Board of Ed, Union to Enter Paraprofessional Health Care Talks

Concerns over how the Montville Township Board of Education will deal with a new law requiring employers to provide health care coverage for full-time employees and what that will mean for Montville paraprofessionals' hours and compensation led several parents of special education students and members of the Montville Township Education Association to speak in support of paraprofessionals at a school board meeting Tuesday night.

Among their concerns is that paraprofessionals' hours will be cut to below the threshold that requires healthcare coverage, which would disrupt the number of days, or times of day, they spend with students who have special needs.

School board President Dr. Karen Cortellino and MTEA President Peter Porter said they will open a dialogue to explore the issue.

Montville paraprofessionals are paid hourly and typically earn around $15 an hour working full time, but do not receive health insurance, Porter said. The new law doesn't allow for that arrangement.

Supporters of paraprofessionals and members of the MTEA, the union that represents teachers, custodians, secretaries and paraprofessionals, filled the parking lot at the municipal building beyond capacity.

Cortellino opened the meeting saying the administration and board "certainly recognize that the paraprofessionals take care of some of the most vulnerable students in our district."

"Those vulnerable students oftentimes will do better with a consistent environment, with consistent staff," she said. "To that end, what we'd like to do is reach out to union leadership to open a dialgoue and explore ways to solve the situation we have in front of us that was brought to bear by the Affordable Health Care Act."

Cortellino said the board cares deeply and want to do the right thing for students, the district and taxpayers.

Porter said he looks forward to "hopefully coming to a good conclusion for their situation." While paraprofessionals deal with students most at risk, they are "lowest on the totem pole of compensation and benefits," he said.

He also said the Affordable Health Care Act is a good law in spirit, but has unintended consequences.

Montville parent Richard Tong said his son couldn't survive without the crucial services of a paraprofessional who helps guide him.

"For the people who are giving our kids a first-class service they should not be treated as second class," Tong said.

Cortellino said it's never the board's intention to treat anyone as second class.