CONTRACTING OUT JOBS OF PARAPROFESSIONALS/SCHOOL-RELATED PERSONNEL/CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES

WHEREAS, AFT recognizes the importance of quality service within the educational environment, in K-12 districts, community colleges, and other institutions of higher education; and

WHEREAS, AFT recognizes the contributions paraprofessionals/school-related personnel and all classified employees make to this overall environment; and

WHEREAS, AFT recognizes that quality, dedication, and continuity of outstanding performance cannot normally be met through independent contracted services; and

WHEREAS, these independently contracted services have been shown to be less cost effective than use of permanent employees to perform support services:

RESOLVED, that AFT continue to support the quality services provided by paraprofessionals/school-related personnel and all classified employees and, accordingly, do whatever is necessary to make the public and appropriate legislative bodies aware of additional cost, ill effects, and inadvisability of contracted services; and

RESOLVED, that AFT not support any legislative position with respect to contracted services that would jeopardize, eliminate, or reduce positions of paraprofessionals/school-related personnel and all classified employees; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT develop a policy against the contracting out of teaching jobs as well.