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Parent urges higher pay for Cheshire paraeducators; district says contract talks due next week
Summary
A parent letter asked the Cheshire Board of Education to raise paraeducator pay to a Connecticut living-wage level; the board said it will begin contract negotiations next week and noted pay differences tied to hours and ABA certification.
A parent who asked that their name be redacted sent a letter to the Cheshire Board of Education urging the district to raise paraeducator pay to a Connecticut living wage of $50,000 a year, citing shortages and 16 open paraeducator positions.
The letter, read aloud to the board, said paraeducator postings showed varying hours and wages — for example, some positions listed fewer than 30 hours per week and pay in the mid-$15s per hour, while ABA DTI paraeducator postings listed 30 hours at roughly $25.18 per hour. "These wages do not properly compensate a position that is difficult, stressful, takes special skills, and is essential to some of the most, needing of support students in our district," the correspondent wrote.
The district replied that it values paraeducators and that a formal contract process begins immediately. "We have a tremendous group that provides incredible support to our students, staff, and families," Dr. Solon said, adding the district will engage the paraeducators' union when contract negotiations start next week.
District staff clarified pay details. Mr. Massiano said the contract lists lower-tier paraeducator wages that were at or near Connecticut's minimum wage, and that the district has increased pay to comply with the state minimum: "the minimum wage in Connecticut was increased to $16.35 per hour, January 1, and we are compliant with that." He also said ABA DTI-certified paraeducators are paid at a higher rate, generally about $25 per hour or higher depending on tenure.
Board members noted differences between an hourly wage and the child's author-requested $50,000 annual figure, highlighting that many paraeducator positions are part-time across a school year. Dr. Solon noted that many paraeducators work less than 30 hours a week over roughly a 40-week school year, which affects direct comparisons to a 40-hour, 52-week annual salary.
The board did not take a formal vote on pay at the meeting. Members asked to be kept informed of comparative data and the ongoing contract negotiations.
The correspondence and staff responses are likely to shape discussions in the district's bargaining sessions scheduled to begin next week.
