AUGUSTA - Rep. Rebecca Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth, presented a bill on Thursday to address the shortage of ed techs and other school staff by raising their wages.
LD 955 would establish a minimum hourly wage for public school support staff beginning in 2024. The wage would be equal to 125% of the statewide minimum wage.
"School support staff help students learn and excel, keep our children safe and healthy and make sure our schools run smoothly. But right now, Maine schools are struggling to fill these positions, and that is hurting our students and all members of our school communities," said Millett. "Establishing a reasonable minimum pay for these essential workers is a key part of the solution to help attract and retain dedicated staff.
The bill would affect education technicians, nutrition staff, maintenance workers and bus drivers, among other school employees.
School districts across the state have struggled to hire enough support staff. A lack of school bus drivers have led some school districts to cancel bus routes, and the shortage of education technicians has raised concerns about student safety.
"It is my belief that LD 955 will lead to an environment that increasingly values support staff," said Andrew Van Horn, a custodian at Hampden Academy. "Working as a support staff member has been a transformative experience for me, connecting me with my community in a way that I would never have considered when I was younger. I believe that LD 955 and bills like it would serve to draw in a younger pool of employees while increasing the longevity of commitment to the work of supporting education, which is regularly changing and evolving."
The Education and Cultural Affairs Committee will hold a work session on the bill in the coming days, at which time committee members will have the opportunity to debate and offer amendments before voting on a recommendation to the full Legislature.
Millett is serving her second term in the Maine House and previously served eight years in the Maine Senate. She is a member of both the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee and the budget-writing Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee. She is also the founder and co-chair of the Legislature's Children's Caucus.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Millett], c. 305-965-2744
PHOTO: Rep. Rebecca Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth, presented a bill on Thursday to address the shortage of ed techs and other school staff by raising their wages. She was joined by members of the Maine Education Association as well as legislators Rep. Jan Dodge, D-Belfast, and Rep. Ben Collings, D-Portland.