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Board President Yesenia Rivera: Endpoint unclear.
While schools are closed to prevent the spread of Covid-19, school employees will continue to get their paychecks. This includes part-time employees, at least through mid-April.
The New Haven Board of Education finalized this decision at its virtual meeting on Monday evening.
The board members had already reached a consensus by text that they wanted to pay non-unionized, part-time employees, like tutors, art teachers and preschool assistants.
“We need to let our people know that our school system is behind them when they need it,” said BOE member Darnell Goldson.
The main disagreement on Monday was over how long the board should guarantee their pay. The governor has suggested schools may remain closed through the end of the academic year.
New Haven Board of Education member Darnell Goldson argues on behalf of low-wage workers.
“How is this going to work if we get locked into this and schools don’t reopen? Can we take this back? I don’t think so,” said Board President Yesenia Rivera.
Many part-timers get paid from specially designated federal funds, like those that run Head Start pre‑K programs. The board has permission to pay Head Start part-timers with those funds but does not yet have the same permission from other programs.
New Haven Public Schools Chief Financial Officer Phillip Penn warned that paying part-time workers from the school system’s own pocket would cost $180,000 a week, or $2.2 million for the rest of the school year.
Board member Edward Joyner expressed concern that paying part-timers from the schools’ general fund would put the system in worse financial straits in an already tight budget year.
“If we pay more in one area, we pay less in another area. People are asking for more librarians and teachers. In a crisis, you keep your unionized workers, and the first people you lay off are part-time people,” Joyner said.
In response to questions from Goldson and others, Penn said that closing the schools does not mean NHPS has more money to work with.
Penn estimated that Gov. Ned Lamont’s order to close schools will save NHPS around $1 million in utilities, overtime and substitute teacher pay. The fact that buses are not running does not change the budget, because the contract with the bus service includes a clause that protects the company during government-ordered shutdowns.
Some of the over 100 community members who joined NHPS on Zoom on Monday evening.
Board member Matthew Wilcox asked whether a compromise between the two sides might be to pay part-timers for a few weeks or until the next pay period. The board could then revisit the conversation when they have more information from the federal government about whether they can use special funds.
Goldson suggested paying part-timers until the board has more information.
“If we put a time limit on it, we will be putting them under additional stress,” Goldson said.
When Goldson put his suggestion to a vote, it failed 3 – 5. Tamiko Jackson-McArthur and Larry Conaway sided with Goldson.
The board then approved Wilcox’s suggestion to pay part-timers through the mid-April pay period by a 6 – 2 vote. Conaway and Goldson remained opposed while Jackson-McArthur voted yes.