Actions Call for Education Funding and Needs of Paraeducators

As the Recovery for All coalition prepares for a March for Our Classrooms to demand education funding for public schools and community colleges, the needs of school paraeducators took center stage at the Legislature's Education Committee.

Shellye Davis, a longtime paraeducator in Hartford and the Executive Vice President of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, delivered impassioned testimony urging improved working conditions for paraeducators across the state.

As co-chair of the Connecticut School Paraeducator Advisory Council, Davis helped lead a survey of paraeducators' working conditions. She said 3,400 responses confirmed “that paraeducators are often an afterthought and despite the important work they do, their efforts in the classroom are rarely prioritized or maximized.”

Based on the survey data as well as detailed conversations with individual working paraeducators, the council developed eight specific recommendations. Only three, relating to programs for professional development and certification, made it into HR 3521 being considered by the Education Committee,

The proposals that were not included address health care coverage, wages and numbers of paraeducators in each school district.

“I urge you all to add the remaining recommendations,” said Davis. “Now is the time to take immediate and meaningful action to raise paraeducator pay, lower our healthcare costs, and improve our retirement benefits.”

“Well trained, well equipped and fairly paid paraeducators can be a stable force for students, providing additional support and reinforced instruction to curb and reclaim COVID learning losses,” she concluded.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday March 30 at 4:00 pm, public schools and higher education union teachers and staff, students and community are marching to support fair funding for all public schools and colleges. The March for Our Classrooms begins at the New Haven Board of Education on 54 Meadow Street and marches to Gateway Community College and City Hall.

Organizers say, “We're joining together because Connecticut's public education system is facing a funding crisis, and students, teachers, and support staff are paying the price. Join us to celebrate teachers and staff and demand better for them, our students, and for our public educational systems. Students' quality of education shouldn't depend on their zip codes. Students, teachers, and staff deserve better.”

March sponsors include Recovery for All, New Haven and state-wide teacher union locals of AFT and AAUP, AFSCME Council 4 and Unidad Latina en Acción.