New Haven Independent

When New Haven’s schools open in a couple weeks, there will be 19 fewer assistant teachers in the classroom. Three teachers were also fired. The 19 paraprofessionals were laid off after they failed to pass a certification test required by the federal government.

The list of layoffs and firings was revealed at Monday night’s meeting of the New Haven Board of Education. Public school grandparent Hazel Pappas (pictured) raised concerns about the loss of classroom support. Most of the employees have been working in Head Start and pre-school programs in New Haven, some of them for many years.

The layoffs were necessary to ensure that federal funding is not taken away, said Will Clark, chief operations officer for New Haven schools. Since the certification test is a requirement of the No Child Left Behind Act, feds could pull funding if uncertified teachers are working in the schools.

Layoffs for six other school employees were also announced on Monday. The three Case Managers and three Family Educators were employed under a grant that has run out. Three teachers were also fired: They had been hired on the condition that they get certified in the state; they had to be fired before they started teaching in New Haven because they didn’t get certified, said schools spokeswoman Michelle Wade.

Students’ education won’t suffer as a result of the layoffs, Clark claimed after the meeting. He said schools would maintain the same level of service by reallocating resources.

“I know many people are disgruntled,” said school board president Richard Abbatiello, speaking about the layoffs. “Our hands are tied on this… We do thank you.”

“I’m disappointed,” said Hazel Pappas (at right in photo), a parent and grandparent of New Haven public school students, during the meeting’s public comment period. “We need to look to see what kind of tests these are,” she said. Pappas expressed concern that something may be wrong with the test, because many employees who had been working for years could not pass it. She also mentioned that many of those laid off were working the lowest paying jobs.

Reggie Mayo, superintendent of schools, said the school system gave paraprofessionals ample chance to keep their jobs.

“The individuals were given the opportunity to take the test three times,” Mayo said. “No one likes to lay off anyone,” he said. He encouraged people to keep studying. “We feel that we’ve been fair. People have to continue working to meet us halfway.”

Taking the floor a second time, Pappas argued that being able to pass a test does not mean you can teach. “I have seen some people who are certified and I wouldn’t have them teach my cat, and I don’t even have one,” she said.

“Those 19 people are gone,” said Mike Ellison (pictured), president of the paraprofessional’s union, when he stepped to the podium. He called upon the school board to provide more training opportunities for “paras,” or paraprofessionals. Teachers have a number of full-day in-service trainings he said, “but the paras don’t.”

Ellison also suggested that paraprofessionals should be moved to other positions instead of being fired.

After the meeting, Clark responded to Ellison’s comments. He said that the school department has provided significant support for paraprofessionals, including helping to move “a whole cohort” of them from para to teacher. He mentioned the three opportunities that paras were given to take the test. Some people chose not to take it even once, he said.

As for the lay-offs effect on the schools, Clark said that the difference would be made up by a reallocation of resources and “realigned class sizes.”

“The program itself won’t miss a beat,” he said.

Budget Trouble Looms

While the layoffs will ensure that federal dollars for schools keep coming in, the school board has another looming money problem to deal with: The ongoing state budget crisis presents the possibility that the state may not have money ready to go when city schools need it.

During the meeting, Mayor John DeStefano wanted to know what might happen to school funding if the state isn’t able to pass its budget. State lawmakers are currently overdue in the passage of the biennial budget.

“A potentially serious impact,” Clark said. He said that his office has been in daily contact with state government, and that most town school boards in Connecticut assume that “the budget will come through.”

“But ultimately if a state budget is not passed … we’ll have issues making payroll in the fall,” Clark said.

New Haven depends on the state for $140 million Education Cost Sharing (ECS) money, a huge chunk of its annual $170 million budget.

“I can’t imagine they’re not going to pay ECS,” said Mayor DeStefano.

Would it be helpful to slow down school construction just in case the money doesn’t come through? asked a board member.

The city has signed contracts with construction companies that prevent it from doing that, the mayor said.

“So we’re hoping for a state budget,” he said.