Board approves one-year Kelly Services contract for paraprofessionals after parents raise safety and training concerns

The Conewago Valley School District Board of Directors on June 2 approved finance items that include a one-year contract with Kelly Services to supply paraprofessional support (PCAs) for students with disabilities.

Parents and caregivers urged the board to consider the risks they said accompany a contractor model, citing safety incidents, turnover and limited training for incoming staff. "My son could have died that day," parent Alexandra Coyne told the board, recounting an incident in which her autistic son eloped during kindergarten when a substitute PCA was not available.

The board and administration said the contract is intended to reduce turnover and provide consistent training. Superintendent Dr. Perry told the board that the district negotiated a one-year agreement and that the district would communicate specifics to families after board approval. "We can't sign a contract. We'll sign a contract and the board approves it. We will communicate with our families about that fact. And then we would move forward with the process," Dr. Perry said.

Parents at the meeting said Kelly Services' advertised hiring and training standards raised questions. Coyne noted that Kelly Services lists many vacancies on its site and that initial qualification can include an online paraprofessional course and a 90-question exam. "Who's gonna provide autism, sensory, and de-escalation training for our children?" she asked.

Other parents described long-standing relationships between students and their current PCAs and said those relationships matter for safety and learning. One parent summarized the concern this way: if pay or benefits drop under a contractor arrangement, experienced PCAs may not remain, increasing turnover and destabilizing classrooms.

Administration acknowledged those concerns and said the contract is meant to preserve continuity and to supply professional development that district staff cannot reliably provide while covering classroom responsibilities. Dr. Perry said turnover creates significant indirect costs in posting, hiring and lost instructional time, and that Kelly Services can provide ongoing training that the district cannot deliver without adding staff.

Board members and administrators also clarified process questions raised at the meeting. Trustees asked whether district PCAs who accept positions with Kelly Services would suffer a wage decrease; an administrator said the district starting wage is $15 per hour and said the district believed Kelly's offer would be comparable, but added that exact starting wages would be confirmed with the contractor. Board members noted the contract term discussed in the meeting runs July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.

A portion of public comment contested whether Kelly Services had already assured PCAs of positions. A parent said she had contacted Kelly Services and was told the vendor did not yet have district-specific contract details and would not send offers until after board approval. District staff acknowledged that formal communication to families would follow board approval and contract finalization.

The board moved and approved the finance items by roll-call vote. The district said it will notify families once contract paperwork is complete and will monitor implementation; administration said it expects to work with Kelly Services on training and on encouraging current PCAs to continue serving district students.

The discussion prompted several parents and trustees to ask for close monitoring of turnover, wages and training outcomes after the contract starts. District staff said they would report implementation updates to the board.

Ending: The board approved the one-year contract and will provide follow-up communications to families after contract execution. Parents and board members asked for monitoring of training, pay and staff continuity during the 2025–26 year.