Overlooked and Neglected Heroes!
Isn’t it ironic that members of the Portland School Board support Portland Promise but don’t deliver on their promise? Let me explain.
Portland Promise has four goals. The fourth and final goal is People. On the People page of the website the subtext states, “Portland Public Schools attracts, supports and retains talented and diverse people who use their strengths to achieve our shared goal.” Next to the stated goal is, “Target - 95% of staff members are satisfied and engaged in the work they do.”
There is a group of Portland School employees who did not have a contract for over two years. They are generally paid less than $20/hour and work less than 40 hour weeks. These people are the Instructional Aides or Ed-Techs. They are about 200 strong according to 2020-2021 Common Core Data.
Without Ed-Techs, teachers would accomplish very little. I know this because I saw first-hand the value of Ed-Techs when I taught high school. Ed-Techs do the heavy lifting for students with special needs; English language learning, advanced and remedial studies by working in many cases, one-on-one with them. Their teaching skills and commitment enable all students to access learning.
Ed-Techs actively fulfill another Portland Promise goal that, “95% of students will feel valued and connected to a caring adult.” Ed-Techs and teachers make the strongest connection with students because of the one-on-one work they do.
It seems unfair to expect value and connection from a group of people, in this case Ed-Techs who are not valued.
And, the entire Equity/Inclusion promise within Portland Promise relies on Ed-Techs. They support a safe environment for all students in the classroom and beyond. They play an invaluable role in the school climate. They are the delivery vehicle for Portland Promise.
Minimizing the importance of Ed-Techs is not new. It is endemic and not the result of the pandemic. You can’t truly expect to attract and retain these talented people if they do not have the respect and support that is their due. Where is the equity in that? This needs to change and I will do everything in my power to make this right.
Among the beliefs and promises I made in my first blog I stated that
Public Education’s purpose is to ensure everyone is supported to fulfill their potential.
Ensure that Portland Public Schools support the work of students and teachers.
Guard the right of each individual to reach their full potential.
Ed-Techs, teachers, school building staff and school administrators support students in the hard work of learning. They create an environment that encourages academic, social and emotional growth of students. They are the people without whose committed efforts the Portland Promise cannot be achieved.
Please join me in supporting Portland School System’s Educational Technicians. These are the people who execute the promises made in Portland Promise. Waiting two years to give them a contract and a living wage is not respectful. It’s time to be Equitable with the people who play such a critical role in our students' learning.
