The Lawrence School Board reached an agreement with the Lawrence Education Association by approving a 2025-2026 contract agreement in a 7-0 decision on Sept. 24. The contract agreement will increase Education Support Professionals’, which include paraeducators, food service workers, secretaries, IT staff and others- hourly wage by $1, as well as increase the minimum wage for ESPs from $14.02 to $15.46.
According to the Lawrence Times, the living wage in Lawrence for an adult with no dependents is currently $20.87.
On Aug. 14, during the first contract negotiations meeting with the school board, the LEA advocated for a $3.10 raise to bring the minimum wage up to $17.12. However, the district countered with an offer of a 54-cent raise, which would only bring the hourly wage to around $15.
Paraeducator Diana Brown, who has been working in the district for 10 years, said that the union had a meeting and decided 54 cents wasn’t enough. Brown also said that three years ago, ESPs were told they could receive a better wage in a couple of years.
School Board President and Negotiations Team member GR Gordon-Ross said that the district was unable to meet the $3.10 raise proposal because it does not have the necessary funds, and that if the district were to agree to a higher raise, they would have to identify specific sources to support it.
According to a statement from the district, the $1 raise will cost the district $1.13 million.
“The board, along with myself personally, is committed to working with ESPs on a multi-year plan to address wage disparities. Our goal is to find sustainable solutions that ensure fair compensation, and I am confident that Dr. Swift and her team share this commitment,” Gordon-Ross said.
Gordon-Ross said that, in addition to a raise, the leave pool was reinstated for ESPs in the new contract. A leave pool can be drawn from or donated to, helping ESPs take work off in case of medical, personal or familial issues
“These updates to the negotiated agreement will bring so much to our ESP staff members. It is great to have the illness leave pool back with the addition of the catastrophic leave pool.
