Somerville Schools, Paraprofessionals Reach Contract Agreement

SOMERVILLE, MA — The Somerville School Committee and Teachers Association Paraprofessionals Unit C reached a tentative agreement this week on a three-year contract. The agreement requires ratification by union membership and the School Committee and came after months of negotiation between both sides.

The School Committee voted June 2 to make a starting salary offer of $25,000 to the paraprofessionals unit, with an increase of $500 per lane and $300 per step. In addition, the three-year contractual offer also includes a provision for continuity of employment after four or more full years of service as of July 1, provided that new evaluation standards and procedures are ratified by both parties on or before June 30, 2021.

"For many months, School Committee and city officials have publicly stated our support for a Paraprofessional wage scale that starts at $25,000 annually," School Committee Chair Carrie Normand said in a statement. "The offer reflects the values of the community, the importance of preserving educational programs for students, and the integral part Paraprofessionals play in our school system. We are pleased to be able to improve the working conditions of our staff, who go above and beyond for our students every day and will continue to do so throughout the COVID-19 pandemic."

Initially, the district was unable to fund the $25,000 starting salary proposal, but in December the Committee's offer included a proposal to substantially raise salaries by 18 percent over three years. Even with that proposal, the Committee and the Association were not able to reach an agreement, so the Committee requested that the state appoint a mediator to assist the parties in seeking a resolution.

In mid-March, at an Executive Session the night before a scheduled mediation session, the Committee approved a plan to propose a minimum salary of $25,000. Before the mediation session began, the coronavirus crisis hit, and Gov. Charlie Baker ordered schools and businesses closed the next day. The mediation session was canceled, given the uncertainty of the impact that the school and business closures would have on city and district budgets.

The Committee voted at the end of April to notify the Association that it was withdrawing its previous offer of 18 percent over three years due to dire economic projections. In the weeks that followed, city officials were able to allot reserve funds to support the Committee's goal of a $25,000 starting salary.

The agreement reached Wednesday will require a substantial infusion of city resources to pay paraprofessionals a raise retroactive to July 1, 2019. Normally, the School Department budgets all collective bargaining expenditures within its Annual Operating Budget, but the city can support the Paraprofessional Agreement and allow the Committee to modify its normal practice.

The mayor has committed to supplying more than $500,000 in reserve funds to the School Department budget in the first year of a three-year proposal. This action is subject to appropriation by the City Council. The second year (2020-21) will be funded by a combination of City reserves and re-allocation of school budget resources. The third-year costs of the proposal are projected to be incorporated into the Committee's budget through normal procedures.