NEA National K-12 Educational Support Personnel Membership Study: 1997

Every 5 years the NEA takes a survey of its Educational Support Personnel members. These surveys give us a statistical picture of who NEA ESP members are, what they do, and most importantly, what concerns they have about their work. This picture guides the dialogue of national, state, and local leaders and staff on such issues as collective bargaining, advocating for professional development, planning community organizing, and combatting privatization.

Here are a few of the findings from the Membership Study:

• On experience. On average, K-12 ESP members have nearly 11 years of experience in educational support work.

• On community connections. No less than 60%, and as much as 82%, of the members of NEA's K-12 job groups live in the school districts where they work.

• On putting down roots. ESP don't just live where they work, they have deep roots there. More than half of all ESP have lived in their communities for 20 or more years. And three-quarters of all NEA K-12 ESP members volunteer their time to at least one community program or organization.

• On career aspirations. Half of paraeducators, and significant portions of other ESP job groups, are interested in becoming teachers.

• On safety. Forty percent of all NEA K-12 ESP members have a great deal of responsibility for promoting school safety.

How the Study was Conducted

This K-12 study is the first of two surveys of NEA ESP members. A separate survey of Higher Education ESP members has also been conducted. NEA Research hired Princeton Survey Research Associates to conduct the survey, so that each member's answers would be kept strictly confidential, even from the NEA.

Princeton Survey Research first sent each person in the sample an advance-notice postcard to tell them they had been selected to receive a questionnaire. This postcard was followed by up to three mailings of the actual questionnaire. Toll-free 800 telephone numbers were set up at Princeton Survey Research and at NEA Research so respondents could call if they had questions about the survey.

The study was conducted from April through October of 1997. A total of 6,562 questionnaires were sent to NEA K-12 ESP members. A full 3,938 responded, for a total response rate of 60%. This was a gratifying response, indicating that K-12 ESP members are interested in making their professional organization aware of their views.