Over the next few weeks, the committee and the city were able to identify the reserve funds as a source through the mayor`s office and with the support of city and district ministry analysts to support the committee`s goal of obtaining a starting salary of $US 25,000. Yesterday`s agreement requires a significant infusion of urban resources to pay the parapros an increase retroactive to July 1, 2019. Normally, the school board assesses all rate expenditures in its annual operating budget. Fortunately, the city can support the paraprofessional agreement and allow the committee to change its usual practice due to careful financial responsibility in recent years. The Mayor has committed more than $500,000 in reserve funds to the Department of Education`s budget in the first year of a three-year proposal. This measure is linked to appropriations by the city council. The second year (2020-21) is funded by a combination of urban reserves and redistribution of school budgets. The cost of the proposal for the third year will be included in the Committee`s budget as part of normal procedures. The Somerville School Board voted on June 2, 2020 in favour of a $25,000 entry offer for the Paraprofessionals unit, with an increase of 500 $US per track and 300 $US per step. In addition, the three-year contractual offer also contains a provision for continuity of employment after four or more years of full service from 1 July 2020, provided that new standards and evaluation procedures are ratified by both parties on or before 30 June 2021. „For many months, the school board and City officials have publicly declared our support for a paraprofessional pay scale that begins at $25,000 per year,“ said school board chair Carrie Normand. „The offer reflects the values of the Community, the importance of preserving educational programs for students and the full share of para-professionals in our school system.
We are pleased to improve the working conditions of our employees, who go beyond the boundaries for our students every day and will continue to do so during the COVID 19 pandemic. The Somerville School Board and the Somerville Teachers` Association (STA) Paraprofessionals Unit C yesterday reached an interim agreement on a three-year contract that reflects the City and District`s commitment to justice and the important role paragliders play in our schools in supporting and collaborating with classroom teachers.