North Andover (MA) Teaching Assistant Negotiating Session - November 04, 2026

North Andover teaching assistant contract-negotiation session, North Andover, Massachusetts, November 4, 2026. The district presented responses and a financial proposal for the teaching assistant bargaining unit, including salary tables with 2.5% increases in FY2027, FY2028, and FY2029, and changes that incorporate paid holidays into hourly rates. The proposal adds Juneteenth as a paid holiday in FY2027 if school is in session that day, with holidays incorporated into rates in later years. It also offers an additional $1,500 annually for specified inclusion or language-based paraprofessionals assisting students age seven or older with regular toileting needs under an IEP, and introduces a separate Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) salary category. Participants questioned the proposed pay levels, eligibility and compensation for toileting duties, program coverage, work schedules, and the placement of RBTs in the unit. The district said the salary proposal would be retroactive but did not address coverage for staff temporarily assigned across programs.

The parties also discussed tuition reimbursement: the district proposed reimbursement for up to four Salem State classes, submission of required paperwork by May 15, and payment within 30 days after required paperwork and approval; the superintendent or designee’s approval decision would not be subject to the grievance procedure. Other contract-language proposals addressed benefits and seniority, while the district rejected a proposed career-awards addition. No votes or final agreements were reported. The parties plan to reconvene December 1, with the union preparing a comprehensive response and the district offering comparable-district wage data for further discussion.