Take Action
Cosponsor bills to improve living and working conditions for Education Support Professionals
Education Support Professionals play a vital role in the lives of students. From clerical workers, to food service workers, to custodial and maintenance workers and paraeducators—they work hand-in-hand with teachers to cultivate student success.
ESPs are often the first people to greet students in the morning and the last to see them at the end of the school day. They keep schools running and are dedicated to ensuring that students are safe, healthy, and ready to learn.
But across the nation, many ESPs struggle with inadequate pay, health care, and training. Ask your senators and representative to cosponsor these bills to improve their circumstances:
- Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights Resolution (S.Res. 158/H.Res. 297) to improve overall living and working conditions for ESPs;
- Pay Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Act (S.2451/H.R. 7032) to pay ESPs a living wage;
- ESP, Paraprofessional, and Education Support Staff Family Leave Act (S. 2738/H.R. 5222) to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover more ESPs who don’t meet current eligibility requirements;
- Preparing and Retaining ALL (PARA) Educators Act (S. 2330/H.R. 5476) to recruit and retain paraeducators and improve their pay;
- Improving Training for School Food Service Workers Act (S. 1736/H.R. 3367) to provide workers who prepare and serve school meals with hands-on training during paid working hours.