Port Angeles paraeducators are in contract negotiations and have been working without a contract since Aug. 31. Paras are critical members of the education team — spending the most one-on-one and small-group time with the students who have the greatest needs.  

The school district has repeatedly refused to provide a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to wages, even though it has already received money from the state to fully cover a 3.7% COLA. Regular Port Angeles classroom teachers got a COLA increase in their latest contract, and Central Admin positions (the highest paid positions in the District) have also seen their wages increase. 

In addition to basic education funding provided by the state, the district also gets increased funding for special education and student supports, as well as levy, federal and grant funding.

Hiring and retention for paras is an ongoing issue because the district has not addressed compensation and work environments. We cannot find people to apply for the positions under the current conditions. Current paras are discouraged by the understaffing and lack of support they face every day.

Some former paras have left the job and district they love because they simply can’t afford to stay. We shouldn’t make them choose between our students and their own families’ well-being. Because this is a small number of workers, and any increase would be a percentage increase on an already-low wage, it would take very little for the district to meet our needs.

Join us in calling for the Port Angeles school district administration to settle a fair contract NOW that includes the legislature-funded COLA and language that will recruit and retain staff in these critical student-focused positions.