East Penn SD aides and union urge board to expand full‑time instructional assistant positions
May 13, 2024 | East Penn SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
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At the May 13 East Penn School District Board meeting, a series of instructional assistants and the president of East Penn Education Support Professionals urged the board to expand full‑time hours for instructional assistants (IAs), saying the district’s current proposal will leave many classrooms without consistent support.
"Six to nine positions isn't even enough to add one IA per classroom," Carrie Crawford, president of East Penn Education Support Professionals, told the board, referencing a budget priority to transition six IAs from part‑time to full‑time and to add three new IA positions. Crawford said the cost to convert part‑time IAs to full‑time is "minimal for the overall benefit that students will receive."
Several IAs gave personal examples of routine gaps in coverage. Tammy Hughes, an emotional‑support instructional assistant of 29 years, said her team has tracked more than "3,000 visits already this year" to the emotional‑support classroom and described instances when no IA was available during critical periods because staff were reassigned to other shortages. "These students are struggling...we cannot meet their needs because we do not have enough people," Hughes said.
Other speakers described schedule conflicts and unclear selection criteria for the limited full‑time slots. Melody Arndt, an IA for 17 years, said fourth‑block assignments end at 1:33 p.m., causing her to miss substantial portions of classes she supports. Kristina Schwaer, an IA with 10 years of service, criticized the limited number of possible full‑time conversions and the lack of clarity about how employees will be chosen. "Six out of 155 undervalues 149 people," Schwaer said.
The district administration has placed a conversion of six part‑time IAs to full‑time and three new IA positions in the budget priorities; board members did not debate the details during public comment. The board did approve its general personnel agenda later in the meeting by roll call, but the minutes and agenda packet do not specify whether the individual IA conversions were finalized at this session.
The board is scheduled to consider a final budget at its June 10 meeting, where staffing allocations for the coming year will be finalized.
"Six to nine positions isn't even enough to add one IA per classroom," Carrie Crawford, president of East Penn Education Support Professionals, told the board, referencing a budget priority to transition six IAs from part‑time to full‑time and to add three new IA positions. Crawford said the cost to convert part‑time IAs to full‑time is "minimal for the overall benefit that students will receive."
Several IAs gave personal examples of routine gaps in coverage. Tammy Hughes, an emotional‑support instructional assistant of 29 years, said her team has tracked more than "3,000 visits already this year" to the emotional‑support classroom and described instances when no IA was available during critical periods because staff were reassigned to other shortages. "These students are struggling...we cannot meet their needs because we do not have enough people," Hughes said.
Other speakers described schedule conflicts and unclear selection criteria for the limited full‑time slots. Melody Arndt, an IA for 17 years, said fourth‑block assignments end at 1:33 p.m., causing her to miss substantial portions of classes she supports. Kristina Schwaer, an IA with 10 years of service, criticized the limited number of possible full‑time conversions and the lack of clarity about how employees will be chosen. "Six out of 155 undervalues 149 people," Schwaer said.
The district administration has placed a conversion of six part‑time IAs to full‑time and three new IA positions in the budget priorities; board members did not debate the details during public comment. The board did approve its general personnel agenda later in the meeting by roll call, but the minutes and agenda packet do not specify whether the individual IA conversions were finalized at this session.
The board is scheduled to consider a final budget at its June 10 meeting, where staffing allocations for the coming year will be finalized.
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