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Ann Arbor teachers’ union and paraeducator groups press board over compensation, concessions and staffing
Summary
Union leaders told the board bargaining produced no tentative agreement and that the district is conditioning raises on concessions; paraeducator representatives described low entry pay, staff shortages, injuries on the job and concerns with reliance on EduStaff substitutes.
Union leaders and employee‑group presidents used their allotted report time to push the Ann Arbor Public Schools board on compensation and staffing.
Fred Klein, president of the AAAEA (the instructional staff union), said interest‑based bargaining had produced straw designs but no tentative agreement, and criticized the district position of ‘‘no raises without concessions.’’ "Contracts that are good for educators are good for students," he said, urging the board to allocate recurring compensation rather than one‑time payments.
Claire Arthurs, president of AEAP (the paraeducator and support staff union), described acute pressures on teaching assistants: low entry wages (she cited a $22,000 figure), numerous recent incident reports, and difficulties recruiting and retaining paraeducators. Arthurs said the district’s posting of EduStaff substitute positions at low daily rates competes with permanent paraeducator recruitment and risked undermining continuity of care for students with special needs.
District leaders acknowledged the concerns and clarified some operational details: Superintendent Parks and HR staff said EduStaff runs a pilot training program to help some substitutes qualify for paraeducator roles and that long‑term substitute rules differ between teacher and TA roles (teacher long‑term subs are limited to 90 calendar days; TA subs are not subject to that limit). Trustees and union leaders discussed that the district’s fund‑balance and budget planning constrain compensation decisions but that bargaining is ongoing.
No formal board action on contracts occurred at the meeting; unions said bargaining continues and the district will return to the table.
