State funding to increase paraprofessional positions in New Bedford, Fairhaven schools

As the state and nation continues dealing with a labor shortage, the Healey-Driscoll administration hopes that giving out a total of $15.9 million will help boost various areas of the workforce across the state, according to a press release. While funds coming into some Massachusetts communities will be used to help industries like health care, CDL driving, and restaurants, the portion coming into SouthCoast will be dedicated to putting more people in paraprofessional positions at New Bedford and Fairhaven public schools, as well as helping existing paras become licenced teachers.

Of the total $15,950,068 coming from the Mass. Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund, the MassHire Greater New Bedford Workforce Board — one of 22 grantees statewide — has been awarded $400,000 to "provide training and placement services to 60 unemployed and underemployed participants for paraprofessionals/future educator positions" between New Bedford's and Fairhaven's respective public school districts, according to a press release from the Mass. Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development .

Asked on Friday how the funding would be split between New Bedford and Fairhaven, Matthew Kitsos, spokesman for the Mass. Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development, wrote via email that he believed "those details are still being finalized."

How are New Bedford and Fairhaven para staffing levels?

As of Monday, Fairhaven Public Schools' website showed one paraprofessional opening, for East Fairhaven Elementary School. A page linked from New Bedford Public Schools' site showed 19 openings across the district.

At NBPS, the position is known as "para-educator," which is a change that came with the newest contract between the district and its paras union, AFT Local 2378 . That contract was ratified May 2023 — almost a year after the previous contract expired — following a period of contentious negotiations between Local 2378 and NBPS administration, at the time led by former NBPS Superintendent Thomas Anderson.

Get some background: At long last, New Bedford paraprofessionals have a new contract. See the details here.

Among others, changes brought by NBPS' current paras contract include new and raised hourly differentials, the addition of the Juneteenth holiday, and the ability for paras to take leave for a whole school year while taking on educator roles.

New Bedford superintendent: MassHire program expected to be 'most impactful' para initiative yet

"We have been working on numerous paraprofessional initiatives over the past years, but I expect that this program, when combined with last year’s overhauled para-educator contract, will be the most impactful," NBPS Superintendent Andrew O'Leary wrote via email. "In our district, over 300 para-educators play a crucial role in supporting our students and families."

O'Leary said advantages of being a para-educator at NBPD include "competitive pay, comprehensive benefits," and "options for extended school days, summer programming, and more."

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"Additionally, we provide access to professional development and training opportunities where para-educators can grow their professional skill set," O'Leary said.

"We believe our partnership, supported by this amazing grant, will help us train and expand the skillsets of our current paraprofessionals, as well as those who join us in the future," Fairhaven Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Mark Balestracci said. "It will support us in building capacity within our district and provide a pathway for growing our paraprofessionals into licensed educators."

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: State funding to increase paraprofessional positions in New Bedford, Fairhaven schools