IEA Education Support Professional Council

Watch and share this video to learn and educate others about the vital roles ESPs play in students’ lives, how they work closely with teachers for student success, and what they need from policy makers to succeed in their profession.

#ieaespcouncil #iearESPect #OneJobShouldBeEnough #NationalESPDay

November 20 is Education Support Professionals Day!

Join us as we share all the ways ESPs have made a personal impact on our lives.

Together for Safe, Just & Equitable Schools. #aew2024

American Education Week happens the week prior to the week of Thanksgiving. Each day of the week has its own theme, during which we celebrate our public school community.

WOW!!! Many members from the Illinois Education Association, We Are One campaign, and other public employee organizations rallied together in a coalition to send a message to our state representatives to Undo Tier 2 in our IMRF and TRS pensions.

Learn more about how inequitable the two systems are and sign the petition on the website and let your voice be heard as well. https://ieanea.org/undo-tier-two/

Several education support professional advocates traveled to Springfield today to meet with Representatives at an ESP Legislative Reception. We were honored to meet with Representatives Mussman, Kifowit, and Blair-Sherlock to discuss the challenges support staff are experiencing around the state. Tomorrow we will join other IEA members and various public workers for a lobby day at the Illinois State Capitol Building. Many of us will meet with our lawmakers to discuss the need for an equitable retirement for ALL educators and the critical need to Undo Tier 2.

We’ve almost made it to Thanksgiving break and over three months of this school year has passed by. How are you and how has your school year been going? Please comment the number that best represents how you are doing. How can we support you?

Just a few hours left to register for lobby day. Will you be there? UndoTier2.org

**If you are unable to attend Lobby Day, we will be sharing other ways to support soon!

Many states—including Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Delaware, Michigan, Vermont, and Washington—have or are creating their own ESP Bill of Rights.

RESPECT | Raising Education Support Professionals by Elevating Careers Together is a statewide effort by ESPs and ESP allies, with the support of IEA staff, to improve working conditions by focusing on four areas: livible wage, affordable health insurance, ability to retire with dignity, and initiatives that retain and recruit new staff.

You are invited to join our rESPect steering meeting on November 14th, 5:30-7:00pm. Your voice is needed at our table to help push our goals forward.