My Hometown, Worcester, Tries to Save Money by Paying Teachers Less

My hometown, the City of Worcester is trying to reduce costs by negotiating for teachers to pay a higher percentage of the cost of health insurance. In the long term the city would be wise to continue paying 87 to 90% of health insurance costs for teaching staff.

Worcester’s teaching force is predominantly made up of women, and it includes many instructional aides who are paid considerably less than certified teachers. Because women are usually the decision makers in families when it comes to health care, the quality and cost of health insurance is a major factor in most teachers’ decisions about where to work. This is especially so for those on the low end of the salary scale –new teachers and aides – for whom insurance costs make up a larger percentage of their overall pay.

If health insurance benefits are cut, the Worcester schools will have a difficult time recruiting new teachers and retaining experienced classroom aides. Staff turnover will increase as employees look for work in school systems that offer better remuneration. In a city filled with new immigrant minorities, there would be little incentive for members of these minorities to choose to teach in Worcester.

City government should look elsewhere in the budget for ways to save money, or the Worcester schools will suffer the consequences of greater difficulty recruiting capable staff, especially staff that will reflect our city’s growing diversity.