The bargaining team for education support professionals accepted an offer from the Lawrence school district for a $1 hourly raise.
The Lawrence Education Association represents teachers and ESPs, which include paraeducators, custodians, secretaries and other support staff.
Part of the agreement is to move the lowest paid ESPs to the next level on the salary schedule in addition to the dollar raise for all of them.
If ultimately approved, the new lowest hourly wage would increase from $14.02 to $15.46 in 2025-26. Qualifying staff would also continue to see horizontal movement — a pay increase based on years in the district.
The living wage for a single adult living in Lawrence with no children is currently $20.87. ESPs often work multiple jobs to make ends meet.
The district proposed a 54-cent raise at the first negotiations meeting on Aug. 14, which would bring the lowest wage for ESPs to around $15. But the ESP bargaining team said that was insufficient. At the second negotiations meeting on Tuesday, the district returned, adding 46 cents to its original offer.
LEA originally requested a $3.10 raise, which would bring the lowest hourly wage to $17.12.
School board members had arranged for LEA to speak at the board meeting the prior day. Union members testified to following their passions despite inadequate compensation and told the board earning a living wage is paramount. More than 140 people were present Monday to support LEA.
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 administrators 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.
LEA President Emerson Hoffzales said the agreement, which also includes other contract items, will now go to all ESP bargaining unit members for a ratification vote.
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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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