Res. No. 542
Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation to require a prevailing wage for all school aides, whether in public, charter, or private schools.
By Council Members Avilés, Richardson Jordan, Farías, Restler, Marte, Hudson, Hanif, Ung and Riley
Whereas, School aides or teaching aides are paraprofessionals or para-educators, who are typically hourly workers tasked with supporting students with disabilities, supervising individual or group classroom work, assisting with behavior management, and setting up and cleaning classrooms; and
Whereas, As of May 2021, nationally, there were estimated 1,187,270 teaching assistants, with 1,017,910 or 85.7 percent being employed in elementary and secondary schools, at the average annual wage of $31,760 and the median annual wage of $29,360; and
Whereas, Nationally, between October 2019 and October 2021, the number of publicly employed teaching assistants declined by 2.6 percent, and over 25 percent of paraprofessionals reported that they were likely to leave their job within the next year, with 71 percent indicating pay as a major reason for their impending departure; and
Whereas, Nationally, between 2014 and 2019, the weekly median wage in 2020 dollars for all workers was $790 versus the weekly median wage of $507 for teaching assistants; and
Whereas, Nationally, between 2014 and 2019, 4.5 percent of all workers had more than one job in contrast to 10.6 percent of teaching assistants working multiple jobs; and
Whereas, According to a May 2022 national survey, over 25 percent of paraprofessionals reported being unable to afford living in the community where they work; children of approximately a quarter of paraprofessionals qualified for free or reduced-price meals at school; 19 percent of paraprofessionals used a food pantry; 18 percent participated in a Medicaid program; 16 percent received food stamps; and 14 percent were beneficiaries of emergency assistance with utility bills or rent; and
Whereas, As of May 2021, in New York State, there were 108,780 teaching assistants at the average annual wage of $34,450 and the median annual wage of $29,570; and
Whereas, As of May 2021, in the New York Metropolitan Area, there were about 104,340 teaching assistants at the average annual wage of $35,530, while according to the Economic Policy Institute’s Family Budget Calculator, a family of one adult and one child needs an annual income of $88,650 in 2020 dollars to attain a modest, yet adequate standard of living in the New York Metropolitan Area or an annual income of $56,718 in 2020 dollars for one adult and no children; and
Whereas, As of 2023, some paraprofessionals in New York were represented by labor unions, such as the New York State United Teachers union and in New York City, the United Federation of Teachers union representing approximately 27,000 classroom paraprofessionals in New York City public schools; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation to require a prevailing wage for all school aides, whether in public, charter, or private schools.
LS #9651
03/29/2023
AZ