
Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day

IEA Education Support Professional Council
Education Support Professional Council consists of thirteen (13) members all of whom are ESP school employees and members of the Illinois Education Association. The ESP council's goal is to represent and support ESP's throughout Illinois.


It was a privilege to be the keynote speaker at the Ohio Statewide ESP Conference this past Saturday, October 13th, 2024.
The topic of my presentation was, Organizing with rESPect: How to Build a Strong ESP Voice and Increase Engagement.
rESPect is growning…rESPect is spreading…If you haven’t yet joined the IEA rESPect Campaign, join today because together we can Raise Education Support Professionals by Elevating Careers Together!

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| Here are some ways you can take action. Thu, Oct 24 @ 7pm Advocating for Essential Professional Development for ESPs › In every role, ESPs are integral to meeting student needs and making sure students have the tools and supports needed to succeed in our schools and cl…See details Thu, Nov 21 @ 7pm Becoming a Professional Learning Leader: How to Grow ESP Leadership and Promote Solidarity › Meet Professional Learning Leaders (PLLs) from Project LEAP and learn how they have grown through this leadership experience, elevating their professional…See details All times Eastern |

Hotel | Session Times | Session Descriptions | Agenda
One Conference will be held October 18-19, 2024 at DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago Oak Brook, IL.
Join us for a two-day event offering:
Low cost – $20 before Oct. 10, then $30. Funding may be available to cover registration and hotel fee through your IEA local or region office. If you need funding assistance to attend, contact your local IEA office.
Professional development and elective sessions especially created for ESPs
Collaboration time with other amazing Education Support Professionals
Fabulous meals
A time to be seen, heard and appreciated!
We will be offering lots of session for everyone to choose from. Please visit Cvent for a list of all session descriptions, times and to register or review the 2024 One Conference Brochure.
Sessions will begin on Friday, October 18 beginning at 5:00 pm through Saturday, October 19 at 12:45. We will have a keynote presentation from Noel Candelaria, NEA Secretary-Treasurer.
The hotel block for attendees closes tomorrow, October 5th, it’s available here and on the registration page in Cvent.
It’s Tier 2 Tuesday! Tier 2 does not just impact teachers, but also higher ed, clinicians and education support professionals (ESPs), like Carl.
When Tier 2 was created by lawmakers, it seems they did not consider what a retirement age set at 67 would mean for maintenance workers, custodians and grounds workers whose work could include heavy lifting, or physical education teachers or educators who work with very young children. Learn more: UndoTier2.org


One Conference will be held October 18-19, 2024 at DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago Oak Brook. The One Conference is an opportunity for IEA Education Support Professional members, Higher Education members, and IEA Retired members to development professional skills, earn professional development credit and network with colleagues around the state.
We will be offering lots of session for everyone to choose from. Please visit Cvent for a list of all session descriptions, times and to register. 2024 One Conference Registration. Sessions will begin on Friday, October 18 beginning at 5:00 pm through Saturday, October 19 at 12:45. We will have a keynote presentation from Noel Candelaria, NEA Secretary-Treasurer.
The hotel block for attendees is now available and posted on the website and on the registration page in Cvent.

I truly appreciate all who were able to join us this morning for our virtual ESP Celebration. I hope you felt seen, heard, and valued because you are. Thank you to all education support processionals who make a difference every day in our schools, universities, and communities! Learning couldn’t happen without the work we do.
#iearespect #onejobshouldbeenough #neaesp
The Illinois Education Association has partnered with a group called Operation Swing State to help connect our members with Harris/Walz election efforts in Wisconsin and Michigan.
On Friday, the IEA Board of Directors voted to concur with the NEA’s decision to recommend Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for president and vice president in the upcoming election. As you probably know, most believe the decision on who succeeds President Joe Biden in the oval office will come down to seven swing states – Wisconsin and Michigan are two of the seven.
If you’d like to help in the effort, IEA and Operation Swing State will be providing buses to bring volunteers to Wisconsin and Michigan to knock on the doors of fellow likely voters and encourage them to vote for the Harris/Walz ticket.
Here are the details for meeting spots and registration links:
If you’d rather take part in other actions, visit the Operation Swing State website for additional opportunities.