Kensington staff propose 10% pay increase for instructional aides to ease recruitment

District staff asked the board to consider a 10 percent across-the-board salary correction for instructional aides (also described as paraprofessionals) to improve hiring and retention.

Renee (SAU 16 administrator) said Kensington pays less than neighboring districts and that aides can earn $3'$5 an hour more in nearby towns or in retail jobs. "We are asking to do a salary correction for the paraprofessionals in this budget at 10%... and then we wanted to talk to you about doing the same in fiscal year 28," she said (quotes taken from the meeting transcript).

Why staff recommended it Staff framed the proposal as essential to meeting students' needs, especially for special education and tiered interventions that require paraprofessionals in classrooms. They said higher pay would help recruitment and retention and that other districts in SAU 16 or nearby towns have completed similar corrections.

Budget impact and pacing Administrators proposed splitting the correction across two years (10% in FY27 and another 10% in FY28) to avoid loading the entire adjustment into one budget year. The item is part of the $66,655 in controllable changes staff identified inside the draft budget; final figures will depend on negotiated contracts and final enrollment.

Next steps The board asked staff to include the proposed adjustment and its budget impact in the November draft and to show scenarios that reflect whether the district hires fewer staff or shifts other line items to cover the increase.