Voices: Teachers union pushes for pay raises, promotions for food service, transportation employees

Prince William Education Association President Maggie Hansford spoke before the Prince William County School Board on February 8 to push for raises for school employees.

I just want to start off by making Dr. Walts for making educators a priority in this year’s budget.

There are a couple of things that I would like you to consider when you are working on this year’s budget. I know you have a lot of priorities and a tall task.

I would like for you to consider a 2% cost of living adjustment for our staff. It looks like inflation is estimated at 2 percent, so a staffer earning their STEP (salary increase), and the cost of living (salary increase) every year should reflect that inflation.

I would also like to see a livable wage for transportation, as well as the foodservice department. They have some issues with equity when making that pathway into leadership positions. So I would like you all to consider a pathway for them, in an equitable stance in moving them toward an opportunity for leadership.

Lastly, I would like the [School Board] to reflect mental health as a priority and have the budget reflect caseloads that align with success. When you all are looking at caseloads, I would like for you all to look at special education. We look at this every year, and when we look at special education, our educators, our [teaching assistants], we want to make sure that we set them up for success, and that means a reasonable caseload count.

Two pay raises are on the table in the proposed $1.3 billion budget— a cost of living and step-increase salary hikes, each of which is about 4%. The budget is $33 million than last year’s budget.