Education Support Professionals

Raising Education Support Professionals by Elevating Careers Together is a statewide effort by ESPs, with the support of IEA staff, to improve working conditions.

The 510,000 Educational Support Professional members of the National Education Association and the 29,500 ESP members of the Illinois Education Association take care of our children every day and make sure they have the tools they need to succeed in our schools and classrooms. We are truly the unsung heroes of public education.

This award is meant to emphasize the contributions of education support professionals to their association, their schools and their communities.

The ESP Council created the ESP STAR program to allow IEA local leaders, members and board of directors to recognize and publicize the good work of their ESP members across the state. Use the online nomination form to nominate one or more special ESPs. Nominations can be submitted monthly.

Request the NEA ESP of the Year to speak at your event.

ESP Bargaining Resources consolidates resources related to bargaining for use by ESP Leaders.

Education Support Professionals archive of the monthly email newsletter.

NEA’s 510,000 Education Support Professional (ESP) members take care of our children every day and make sure they have the tools they need to succeed in our schools and classrooms.

The NEA ESP Quality Department offers a variety of publications designed to support and elevate the careers of Education Support Professionals in all career categories.

Ultimately we seek to build power to make change. In this toolkit, we will cover the critical elements of organizing.

In 2007, the Illinois Education Association achieved a major victory in providing job protection for all ESP employees. Read the exact text of Public Act 095-0241 introduced as House Bill 1347.

Website for the Education Support Professional Council. Visit for the latest information and updates.

The Education Support Professional Council consists of thirteen (13) people all of whom are ESP school employees and members of the Illinois Education Association.

Bring ESP Council members to your next meeting.  Presidents, Region Chairs, and members can now invite members of the ESP Council to your local or regional meetings by using this request form.

ParaSharp online professional development builds confidence, improves effectiveness, and increases job satisfaction. With easy-to-use videos, interactive discussions, planning and tracking tools and more, this program helps paraeducators feel supported and skilled. Instructions | Flier

The Education Support Professional skills training workshops are targeted one-hour conversations designed to help ESPs develop specific union and/or job-related skills; in order to facilitate conversations and create a unique personalized experience, each session is limited to a maximum of ten participants.  Each conversation will be held on ZOOM.   All ESP members are encouraged and invited to participate.

The ESP Professional Growth Continuum (PGC) is a first-of-its-kind framework to help education support professionals (ESPs) raise their professional standing at every stage of their career.

Learn the difference between Peer Mentoring and Peer Review and is your Local Association ready for this concept.

Through peer mentoring, ESPs can receive the specialized, targeted workplace preparation and support that empower ESPs in the workplace, advance their professional excellence, and build the education systems that all our students and members deserve.

To ensure a great public education for every student, education support professionals (ESPs) want and deserve high-quality professional development and supports at every stage of their careers.

A wide variety professional development webinar series designed to support the professional growth of Education Support Professionals.

Did you miss one of the live webinar sessions?  View the past webinars here! A wide variety professional development webinar series designed to support the professional growth of Education Support Professionals.

The IEA strives to offer you free, high-quality online professional development that fits your needs and is available on-demand to fit your changing schedule.