The Reading School District Board of Directors officially approved a new five-year collective bargaining agreement with the Reading Education Support Professionals (RESPA/PSEA/NEA) during the Regular School Board Meeting held Wednesday evening, May 27, 2026. RESPA is the exclusive bargaining agent for the District’s paraeducators, classroom assistants, personal care assistants, and parent outreach assistants.
The agreement, which runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2031, represents a significant investment in the District’s educational support professionals and includes a number of enhancements designed to strengthen employee recruitment, retention, professional support, and overall workplace quality throughout the Reading School District.
The new agreement includes substantial increases to starting wages, expanded leave benefits, improved longevity stipends, and the implementation of a new employee mentor program aimed at supporting and retaining new staff members.
Under the approved agreement, the starting hourly wage for new hires will increase from $15.00 per hour to $23.27 per hour, raising the estimated annual full-time compensation for new employees from approximately $20,685 to nearly $33,000 annually. Existing RESPA employees will also receive annual hourly wage increases throughout the duration of the agreement. The agreement also strengthens longevity stipends for long-serving employees, including the addition of a new 25+ years of service stipend of $1,500 annually.
Additional updates include expanded personal leave benefits for employees across all years of service and the creation of a formal New Employee Mentor Program, which will pair incoming employees with experienced staff mentors to provide guidance, shadowing opportunities, and ongoing support.
“This agreement reflects our shared commitment to investing in the people who help make our schools run every single day,” said Dr. Khalid N. Mumin. “Our educational support professionals are essential to the success of our students and schools. These updates will help us continue attracting and retaining dedicated employees while strengthening the support systems available to our staff.”
RESPA leadership also shared their excitement about the agreement and the process that made it possible.
“More than half of RESPA’s members are residents of the Reading School District. This agreement reflects not only an investment in the staff, but in the RSD community as well. As local president, I’d like to thank the board for recognizing the important work RESPA members do each and every day for our students,” stated Kimberly Jones, RESPA President. “This contract shows our union members the respect they deserve. We are hopeful it will entice new employees to come to work in Reading and become members of RESPA, which will allow us to provide the best support for our students.”
While many terms remain unchanged, including work day structure, work year schedules, overtime protections, and sick leave benefits, the new agreement introduces several important enhancements intended to modernize and strengthen employee support within the District.
As part of the approved 2026-2027 budget, more than 40 new positions were also created within RESPA. District administration believes these additional positions, combined with the enhancements included in the new collective bargaining agreement, will help strengthen student support services, improve operations across the District, and further position the RSD as a competitive and attractive place for educational support professionals to build their careers.
Both the Reading School District and RESPA recognize this agreement as an important step forward in continuing to build a strong, supportive, and student-focused educational community.
For more information about employment opportunities within the Reading School District, please visit Reading School District website.