The Portland Board of Public Education voted at its Oct. 15 meeting to approve a new three-year contract with the Portland Education Association for Educational Technicians, the union representing the district’s ed techs.

The new agreement runs from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2027.

The new contract increases pay for ed techs each year over the life of the contract, which both sides said will make the district more competitive when it comes to hiring and retaining ed techs.

For 2024-2025, for example, starting pay for an ed tech III rises from $18.94 per hour to $21.28, an increase of $2.34 per hour, or just over 12 percent. The majority of the district’s more than 200 ed techs are ed tech IIIs.

Board Chair Sarah Lentz said at the meeting, “This contract really sets a precedent for making a competitive entry-level salary for our ed techs.” She added that it “also really compensates those that have been with the district for quite some time. I just really appreciate we were able to get both ends of this in this contract.”

At the top of the wage scale, pay for an ed tech III who attains that top step increases from $28.11 per hour to $31.06 per hour, an increase of $2.95 per hour or 10.5 percent.

“When combined with benefits, this is the most competitive top-of-the scale package compared to all surrounding districts,” Superintendent Ryan Scallon said. “This contract really achieves the goals that everybody wanted – to make sure that our ed techs are compensated in a way that recognizes their value to the district.”

Union President Jennifer Cooper said at the meeting, “The major focus was to create a pay scale that both attracted new employees to the district as well as honored the longevity and immense knowledge that seasoned staff bring to our students each day.” She said union members unanimously last week in favor of the contract. “Everyone was very excited,” Cooper said.

The union’s previous three-year contract expired Aug. 31, 2024. Ed techs have been working under the terms of the previous contract as both sides worked for about four months on reaching a mutually beneficial agreement. At the meeting, both Board and union members thanked each other for their cooperative efforts.

Other provisions agreed upon in the contract include an increase from $45 to $60 of additional daily pay for ed techs when they work as substitute teachers and accelerating their longevity vacation time accumulation. Another agreement involves a change in contractual language to specify proper use of sick leave and clarify protocols around the use of that leave.        

View the new contract.

The Portland Public Schools is Maine’s largest school district, with more than 6,600 students, and it’s also the most diverse. About one-third of the district’s students come from homes where languages other than English are spoken—a total of 53 languages. Approximately 48 percent of the district’s students are white and 52 percent are students of color. Nearly half of PPS students qualify for free or reduced-price school meals.