Author: ieaesp

Please read the information below about the new FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. The application process opened on May 12, 2021. Please share widely and share with the families on your school communities.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the availability of the FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program, which provides a temporary discount on monthly broadband bills for qualifying low-income consumers. Eligible households can enroll through an approved broadband service provider or by visiting the GetEmergencyBroadband.org site. The application process opened on May 12, 2021, and eligible households can receive:

·         Up to a $50-per-month discount on your broadband service and associated equipment rentals

·         A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of more than $10 but less than $50).

Only one monthly service discount and one device discount are allowed per household. Program rules acknowledge that there may be more than one eligible household residing at the same address.

Additional information about the EBB Program is available in this Overview Module. Help in applying for the program is available from the Emergency Broadband Support Center by emailing EBBHelp@usac.org or calling (833) 511-0311.

Apply Early! The EBB Program will end when funds are exhausted or 6 months after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declares an end to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) health emergency, whichever is sooner.

Webinar with sign language:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga9a2E77Rog

Sample Awareness Campaign Content

• Infographic (PDF; Hi-res PNG | Spanish: PDF; Hi-res PNG)
• Newsletter Blurb (Word | Spanish)
• Press Release (Word)
• Twitter and Facebook Posts (Word | Spanish)
• Fact Sheet (8 1/2″ x 11″ Word; PDF | Spanish: Word; PDF)
• Slide Presentation (PowerPoint | PDF)
• Flyer I (8 1/2″ x 11″ PDF; Hi-res PNG | Spanish: PDF; Hi-res PNG)
• Flyer II (8 1/2″ x 11″ PDF; Hi-res PNG | Spanish: PDF; Hi-res PNG)
• Poster (8 1/2″ x 11″ PDF; Hi-res PNG | Spanish: PDF; Hi-res PNG)
• Consumer Handout (9″ x 5″ PDF | Spanish)
• Consumer Handout (4″ x 5″ two-sided PDF | Spanish)
• Consumer Handout (4″ x 5″ one-sided PDF | Spanish)
• Audio PSA (MP3; Script in Word | Spanish; Texto)
• Tribal Benefit PSA (MP3)
• Overview Videos (English | Spanish | ASL)

Consumer handouts and the fact sheet are also available in Arabic, Amharic, Burmese, Chinese (Traditional), French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

Time: May 25, 2021 7:00 – 8:00 pm, Central Time (US and Canada)

Attention all Education Support Professionals (“ESP”):

You are invited to attend the IEA ESP Council’s May roundtable. We will celebrate our 2020 IEA ESP of the Year, Debbie Ciciora (Region 28, Local 218) and our 2021 IEA ESP of the Year, Debra Ward-Mitchell (Region 27, Union of Support Staff District 205) and all the great work of Education Support Professionals across the state! There will be giveaways for attending the celebrations. By joining, you will be entered to win prizes!

Please join us as we celebrate all we’ve learned, discovered, and advocated for ESP throughout Illinois. Your ESP Council is here to support you during this trying time and beyond. If you have any questions or would like more information, please visit http://www.ieaespcouncil.com.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82336240581?pwd=SkFxNnRrQVN3TDc1V0FOYUtqNElKZz09

Meeting ID: 823 3624 0581 Passcode: 742172 One tap mobile +13126266799,,82336240581#,,,,*742172# US (Chicago)

Today is World ESP Day! Thank you to all of the education support professionals who continue to contribute so much to our school communities across the globe.

We are keeping a very close watch on this. This will be huge for many education support professionals!

Good Morning ESP Leaders,

We want to share an important upcoming event with you. This will be a beneficial conversation for all educators as the conversation will include discussion around activism for American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding at the state and, especially the local level. In addition to the activism segment, the conversation will also focus on research that is revealing yet another level of disparate impact on students of color, the underrepresentation of 504-only students. This is an important factor as unidentified emotional/behavioral disabilities can manifest themselves in ways which may lead to disciplinary actions that could be avoided if students have appropriate supports.

We hope you will join us and share this information with others in your state.

Join us for a conversation and a call to action and learn what you can do to ensure the federal and state governments give students with disabilities the education they deserve.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 18 at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT

FEATURING: 

·         Becky Pringle, NEA President 

·         Noel Candelaria, NEA Secretary-Treasurer

·         Cecily Myart-Cruz, President, United Teachers Los Angeles 

·         Gloria Martinez, Vice President, United Teachers Los Angeles  

·         Katherine Bishop, special educator and NEA IDEA Resource Cadre member  

This event will stream live at nea.org. A recording will be sent to everyone who registers. 

·         To register, go to:https://www.nea.org/resource-library/fulfilling-promise-students-disabilities

Time: May 25, 2021 7:00 – 8:00 pm, Central Time (US and Canada)

Attention all Education Support Professionals (“ESP”):

You are invited to attend the IEA ESP Council’s May roundtable. We will celebrate our 2020 IEA ESP of the Year, Debbie Ciciora (Region 28, Local 218) and our 2021 IEA ESP of the Year, Debra Ward-Mitchell (Region 27, Union of Support Staff District 205) and all the great work of Education Support Professionals across the state! There will be giveaways for attending the celebrations. By joining, you will be entered to win prizes!

Please join us as we celebrate all we’ve learned, discovered, and advocated for ESP throughout Illinois. Your ESP Council is here to support you during this trying time and beyond. If you have any questions or would like more information, please visit http://www.ieaespcouncil.com.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82336240581?pwd=SkFxNnRrQVN3TDc1V0FOYUtqNElKZz09

Meeting ID: 823 3624 0581 Passcode: 742172 One tap mobile +13126266799,,82336240581#,,,,*742172# US (Chicago)

Good Afternoon ESP Leaders,

The process for a grant from NEA’s Center for Great Public Schools is now two-fold. The first part of that process is applying for the planning grant. That application is due September 15, 2021. It’s not too early to think about the possibilities, and strategize this summer, so that you can have the application ready to go in September. For your convenience, I have both attached the explanatory memo, and pasted it below. Please share with other ESP locals in your state.

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  State Executive Directors

State Presidents

FROM:            Andy Coons, Senior Director, NEA Center for Great Public Schools

                        David Boyd, Manager, NEA Center for Great Public Schools

DATE:             May 11, 2021

RE:                  GPS Fund Planning Grant – Upcoming Deadline on September 15, 2021

Upcoming Deadline – September 15, 2021:

In February 2020, the NEA Board of Directors approved updated GPS Fund Grant Guidelines.  The new 2-step process includes the following highlights:

Step 1: PLANNING GRANT

a)       Submission of a Planning Grant application begins the process. The deadline for submission of a Planning Grant application is no later than September 15^th of each year.

b)      Planning Grant awards will be made by the Oversight Committee and decisions will be communicated no later than October 15^th           of each year.

c)       Any chartered state or local NEA Affiliates as defined in the NEA Bylaws (Section 8) may apply for a Planning Grant. Applications submitted by or on behalf of individuals, external organizations, or non-Active NEA membership categories not contributing to the Special Fund (see Section 2.7, NEA Bylaws) will not be considered.

Step 2: GPS FUND GRANT

a)       Affiliates that are awarded Planning Grants are eligible to submit a full GPS Fund application no later than February 1^st.

b)      GPS Fund Grant award decisions will be communicated no later than April 1^st of each year.

c)       GPS Fund Grants totaling less than $50,000 (over the term of the proposal) are not eligible for award, with a max award of $250,000 annually over 3 years.

Information on the GPS Fund grant program, including guidelines and the application link can be found at nea.org: https://www.nea.org/student-success/great-public-schools/gps-fund-grants.

Resources for Affiliates:

Resource 1:                  Webinar – “Interested in a NEA GPS Fund Planning Grant?”

Date and Time:            Wednesday,June 2^nd from 2:00 – 3:00 PM Eastern

Audience:                    State and Local Affiliates of NEA

Purpose:                      To discuss the basics and timing of the Planning Grant process, and allow for any questions

Link to Zoom:             https://zoom.us/j/9849910572?pwd=ejFpd011WmlJeS93dmRYRGx6a0lZQT09

Meeting ID: 984 991 0572

Passcode: 12345

(Dial-in Option: 301-715-8592)

Resource 2:                  Planning Grant Preparation and Support Packet (Word doc)

Audience:                    State and Local Affiliates of NEA

Purpose:                      To provide Affiliates with a written guide to the Planning Grant process and application

Link to Document:      Click here

Priority Focus Areas:

The GPS Fund Grant Oversight Committee continues its use of a “Priority Focus” for grant applications.  This protocol gives a small scoring bonus to applications that focus on select NEA organizational priorities.  For the upcoming application deadline, the Priority Focus will continue to include:

1)      Early Career Educators, and/or

2)      Racial Justice in Education

Your application can choose to focus on either area, both areas, or none of the above.  By including one or both of the focus areas, your application will receive a small scoring bonus (depending on how robust and extensive that focus is).  Focusing on both early career educators and racial justice in education will increase your bonus opportunity (compared to focusing on just one).

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Please send any general GPS Fund Program inquiries to GPSFund-PF@nea.org.

Educational support professionals should really be known as essential school professionals. Your work—during the pandemic and always—is the heart and soul of school communities. No one better exemplifies that dedication, service, and community spirit than 2021 ESP of the Year Kimberly Scott-Hayden. Meet Kimberly

TO:                    State Affiliate Presidents

FROM:              Andy Coons, NEA Senior Director, Center for Great Public Schools                    

DATE:                May 10, 2021

RE:                    APPLY TODAY: ESPs: Supporting our Own Through Peer Mentoring

The National Education Association recognizes the vital role Education Support Professionals (ESPs) play in ensuring a great public school for every student and that’s why we’ve been working with affiliates to build ESP peer mentoring programs. Formal programs of ESP peer mentoring support ESPs at all stages of their career and at all education levels, with the specialized, targeted workplace preparation and support that is crucial for empowering ESPs and advancing their professional excellence. Mentoring can be a powerful catalyst for creating opportunities that can be transformative for both ESPs and the Association. Through strong mentoring programs, the Association can develop deeper, less transactional relationships with ESP members and build collaborative partnerships with school districts and universities focused on building the education systems that all our students and members deserve. 

Do you have local Associations that are seeking peer mentoring opportunities for ESPs?  

If yes, they are now invited to apply to ESPs: Supporting Our Own Through Peer Mentoring.   

• Application Deadline: Monday, June 7, 2021 (10:00 AM EDT) 
• Application Selection: Applicants will be notified no later than June 21, 2021 

ESPs: Supporting our Own Through Peer Mentoring is an NEA-offered online blended learning course, organized around 5 modules of bi-weekly learning that include these formats: 

• Self-study: Individual work completed at each team member’s own pace. 
• Team assignments: Collaborative work completed together as a local Association team. 
• Webinars: Group learning with all participating local Association teams. 
   

Over 9+weeks, local Association team members will work together to develop an ESP mentoring program that will create opportunities for continuous professional improvement for their members (responsive to their local context), amplify the voice of ESPs in their workplace, and elevate ESPs as respected educators.    

Course facilitators are ESP members and leaders who have built and established their own ESP mentoring programs. 

For additional course information, including the course schedule and application form, visit: ESPs: Supporting Our Own Through Peer Mentoring

Need more information about ESP mentoring? Learn more at NEA ESP Peer Mentorship  

If you are interested in the course but are not yet ready to start, please send an email to ESPMentoring@nea.org.  

We will keep you informed of all future learning opportunities. 

IN CLOSING, we want to share a few WHY statements from local Associations (previous course participants) that are currently developing or managing ESP mentoring programs.  These statements tell us why they were inspired to do this work and the values that they lead with.  

“To empower, educate and equip staff so that they are confident, prepared and supported while educating the whole child.” 

-Troy Education Association, Illinois 

 “To empower others so we can stand together. To help others find their voice so they know how to advocate for themselves and as a group. 

To protect the rights of members. Planning for the future. Making a difference.” 
-Michigan State University Administrative Professional Association, Michigan

“To create a sustainable and equitable peer mentoring system for all job families so that all PXU ESPs will be knowledgeable, 

proficient, supported and valued, creating a positive working and learning environment for ALL!” 

-Phoenix Union High School Classified Employees Association, Arizona 

cc:

ESP State Staff Coordinators

ESPQ Staff