Union members told the Lawrence school board that education support specialists are well overdue for a living wage.
More than 140 names were signed to a sheet marking the Lawrence Education Association supporters present at the board meeting Monday. LEA, the school district’s union representing teachers and education support professionals, rallied 15 minutes ahead of the meeting.
At the first negotiations meeting on Aug. 14, the district offered a 54-cent hourly pay increase, which would bring the new hourly minimum wage in the district up to $14.56 from $14.02. The living wage for a single adult living in Lawrence with no children is currently $20.87.
Emerson Hoffzales, middle school teacher and LEA president, thanked board President GR Gordon-Ross and board member Kelly Jones for organizing the opportunity to speak at the board meeting Monday. Five LEA members testified to following their passions despite inadequate compensation.
Hoffzales said the question that always remains is why Lawrence is behind other districts in competitive wages. They said the district has to get nail down the issue and get creative to solve it.
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“We’re all, lack of a better way, bashing our head against the wall trying to make money come out, and it’s not working,” Hoffzales said. “The same whole song and dance of one number thrown out, and we wait a little bit, and we throw another number out, and we wait — it’s old. It’s tired. You’re tired. I’m tired. We’re tired. So what is it going to be? When are we going to get there?”
When the board approved the 99-cent pay increase for ESPs in 2024-25, the living wage for a single adult with no children living in Lawrence was $19.87. District and board members had said they would continue working with the union to reach their goals.
The board approved a $2.12 hourly raise the previous year, 2023-24, which brought the lowest paid staff member to $13.03. The living wage at the time was $16.04. ESPs who rallied at the meeting when PAL-CWA and the district officially agreed on that contract had said it was the biggest raise many of them had seen in years.
The board on July 28 voted to approve an $800 increase to the base annual salary for certified staff, or teachers, in their 2025-26 contract after LEA and the district came to an agreement.
“I want to just highlight that certified are angry about their wage that we were given,” Hoffzales said. “$800 is not enough. 54 cents is not enough. But I know that’s just where we are, right? We got to this point somewhere down the road, and we can blame anyone and everyone why we’re here, but that’s not going to do anything.”
Paraeducators, custodians, secretaries and other support staff often work multiple jobs to make ends meet. The annual process between the union and the district to negotiate the ESP contract is currently ongoing. Board members at the meeting Monday expressed support for LEA’s goals.
“We can do more,” Jones said. “I hear that message loud and clear. We can do more. I just don’t want you thinking that this isn’t a commitment that we have.”
Danita Long, special education teacher at Sunflower Elementary School and LEA member, said students lose stability, trust and progress when ESPs are underpaid.
“ESPs are the backbone, especially of special education,” Long said. “They support students with complex needs in every way: academics, communication, behavior, activities of daily living — like toileting, diapering — all while ensuring safety and dignity.”
Staff members, teachers and supporters held “walk-ins” at school buildings last Thursday to put more pressure on the district. Hoffzales said they also participated in a candidate forum Sunday for school board candidates running in the upcoming election.
The next negotiations meeting is set for 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9 at district offices, 110 McDonald Drive.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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