Minneapolis Public Schools lays off educators with 25 years experience

For the past five years, the Minneapolis public schools have been slowly laying off educational assistants, a classification of paraprofessional, because they don’t meet new college experience requirements different from when they were hired. At this point, there are 17 EAs left in the district, all with 25 or more years experience as an educator. The district has refused to grandfather them in to other student support positions despite their extensive experience, and despite the fact that paraprofessional positions go unfilled every year.  These long-term employees have shown their commitment to the students, families and communities of MPS. The district has spent time and resources to train and support them in their work with our students.  However, the district has decided that EAs who were helping our students be successful are suddenly not sufficiently qualified to do their work.
ESP MFT 59, the paraprofessional union, is taking action to halt these layoffs and reinstate workers let go in previous years. In the past, groups of EAs have presented their case at school board meetings, but despite acknowledgment of their difficult situation, nothing has been done to protect their positions. ESP MFT 59 is requesting that all concerned community members contact the school board and the MPS department of human capital and demand an end to EA layoffs, and that previously laid off staff be offered their positions back.
For more information, concerned community members can contact ESP MFT 59 at [email protected].