Q&A
Discussion on wage agreement exclusion for early childhood special education staff
0:55:25
ยท
60 sec
Council Member Schulman inquires about the exclusion of staff at early childhood special education programs and CBOs from a recent wage agreement for early childhood workers in New York City. Jessica Wallenstein from the DOE responds, acknowledging the importance of wage parity and ongoing efforts to address this issue.
- Highlights a wage agreement that excludes certain special education staff
- DOE representative acknowledges the importance of addressing this disparity
- Indicates ongoing discussions and prioritization of the issue by relevant departments
Lynn C. Schulman
0:55:25
In October 2024, New York CPS announced a tentative agreement to provide wage increases for early childhood workers across New York City, including those in CBOs.
0:55:36
This agreement includes a compounded wage increase of 16.21% over 5 years with retroactive annual increases of 3% starting from October 2022, a $2,000 ratification bonus, and a minimum wage of $18 per hour.
0:55:52
However, the agreement excludes staff at early childhood special education programs and CBOs.
0:55:57
Why Why were staff at early childhood special education programs and CBOs excluded from the agreement?
Jessica Wallenstein
0:56:06
So we are aware of the importance of parity for all early childhood teachers, particularly given, some of the challenges that deputy chancellor Foti laid out in her testimony.
0:56:17
We are confident that the division of early childhood and our partners in city hall are prioritizing this work, and we are in ongoing conversations on the topic.