later - the upper management/higher ups team completely changed. It became all about the money and less about the staff and the students. All they cared about was making sure the contracts got signed and the checks got deposited into their accounts. 

I can't tell you how many times they hired a clinician and expected them to go back and sign off on services provided when there were no services provided. They consistently put staff in dangerous positions and it didn't matter if they got hurt - they didn't even follow up to check in and make sure the staff was okay - just when they could come back to work. The turnover rate is horrendous and that is all on the admins and Board. 

What we did (or in most cases, tried to do) for the kids was great and you could really build a community with your fellow staff members. But the work load, the constant lack of support, and turnover rate due to injuries and lack of pay, it was not worth it. 

Menta is an "all-in" type of environment when it comes to employment. If you're serious about affecting positive change in the  lives of our society's most at-risk youth, then you've found your home. 
Menta has a strong teamwork approach and allows for creative license to be taken in order to reach its youth population. They really look to and value professional expertise. It's extremely collaborative here but you have to be willing to ask for the help. If you ask for help, they're there for you. If you don't ask for the help and realize you're a spoke in the wheel, then you'll struggle. 
Tough kids but it's a strong supportive culture. 
If you want your reward and fulfilment to match your challenges, then this is the place. If you just want to coast along to get a paycheck and you're not self-motivated and adaptive, then perhaps another school would be best. 
Overall, well worth the challenge of working with these kids!

On the Casa Grande campus, it is truly a family oriented environment. Admin on this campus truly care about the staff and the students. The class sizes are between 5-10 students, which makes it truly manageable and able to provide individual assistance if needed to the students. The focus of the campus is truly student centered, and a campus that I would send my own child if I needed to. I love the staff and the students. The worst part of the job is the "corporate" influence, being headed in Chicago they aren't on campus most of the time, so that is a plus, but they tend to ask for things to be done that might be relevant in Chicago, but not relevant to the students we serve here in AZ. Benefits are less desirable, but they do provide the ability to advance and get certified if that is the path you choose. I would definitely recommend the Casa Grande campus!

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Special education teacher 110 salaries reported	$62,936 per year
Paraprofessional 88 salaries reported	$22.41 per hour
Social worker 24 salaries reported	$65,400 per year
Speech language pathologist 50 salaries reported	$64,360 per year
Substitute teacher 2 salaries reported	$23.92 per hour

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