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Paraeducators and ESPs press board on pay, staffing and sinking fund renewal
Summary
Education support professionals and union representatives told the board about staffing shortages, low starting wages (reported entry rates and recent raises), and urged voters to renew the district sinking fund to avoid diverting general funds and to support retention.
Several speakers in public comment and the AEA representative outlined concerns about recruitment and retention of education support professionals (ESPs) and urged community support for renewal of the district's sinking fund millage. The union reported recent bargaining progress (a June 25 session), persistent vacancies, and wage history showing limited step increases until large increases in 2022–23 for some classifications; a union representative said many ESPs still earn in the low‑to‑mid teens per hour and urged a living wage for those roles.
AEA's representative summarized bargaining progress and asked the community to respond to a district survey; she also flagged the broader statewide Education Support Professionals Bill of Rights campaign and cited cost‑of‑living figures and MIT living-wage estimates for Ann Arbor to illustrate local affordability pressures. Trustees thanked the union for engagement and noted the sinking fund outreach events that explained how the millage preserves capital funds and staffing flexibility.
