What Is rESPect And Why Do We Deserve It?
RESPECT | Raising Education Support Professionals by Elevating Careers Together is a statewide effort by Education Support Professionals, with the support of IEA staff, to improve working conditions by focusing on five areas:
- Wages – A minimum salary, fair substitute teaching compensation and unemployment insurance
- Health insurance – Affordable health insurance for the currently employed and the retired
- Pensions – Making the Tier 2 pension system equitable for all education employees
- Retention and recruitment – Tuition reimbursement, Grow Your Own Teacher from ESP to certified, quality professional development, paid family leave and licensing fees relief
- Job duties – Quality job-related professional development, “hold harmless” language for assigned duties, appropriate access to IEPs and suitable job duties for ESPs
Click to learn more, share your story, and join a movement that will change education as we know it. Why join? Much of what we want to accomplish will be through legislative actions. We need to have a loud unified VOICE behind these bills when a time for action is called. We need your voice!
Support staff are typically the first to arrive at school as they unlock doors and turn on lights. They are some of the first people to greet students when they arrive at school in the morning, who give students the academic support they need to become successful scholars, who carefully assist with their health, safety, and nutritional needs, and are the last people who see students safely home at the end of the day. The value of their work is priceless.
So it’s time we start treating them that way! Join today so we can build our strength and raise our voice from a wisper to a roar.
IEA Education Support Professional Council 