Grants

The NEA Foundation's Innovation Grants provide an opportunity for teachers, education support professionals, and higher education faculty to develop and implement innovations that significantly improve student learning. Eligible applicants may submit a proposal at any time.

Professional Development

The ESP Conference is designed to provide professional development opportunities for participants to help them gain the skills they need to: build stronger locals, build strong internal and external relationships, organize members, and enhance NEA ESP members' ability to positively influence student achievement.

NEA ESP Conference Scholarship Contest

How would you like to win an all expense paid trip to the NEA ESP Conference? Here's your chance! NEA ESPQ will award ten scholarships to the top NEA ESP recruiters in 2011.

Membership is the heart and soul of NEA. ESP members are the fastest growing membership group in NEA and we want to keep it up! The ten ESP members who recruit the most new members between May 1, 2011 and December 1, 2011, and submit a signed verification form, will win an all-expense paid scholarship to the 2012 NEA ESP Conference. All you need to do is get busy signing up members. 

Nominee's must complete the verification form and have it signed by the State Executive Director and the State president. Verification forms must be received by December 16, 2011.

Click here to view official contest rules and verification form.

2011 NEA ESP Conference Highlights

VIDEO: NEA Vice President Lily Eskelsen Engages Conference Participants
NEA Vice President Lily Eskelsen calls for grassroots organizing at the 2011 NEA ESP Conference.

VIDEO: NEA Secretary-Treasurer Inspires Conference Participants
Attendees of the 2011 NEA ESP Conference are inspired and energized by NEA Secretary-Treasurer Becky Pringle to stand strong.

VIDEO: USDA Undersecretary Janey Thornton Holds a Roundtable Discussion
USDA Undersecretary Janey Thornton discusses the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act at the 2011 ESP Conference

VIDEO: Guest Speaker Gail Rasmussen, ESP Member and Oregon Education Association President
Oregon Education Association President Gail Rasmussen speaks to members at the 2011 NEA ESP Conference

North Carolina Bus Driver and Teacher Assistant Named 2011 NEA ESP of the Year
In front of a banquet hall at the Washington Hilton, Ernest “Jameel” Williams graciously accepted the 2011 National Education Association Education Support Professional (ESP) of the Year Award, surrounded by about 1,000 fellow ESPs, state Association staff and others from across the country.

Georgia Custodian Wins C.L.E.A.N. Award
Barry Crocker is considered the superstar of Nicholson Elementary in Marietta, Georgia. A custodian for more than 20 years, Crocker was recently awarded the 2011 C.L.E.A.N. Award in Washington, D.C., by the National Education Association.

Click here to view a complete list of ESP professional development offerings through NEA. 

Retirement

Web Resources

We Can't Imagine A Day Without ESPs
VIDEO: See for yourself how important every education support professional is to the daily lives of our students and our schools. This poignant video "A Day without ESP" illustrates the value of our work on so many levels. It was produced by Indiana member Mary Neylon. Also, check out a list of things that wouldn't get done in our public schools without our ESP members.

The ESP List is an E-mail discussion list (a "listserv") open to all NEA members and staff. List members use the list to talk about issues that concern education support professionals within the NEA, such as contracting out, bargaining problems, training needs, and questions about how improve and strengthen the Association.

NEA's Legislative Action Center (LAC) provides you with the latest information on pending legislation and NEA priorities, and the tools to connect with your elected representatives. Use the LAC to send E-mail messages to your Congressional delegation and your State legislators. Here's your chance to speak out for children and public education.

Education Support Professionals: Partners in Education
A closer look at NEA's ESPs: who they are, what they do, and why they do it. We break it down for you here.

NEA ESP Publications

Bus Drivers and Bullying Prevention  (PDF, 583KB, 4 pgs) first in a series of briefs based on findings from NEA's 2010 Nationwide Study of Bullying: Teachers and ESP Perspectives membership survey. This brief presents data from transportation professionals who participated in the survey and provides practical tips about what can be done to prevent or intervene in bullying situations occuring on the school bus.

The ESProfessionals: An Action Guide to Help You in Your Professional Development  (PDF, 2.1 Mb, 95 pgs) provides professional development ideas, best practices and resources to help ESP do what you already do well, even better.

Exclusive for Education Support Professionals: NEA Member Benefits  (PDF, 235k, 2 pgs) showcases benefits available to NEA members.

Exposure to Blood on the Job: What School Employees Need to Know. This handbook from the NEA Health Information Network will give you information and resources you need to protect yourself and your students from diseases transmitted by blood. It can be downloaded in English   (PDF, 32 pgs) and Spanish    (PDF, 32 pgs) versions.

A Guide to Celebrate National Education Support Professionals Day.   (PDF, 314KB, 20 pgs) contains ideas for celebrating, tips on media outreach, sample proclamations, letters to the editor, news releases, PSA's and more.

Legal Actions Against Educational Support Personnel (ESP) . . .Who Pays? This brochure provides information on the Educators Employment Liability (EEL) Program which covers Association members in the event of liability arising from educational employment activities or duties.

The Paraeducator Handbook provides an overview of information about key issues related to supporting paraeducators, including: building an awareness and appreciation of paraeducator roles and responsibilities; representing paraeducators in the work place; being aware of laws and regulations affecting Paraeducators; ensuring appropriate training and supervision; and .providing ongoing professional development.

Paraeducators and IDEA 2004 - Knowledge, Skills and Advocacy provides paraeducators and Association leaders and staff with information about IDEA 2004 that can be used to build knowledge and skills for advocacy.

Repetitive Stress Injuries Handbook. This 38-page publication reviews the causes of repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) for bus drivers, clerical workers, custodians, food services workers, and other ESPs. It also explains what can be done to prevent these common and serious on-the-job injuries. Available in both HTML and PDF formats.

Results-Oriented Job Descriptions describes a new approach to ESP job descriptions.

Results-Oriented Job Descriptions: How Paraeducators Help Students Achieve outlines the process by which new ROJDs can be written to help paras achieve recognition of the vital roles they pay, respect for their professionalism, job security, and equitable pay.

Supporting Our Own: A Manual for ESP Mentoring Programs    (PDF, 1.9 Mb, 48 pgs). This manual is designed to assist local Associations and school districts to plan and implement mentoring programs specifically for and by ESP.

Understanding How ESEA Affects Paraprofessionals. This series of brochures provides information about the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as The No Child Left Behind Act, as well as tips to educational staff and supporters on proactive ways of responding.  Brochures are available specifically for paraprofessionals, administrators, teachers, and local leaders, in HTML and PDF format.

We're NEA ESPs and Proud of It! This set of eleven colorful brochures provides a comprehensive picture of NEA ESP members and of all ESP in the public education workforce. The first brochure, Education Support Professionals: Partners in Education, provides an overview of the series, and links to the other publications.