Educational Support Professionals including Teacher Aides, Teacher Assistants, and Bus Aides are crucial parts of a successful school environment. These professionals display essential leadership skills daily when attending to our children; often working with them on a one-to-one basis. Their flexible communication capabilities allow them to bond not only with our kids and the lead teacher but also with us, the parents. They constantly have to multi-task and adapt in an often-changing school or transportation setting. They are fast learners, and organized, Most importantly they radiate love, have patience, and are compassionate with our children.

Educational Support Professionals are an integral part of a team of school employees that we trust our children with every day. As parents we expect them to be compensated fairly for their hard work. Yet, the Ithaca School District has failed over months to ratify a contract for compensation that will pay them even a living wage. MIT calculates a living wage for Ithaca New York is 24.64 per hour for 1 person living alone yet Educational Support Staff with one year of experience only earns 16.91 per hour at the Ithaca School District. Plus most of these employees do not live alone and are trying to raise a family on these low wages.

https://livingwage.mit.edu/metros/27060

We are extremely disappointed that the current administration, including our elected Board Members, has failed our community by not recognizing their worth. Taxpayer's money should be rewarding the employees who are on the frontline with our children as are these workers. We expect that you will immediately resolve this issue and bargain in good faith by showing up to the bargaining table and being able to negotiate to give our Educational Support Staff a just wage that is so rightly deserved!