Say "No" to Outsourcing!

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

  • Attend the School Board Meeting on Dec 3rd at 6pm

    • Remember to wear Red for Ed!

  • Testify to the School Board (In person or telephonically)

  •  If you cannot testify in person, send an email to schoolboard@k12northstar.org

 HERE ARE SOME TALKING POINTS YOU CAN USE!

  1. Outsourcing means that school staff and the public lose control over essential school services.   The goal of a for-profit contractor is profit; the goal of school district employees is to provide a high quality service for schools, students, staff, and the community.  These goals don’t always overlap. Outsourcing means giving up the district’s control over these essential services. 

  2. Outsourcing leads to lower quality services. Contractors have a financial incentive to reduce their costs so they can maximize their profit. Reducing costs comes in the form of reducing the number of workers and hours assigned to a task, using inferior materials and supplies, providing less training and oversight to workers, and any other thing they can think of to cut costs. All of these lead to a lower quality of service than staff and students deserve.

  3. Outsourcing often doesn’t even save money. Research shows that cost overruns in outsourced school services are very common due to incomplete cost/benefit analysis before outsourcing, loopholes and escalator clauses in contracts, and unaccounted direct costs. It is extremely common for contractors to lowball their bids to win a contract (intentionally, or not!), then pump up their profits any way they can.

  4. Outsourcing means the school district will lose its flexibility to respond to emergencies and unforeseen events.  Outsourcing companies reduce their costs by sticking strictly to their contracts; then ask for additional money when they are asked to respond to something unforeseen. 

  5. Outsourcing means a loss of transparency and accountability. The school board and a school district are accountable to the public: students and their families, staff, and the community at large. A private company contracting with the district is not required to share even basic information with the public. 

  6. Loss of institutional expertise. Typically, school support staff are likely to dedicate their entire careers to their profession until retirement. Privatizing often leads to the replacement of less experienced workers, less trained workers and less connection to the school community. 

  7. Reduced labor standards contribute to reduced racial and gender equity. Privatizing school service workers often provide lower wages, reduction of benefits, with little to no retirement security. These jobs are often paid at poverty-level costs, the loss of health care benefits leaving many uninsured or dependent on Medicaid or children’s health insurance programs.

  8. Change in school culture. Students thrive when there is a school culture that supports students academically, socially, and emotionally. Having stability with teachers and support staff positively impacts student learning.

2023-2026 ESSA Negotiated Agreement

Proposed Changes to Governing Documents

What is ESSA?

ESSA, short for Education Support Staff Association, advocates for public education and represents employees of the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District.

ESSA is affiliated with NEA-Alaska, an organization of 13,000+ members who work in Alaska’s public schools.

We are a powerful, united voice for public education employees that provides development to ESSA members in the areas of advocacy, professional development, member involvement, and community engagement.

Footage courtesy Emily Peterson-Wood, Interior Labor Coordinator AFL-CIO

What do we do?

  • Work behind the scenes to make our schools safe and run smoothly

  • Strengthen the safety net for at-risk children

  • Create strong ties with the community

  • Promote parent involvement and reach out to multi-cultural communities

  • Take pride in hard work and a job well done

  • Demonstrate the importance of people from all different backgrounds working together to help every child succeed