The recent decision, in August 2014, by the Ansonia Board of Education to outsource the Instructional Assistants exhibits a lack of business aptitude and background resulting in significant monetary loss in pay causing stress in an already bleak economic society.
The outsourcing decision did not just come about the end of July, beginning of August as indicated in the Valley Independent Sentinel. Discussions with the staffing agency, Delta‑T, began long before Ms. Merlone’s announcement at the end of July and into August.
Here are a few facts:
- The City of Ansonia’s Final Budget for the Fiscal Year, 2014 – 2015 was approved May 19, 2014. In the approved budget, the Board of Education Expense is $28,897,207.00 (found on page 40). This entire decision to outsource was not announced until July 29th and finalized August 7th.
- The IA’s are hourly employees, with hourly wages ranging from $11.84 to $28.00 as stated in the Valley Independent Sentinel, Aug. 10, 2014
- In June, the IA’s must sign a waiver not to seek unemployment over the summer with the possibility of being rehired in August/September of the new school year, WHY?
- The Sentinel article states that the across the board rate of being outsourced would be $17.32 per hour which later was reduced to $17.00. This is in error as Delta‑T is deducting an additional $4.00, making it $13.00 per hour.
- Delta‑T is NOT deducting Federal Income Tax, Social Security Tax, Medicare Tax or CT State Income Tax. This now is the responsibility of each IA.
- Per a Tax CPA, IA’s need to deduct 35 percent, weekly, from their pay to cover the deductions for tax purposes which now brings the hourly wage to $8.45 per hour.
Who is going to perform that function, a CPA or the IA? If an error is made by the IA they risk the possibility of being audited by the IRS. If they chose a CPA that now is another out-of-pocket expense.
As for Delta‑T’s credibility is suspect. It is not a Top 10 agency in any of the eight counties in Connecticut and one in neighboring Massachusetts.
Additionally, Delta‑T is in the midst of legal issues over the hiring and placing of individuals with questionable backgrounds.
Below is what the Instructional Assistants do not currently receive for working a 16 to 29 hour week:
- No benefits, i.e., medical, dental, vision
- Do NOT receive pay for Early dismissal (PD Days) and/or half days, National Holidays (no pay), Christmas and Spring (April) vacations (no pay), Days off due to inclement weather (no pay), Sick days (no pay), Funerals (immediate or otherwise) (no pay)
The timing in this is suspect. The school board approved the Delta‑T contract in August, with the 2014/2015 school year was starting three weeks later, knowing the less time given to IAs apprising them of the changes, the less likely an exodus.
This is Ansonia High School Report Card for 2013 (http://reportcards.conncan.org/report-cards/schools-comparison).
- Overall Grade: D
- Mathematics: D
- Reading: D
- Writing: C
- Science: D
- Improvement from 2012: D
Another question to be asked of the ‘regular ed’ students: why is the Ansonia school district (entire district) ranked ACADEMICALLY, 150th out of 164 school districts in Connecticut?
The writer is a Woodbury resident and former instructional assistant at the Ansonia Public Schools who left the position after last year.
