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Parents and long‑time teacher assistants urge district to halt shift requiring RBT certification
Summary
Several teacher assistants and union representatives told the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee during public comment that a district proposal to convert many TA positions to Registered Behavior Technician roles would impose unpaid training, financial burdens and job insecurity for more than 50 staffers.
Members of the public urged the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee on April 21 to rethink a district proposal that would require many teacher assistants to obtain Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) certification.
"Asking them to complete this training outside of work hours may mean asking them to pay for childcare just to keep their job," said Jane Govanick, who identified herself as the mother of three children in the district. She said the district currently requires a 40‑hour RBT training course to be completed on employees' own time and that reimbursements are available only under restrictive conditions.
The speakers emphasized the scale of the change and its local impact. "We are talking about over 50 staff members, many of whom live in our community, being asked to accept more responsibility with fewer protections, less support, and no additional pay," Govanick said. Corinne Saint Pierre, who identified herself as a teacher assistant at Ecole School for 23 years, called the shift "an unfair labor practice" and said staff had been told they could lose their jobs if they did not agree to the new terms.
"There are children involved," Saint Pierre said. "If we are all laid off ... this kid is devastated. Because I work with him personally." Another public commenter, identified in remarks as Rezendes, said she has been a TA for 21 years and called the district's approach "threatened and bullied" behavior toward staff.
Brian Chitister, vice president of the Bristol Warren Education Association, raised questions about the board's agenda process and said he would submit formal questions about a separate proposed social‑media policy in writing. Chitister told the committee he was not necessarily opposed to the social‑media policy but sought clarity about its impetus and legal references.
The speakers asked the committee to require that any RBT training be scheduled during the work day or that employees be paid for the time, and to provide data supporting the decision to shift TA roles rather than consider a mix of TAs and RBTs. No formal action on staffing or certification was taken during the meeting.
District officials did not present data in the public comment period; the speakers asked the committee to require staff to share the evidence base supporting the proposal and to consider exemptions or extended retirement windows for long‑serving employees.
The public comment segment concluded without a committee decision; several speakers said they would follow up in writing and expected the committee to address the issue in upcoming negotiations.
