Before schools closed for the summer, CSEA’s Hamden ACES paraeducator chapter gave Governor Ned Lamont a firsthand look at what our members do every day to support students, families and school communities.

The visit was part of a Walk-A-Day experience hosted by ACES members, where the Governor had the opportunity to see paraeducators at work inside the school building, hear directly from members and better understand the real responsibilities that too often get overlooked when decisions are made about school funding and wages.

He even received a custom CSEA shirt that read “Paraeducator in Training,” a reminder that there are some things you can only understand when you spend time alongside the people doing the work.

For our members, the visit was more than a photo opportunity. It was an important part of the growing campaign to win the respect, investment and wages paraeducators deserve.

During the walk-a-day, Chapter President Stacey Booker spoke clearly about what ACES paraeducators know better than anyone: investing in students must also mean investing in the staff who support them.

Paraeducators are the people helping students stay focused, manage difficult moments, participate in class, communicate their needs, move safely through the school day and receive the individualized support that allows them to learn. They work with students with disabilities, students who need behavioral support, students learning English, students recovering from trauma and students who simply need a trusted adult beside them.

These jobs are not secondary to student success. They are central to it.

But across Connecticut, paraeducators are being asked to do essential work for wages that do not reflect the skill, patience, experience and emotional labor the job requires. Too many paraeducators are forced to work second and third jobs. Too many are trying to make ends meet while supporting students whose needs continue to grow. Too many districts are struggling to recruit and retain experienced staff because the pay does not match the work.

That is why CSEA paraeducators are continuing to fight for a $45,000 minimum salary.

A $45,000 salary is not extravagant. It is not unreasonable. It is the floor for dignity. It is the basic recognition that people who help our schools function, who support our most vulnerable students and who are trusted by families every day should not be forced into poverty-level wages.

When schools are short-staffed, students feel it. When paraeducators leave for better-paying jobs, students lose trusted relationships. When districts cannot recruit experienced staff, the entire school community is stretched thinner. But when Connecticut invests in paraeducators, students benefit, families benefit and schools become stronger.

The Walk-A-Day gave members the chance to show the Governor what this work looks like in real life. It also helped build toward the 2027 legislative session, when CSEA paraeducators will be pushing lawmakers to take the next major step in the fight for fair wages.

No one can tell the story of this work better than the people doing it every day. That is why member voices are at the center of this campaign.

Our members are not just asking elected officials to listen. They are inviting them to see the work, understand the stakes and join the fight for the students and staff who make Connecticut schools work.