Education Support Professionals Negotiations

Gloucester School Committee Proposes further Increases to ESP Salaries - January 24, 2024

The School Committee’s January 24 proposal raises salaries for every current Gloucester ESP higher than the Committee’s previous proposal. The Committee has now proposed to raise salaries of current ESP’s from between 27% and 42%.  This proposal raises the top salary for the final year of the contract to $33,305 (from $31,655 in the previous proposal). And it increases annual salaries of existing employees by between $7,150 to $9,850. This increase was achieved through salary design that adjusts salaries for future hires in their first two years in the district.  

During Public Comment at the January 24 School Committee meeting, it became clear that there was some confusion on the part of the GAEP negotiating team about the Committee's proposal  The School Committee did not, in fact, lower our proposal. In fact, we increased salaries for all existing employees.

Other highlights of the updated wage proposal include:

• • Further increases the hourly wage and salary for all current GAEP employees beyond the large increase already proposed by the School Committee. 

  • Increases wages for existing employees between 27% and 42%.  (In the last proposal increases for existing employees ranged from 21% to 35%).

  • Raises the top salary for the final year of the contract to $33,305 (from $31,655 in the previous proposal). 

  • In the final year of the contract, the annual salary for ESPs on the highest step is $1,650 more than in the School Committee’s previous proposal.

  • Everyone who was on step 8 or above in 2022-23 will be at the highest step and earning $33,305 during this contract.

  • The top salary will be $33,305. (In the previous proposal it was $31,655.)

  • Creates a salary table with only 6 steps so employees can reach the highest pay scale in 6 years instead of 10. In two contracts we have gone from 14 steps to 6 steps. 

  • Increases starting salary from  $22,000 to $24,500 during the contract.

  • Accepts GAEP longevity proposal. 

To review the School Committee's updated salary proposal, click here. 

To review the GAEP package proposal from January 24, click here. 

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Gloucester School Committee Statement on ESP Negotiations - September 15, 2023

At the September 14th negotiation session, the Gloucester School Committee offered a historic wage increase for the Gloucester Public School Educational Support Paraprofessionals (ESPs). This wage  proposal far exceeds any increase that has ever been negotiated by Gloucester Association of Educational Paraprofessionals (GAEP) and prior School Committees. 

The School Committee’s final proposal: 

• Increases wages for current paraprofessionals between 21% and 35% over three years. 

• Increases annual wages of existing employees by $5,500 to $8,200 for every member over the contract.

The proposed wages are commensurate with job responsibilities and required qualifications. Further, this proposal is in line both with neighboring and comparable districts. In comparison, other city employees whose contracts have been negotiated over the past year have received average raises of 3% each year. 

Thursday evening’s proposal was made possible by working with the Verga administration. In August, after extensive executive session discussions and based on additional funding that Mayor Verga guaranteed for this purpose, the School Committee’s September 14 wage proposal increased $120,000. 

During these contract negotiations, there has been much talk about a “living wage” as defined by the MIT Living Wage calculator. The School Committee’s proposal ensures that all paraprofessionals will be earning at or above a living hourly wage in the next year. Paraprofessionals work 6.5 hours per day and have a 183 day work year. If paraprofessionals had a 40-hour work week and a 12-month work year, annual salaries would be between $48,700 and $55,000. Simply put, the School Committee’s proposal achieves the goal of a living hourly wage.

This historic wage proposal was rejected by GAEP,  and countered with another fiscally unrealistic proposal.  After nearly six months of negotiations and due to the significant difference between the group’s current financial proposals, the School Committee indicated its belief that the parties are at an impasse and that mediation is necessary. When two parties remain far apart after productive long-term negotiations, mediation can help resolve the last outstanding issues and come to an agreement. The School Committee believes that mediation by a neutral party is the most productive way forward from here. 

The School Committee is disappointed that discussions have not resulted in a settlement. The School Committee’s salary proposal combined with the improvements to support paraprofessionals’ education and training put forth are unprecedented. The wage proposal is more than competitive with other districts, it provides a living hourly wage, and it is fiscally prudent given the fiscal uncertainties the Commonwealth and the city are likely to face in the coming years. 

To view the School Committee’s full salary proposal from September 14 please access the links below:

• School Committee 9/14 Wage Proposal Presentation

• School Committee Complete Wage Proposal 9/14

Upcoming Mediation Sessions - The next scheduled mediation sessions are on February 15, March 6, March 21, and April 4, 11 and 25.  The School Committee is disappointed that GAEP was unable to offer a date sooner than February 15.  We are eager to reach a timely resolution.

Proposals Presented by Each Negotiating Team

Update from the Aug. 23 Negotiations Session

The Aug. 23 negotiation session focused on wages. The School Committee proposed a revised wage proposal that would increase paraprofessional salaries by 19% to 33% and included wage comparisons with local school districts and districts that are economically comparable. The ESP team responded by revising their wage proposal. Both of these wage proposals and the district comparisons are linked below. 

• School Committee 8/23 Wage Proposal

• GAEP 8/23 Wage Proposal

• Wage Comparisons with Neighboring Communities and Economically-Similar Districts

Update from the June 28 Negotiations Session

• The School Committee and GAEP met on June 28th. The School Committee proposed a comprehensive approach to ESP professional development that would support the skill development of ESPs and support their efforts to earn professional licensure as a teacher. 

• The two negotiating teams also reached tentative agreement on two more proposals, both of which are designed to strengthen ESP training and professional development - one on newly hired paraprofessionals participating in training before the start of the school year and  the other on providing reimbursements for workshops attended by ESPs that are approved by the superintendent. 

Proposals Exchanged on June 28

• School Committee Proposal on a Professional Learning for ESPs

Update from June 6 Negotiations Session

• The School Committee and GAEP met on June 6 and shared documents that consolidated the proposals and counter proposals from each negotiating team. These documents are linked below. 

• The two negotiating teams tentatively agreed on five more proposals including ones that increase the level of training and professional learning for ESPs and increase the stipend for ESPs in specific district-wide special education programs. 

Proposals Exchanged on June 6

• School Committee Responses to GAEP Proposals

• GAEP Consolidated Proposals

• GAEP Responses to School Committee Proposals

Update from May 22 Negotiations Session

• The School Committee and GAEP met on May 22 and completed sharing initial proposals. Both sides presented their opening wage proposals which are linked below. 

• The two negotiating teams tentatively agreed to a few proposals including increasing the annual stipend for those paraprofessionals who work in specific special education programs. 

Proposals Exchanged on May 22

• School Committee Wage Proposal

• GAEP Wage Proposal

• School Committee Proposals #2 

• GAEP Proposals  #2 

Update from May 5th Negotiation Session

• The School Committee and GAEP negotiating teams discussed the proposals they presented on April 27 and presented counter proposals for some of them. 

• The two negotiating teams tentatively agreed to the separate housekeeping proposals proposed by both sides on April 27th. 

• The teams also tentatively agreed to the School Committee's Proposal #1 that clarified how ESP workdays beyond the student year can be used and increased the rate for external substitutes for ESPs. 

Proposals Exchanged on April 27

• School Committee Proposals 

• GAEP Proposals