Several districts across Washington state are beginning to lay off Educational Support Professionals (ESPs) who provide safety and support for students, including health clerks, paraeducators, nutrition service employees, bus drivers, custodians, and maintenance staff. These school district and school board decisions are short-sighted in a time when districts should be recognizing the value of every school staff member.
The WEA/ESP Action Coordinating Team is a statewide group made up of leaders from each UniServ Council who are dedicated to advocating for and advising local ESP units. The team works to promote member satisfaction, strengthen local bargaining units and empower education support professionals through increased skills.
The Professional Educator Standards Board has released new guidance for the state’s Paraeducator Certificate program, as a result of the pandemic. All school districts now have until the end of 2020-21 school year to provide all four days of training on the Fundamental Course of Study (FCS).
Districts that chose to offer the complete FCS training this year will be reimbursed for the additional training days at a rate of $218 per completed day of training per paraeducator.
Please note that in-person training requirements are not being waived. Seven of the 28 hours of FCS training must be conducted in person, but the deadline is not until the end of the 2020-21 school year. The remaining 21 hours of FCS training can, if the district chooses, be completed online.
Check our professional development tab for current course offerings.
One year into implementation, the Paraeducator Board is requesting feedback and information from paraeducators to better understand interest in, barriers to, and support needed, for continuous training and career development. To collect this data, the board is asking paraeducators to complete a short, online survey to learn about training experiences, perspectives, and professional goals. The board hopes the data can better inform the program’s structure, identify gaps, and make improvements where necessary.
Here is a list of resources curated by fellow education support professionals for ESPs.
Every worker deserves a living wage. A living wage means earning enough to pay for basic necessities: rent, food, utilities, childcare, healthcare and transportation. People who work full time should not have to live below the poverty line.
Several ESP units in Washington, with assistance from WEA and NEA, have initiated grassroots organizing efforts for living wages in their communities.