Wilmington Ed Assistants Deserve a Living Wage!
Wilmington School Committee
Wilmington Educational Assistants (EAs) are currently in contract negotiations and are fighting for a living wage, better professional development opportunities, and job security! We currently make between $16,118 and $27,769 a year. This is not enough to live on given inflation, the rising costs of healthcare, transportation, and housing in the region. We are calling for better working conditions, and a starting salary of at least $30,000. Educators and parents are partners, and together we are entrusted to shape our children into competent, compassionate, and educated adults. We rely on each other as well as extended family members and community members to achieve these goals for our children.
EAs in Wilmington need every community member and family to help us win a contract that includes a livable wage and professional growth. We are asking parents and community members to sign this Pledge of Support to let School Committee know that families do not want educators making poverty wages in our schools! Let your School Committee Members know how much you value the work of Paraprofessionals, Aids, and all EAs in the district. We are asking that you please sign our Pledge of Support!
Sponsored by
To:
Wilmington School Committee
From:
[Your Name]
Dear Wilmington School Committee,
We the undersigned, want to first thank those of you on school committee who supported the passage of the Student Opportunity Act, advocating for Wilmington to receive millions more in state funding for public education. We urge you to support the Fair Share Amendment as well, which would bring millions more in state education funding into our schools. We have a lot of work to do in Wilmington and one of the most important places we can invest these new funds, is in people serving our students and the community. Particularly our Educational Assistants (EAs).
As you are aware Educational Assistants (EAs) in Wilmington are in the process of negotiating a new contract. As Wilmington community members and supporters, we fully support EAs receiving a livable wage, more opportunities for professional development and growth, and to be treated as the education professionals they are.
EAs are working with students who require extra care and specialized instruction, whether it is students just entering school in pre-k and kindergarten to students at any grade level needing support to meet the goals of their Individual Education Plans. Educational Assistants play an important role in keeping our students safe, providing large and small group instruction, and helping students regain self-control and creating environments where all students can learn. EAs keep our schools running smoothly. With the shortage of substitute teachers EAs are often required to cover teachers who are absent or who need to attend vital meetings.
We applaud the School Committee’s current approach, in looking at issues in our schools with a focus on equity and education justice. We hope that this issue will also be looked at with the same intensity and view point. An EA's current salary of $16,118 to $27,769 is not enough to live on. It is shocking to find out exactly what these hard-working professionals are paid. As community members and supporters we ask that every effort be made to create a contract that reflects the value EAs provide with respectful wages of at least $30,000 a year, more stability at work, and more professional opportunities for growth.
As a leader for Wilmington, we the undersigned, ask that you do all you can to support the EAs in securing a living wage, better professional development opportunities, and the respect they deserve!
Thank you,