School committee ratifies paraprofessional contract with increased workday, paid lunch and stepped raises

The Rockland School Committee voted to ratify a new contract for district paraprofessionals, a unit that district leaders said includes more than 100 employees.

District officials and union representatives described the agreement as a multi-year settlement that increases workday time, begins paid lunch periods for paraprofessionals who had not previously been paid for lunch, adjusts substitute pay, and provides percentage increases in later years of the contract.

An administrator said the agreement includes an increase in scheduled work time to align more closely with teachers’ schedules (the transcript records teachers working 83 days and paraprofessionals previously working 82 days). The contract also adds paid lunch time for paraprofessionals, who had been the only unit without paid lunch. Substitute compensation was revised: a full-day substitute assignment will receive $50 and a long-term substitute beginning on day 11 will receive an additional stipend of $75. The settlement includes wages of 2.5 percent in years 2 and 3; staff described a separate first-year adjustment intended to make local pay more competitive.

Committee members thanked paraprofessionals for their work supporting students and teachers. One committee member moved to approve the ratified contract and the motion passed; the chair announced "All those in favor? That's a vote." The transcript does not include a roll-call tally or names for mover and seconder.

Officials emphasized paraprofessionals’ evolving responsibilities, including social-emotional support and one-on-one student work, and said the contract language aims to improve scheduling consistency and pay equity. The committee did not attach additional conditions or direct further negotiations during the meeting.