Privatized Paraprofessionals May Mean Many in Middle Schools Unemployed

COURT HOUSE — Over 200 people came en masse Thur. April 19 to listen and make their case before the Middle Township Board of Education to keep the district’s paraprofessionals as employees of the school district. The board is considering privatizing the district’s 52 regular aides, 13 bus aides and 290 substitute teachers in what it calls a possible cost-savings measure.
The long line of speakers snaked up the aisle of Elementary No. 1’s gymnasium, each asking the board to reconsider its stance on prioritizing. They spoke for over one hour, impassioned about their job, their children, their future.
If paraprofessionals are privatized the anticipated total cost savings to the district would be approximately $100,000 per year, School Superintendent Michael Kopakowski told the Herald.
Salaries for instructional aides in the district range from $12,746 per year without a minimum of 60 college credits to $13,180 per year for an individual with an Associate or Bachelor degree. In what was touted as a cost-savings measure several years ago, the maximum number of hours an aide can work was changed to 29.5 hours per week, thereby eliminating full-time status benefits, including health care.
While substitute teachers are excluded, aides are represented by a bargaining unit – the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA). A telephone call to the NJEA for comment about this story was not returned.
Charlotte Sadler, president of Middle Township Education Association (MTEA) said the union appreciates the ongoing dialog it has had with the board in trying to achieve resolution to the privatization issue.
“I put out a memo,” said Sadler, “to continue to look at our proposals, as the budget is a living document and we continue to make proposals to keep our aides within the employees of the board so they can maintain their retirement. These people work and live within the community. They don’t do it for the money, it’s because they love the children.”
“With my job now, I cannot afford a house for me and my children,” said bus aide Carlotta Gonzalez. “I can barely afford a car payment and the bills I have now, with the job; therefore I have to find another job beside this one.”
One issue brought to the fore throughout the meeting was the need to have aides in the schools that supply consistency to their charges along with a level of caring that will only be found in community-based employees who are committed to the district and the children it educates.
“Do you have any idea what we do?” Middle School aide Debbie Avicolli asked the board. “We’re with these children six hours a day, longer than any one teacher or administrator. We get to know their strengths and weaknesses. We know what they eat, and in a lot of cases, that they don’t eat at all. We provide them with consistency. We help them be the best they can be so they are receptive to learning.”
Privatization of paraprofessionals would result in those employees no longer covered by the state pension plan. Instead, by working for a private company, employees could contribute to other retirement plans such as 401Ks and IRAs. According to sources, it would also eliminate sick and vacation days.
“I see the vacation and sick time as being compensation for being so underpaid in the first place,” said Avicolli. “If you take away this, the pay drops even more. I am barely holding on now.”
According to Kevin Bush, president of Cherry Hill-based Source 4 Teachers, parent company of Mission One, a company being considered by the board for the privatization, any contract with their company would include direction from a board of education as to the future of sick time and vacation time.
In an interview with the Herald, Bush said as long as a paraprofessional holds the proper accreditation for a position, he or she would probably be kept in their position.
“It’s our goal to retain everybody,” he said, including the same salary and same hours of work.
“We respond to the district’s bid specifications,” said Bush, noting Middle has not yet approached his company for a bid.
Kopakowski said the district has looked at proposals. “This whole thing has to go out to bid,” he said.
“This is very important to me, and to the board,” said board member Stephanie Thomas. “Don’t think that any of this is being taken lightly. We are open… it’s a work in progress and we are open to how we can find some middle ground to make this work. So don’t think the board has closed its mind to viable options that can be presented to us.”
“Last year the board looked at privatizing everything, and I mean everything,” said Dennis Roberts, board vice president. “There’s a lot of misconception that we are trying to privatize everything.”
“A number of years ago we were all hit with something that devastated public education in the state of New Jersey,” said Kopakowski. “It really had a severe impact on Middle Township.”
Over the past few years the district laid off 51 positions, including administrators and 34 teachers, said the superintendent. “What you’re seeing in this year’s budget is a direct result of what happens when the governor and the legislature passes laws that limits our tax increase to a 2 percent increase. This is the negative legislation, such as that, has on the education of children.”
Kopakowski said the 2 percent increase allowed by the budget is approximately $450,000.
“I can tell you that in tuition alone, from Stone Harbor, Avalon and Dennis Township, we will lose that amount of money next year due to decreased enrollment from those school districts.”
Kopakowski explained, “We feel that we still have to give salary increases to our staff. Every staff member who works and has benefits in Middle Township is now contributing to their insurance. But that insurance premium is expected to go up between 10 and 15 percent in this budget.”
Kopakowski addressed concerns about the district’s home rule over its employees by assuring staff “at no time, whatever proposal is put before the board in this matter, will this board of education, or this superintendent or this administration give up control over who works with our children. That will never be proposed.”