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Governance Document

2024 NEA ESP of the Year Award Nomination Process

View the overview and requirements and get started on the nomination process for NEA's highest honor for education support professionals.
Published: July 2023 Last Updated: July 2023

The NEA Education Support Professional (ESP) of the Year Award honors a member who demonstrates outstanding accomplishments and reflects the vital role ESPs play in public education. NEA will present the 2024 ESP of the Year (ESPOTY) Award in the spring as part of the 2024 NEA ESP National Conference

Before getting started...

Be sure you are the ESPOTY Affiliate Point of Contact (POC) for your state. POCs are individuals appointed by the state affiliate executive director to liaise with NEA staff and coordinate the compilation and submission of their state’s ESPOTY nomination to NEA. POCs work directly with nominees to collect the award requirements and then enter them into the online system on their behalf. Nominees cannot submit their own nominations. 

Award Overview and Requirements

New for 2024: Changes to the ESPOTY Award Process
The ESPOTY nomination and selection process has been updated to ensure that it remains strong, unbiased, defensible, and fair and that it meets or exceeds the caliber of similar high-stakes national awards. 

If you are a POC or nominee, make sure you download and review the 2024 ESPOTY Overview and Requirements and supporting materials in their entirety for more information on these changes and the process. The Overview and Requirements describe the ESPOTY program, eligibility and nomination package requirements, along with important changes to the process, including updated scoring criteria, a revised timeline for submission of nominations, and the selection process which now includes an identification of semi-finalists. 

Start a new ESP of the Year Nomination

Return to a saved ESP of the Year Nomination

Deadline for Nominations: 11:59 p.m. EDT on Monday, September 18, 2023

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ESP Publications

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National Education Association

Great public schools for every student

The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.