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Paraeducators tell Wenatchee School Board the district's offer fails to value classified staff
Summary
Classified staff leaders told the board that paraeducators, secretaries and technical staff overwhelmingly rejected the latest tentative agreement and urged the district to bargain a fair, sustainable contract that reflects their role supporting students.
WENATCHEE, Wash. — Classified staff representatives urged the Wenatchee School District board on Oct. 14 to return to the bargaining table and negotiate a contract that staff say reflects their work and retains experienced employees.
Michelle Costanza, vice president of the PSE Wenatchee Association and a paraeducator, told the board that members who support students 1‑on‑1, manage classrooms and run offices are not asking for "anything unreasonable" but want respect and recognition in a contract. "This isn't about extra money... It's about being fairly compensated for the essential work that allows teachers to teach, students to learn, and schools to operate," she said.
Liz Lewis, president of the PSC Wenatchee Association and an IT department employee of 26 years, told the board that 84% of classified employees voted no on the most recent tentative agreement and described members as "frustrated, overwhelmed and feel undervalued." She said classified staff compared the district's offer to terms bargained for other units and found disparities they could not accept.
Another paraeducator outlined household‑level impacts: at the higher end of the paraeducator pay scale in the district, she said she receives $1,650 at the end of the month and must hold a second job to make ends meet. "How are we supposed to live off of that?" she asked.
Speakers asked the board to consider that classified staff are an investment in school operations and student success rather than a cost to be minimized. Board members acknowledged receipt of the comments and the district indicated negotiations remain ongoing; no new board action was recorded at the meeting.
