Skip Navigation
Take Action

Search

Contact Us
Great Public Schools Engaged Families & Communities School Health & Safety Recruit & Retain Educators Teacher Quality Student Assessments
Fair Pay & Benefits Union & Educator Voice Student Debt Support Inclusive Workplaces Resource Library
Just & Equitable Schools Student Engagement Professional Learning Leadership Development Conferences & Events
Action Center Protect Public Schools Racial & Social Justice Funding for Students & Schools Educator Pay & Benefits New From NEA
Become A Member Become a Public School Champion / Community Ally Connect with Us Join a Campaign Donate
Our Mission, Vision, & Values Our Leaders Our Members Governance & Policies Partnerships Contact Us Grants & Funding
Press Releases
All News & Articles Topics NEA Today Magazines
Two black women smile at the camera holding a sign that says One Job Should Be Enough

Rights, Recognition, & Respect The ESP Bill of Rights

We are building a movement to invest in school support staff, respect their professional expertise, and recognize their contributions to student learning and well-being. Learn how to organize a campaign in your community.

School support staff, also known as education support professionals (ESPs), keep our public schools running and our students thriving. Despite their important roles, many ESPs have to take on more than one job to make ends meet. Nearly 32% of full-time K–12 ESPs earn less than $25,000 annually, and on average, they are making below a living wage in all 50 states.

One job should be enough.

We're building a movement to invest in ESPs, respect their professional expertise, and recognize their vital contributions to student learning and well-being.  Across the country, states are investing in ESP Bill of Rights/rESPect campaigns to build awareness and advocacy around the issues ESPs face, such as poverty-level wages, a lack of benefits, safety concerns, and lack of respect and appreciation for their contributions.

Together, we have the power to make real changes to ensure a better future for ESPs and the students they serve.

Start a Campaign

Our toolkit includes information and resources to guide you through building a successful ESP Bill of Rights campaign.

The 10 Articles of the NEA ESP Bill of Rights

Cartoon checklist with a blue pencil, orange checkboxes, and NEA ESP at the top in blue
Fair Compensation One job should be enough! ESPs should not have to work multiple jobs to maintain financial independence.
Cartoon checklist with a blue pencil, orange checkboxes, and NEA ESP at the top in blue
Recognition and Respect ESPs play a vital role on the education team and in students' lives inside and outside the classroom. They keep our schools running and our students safe, healthy, and ready to learn every day. They deserve to be respected and recognized as accomplished professionals.
Cartoon checklist with a blue pencil, orange checkboxes, and NEA ESP at the top in blue
Safe and Healthy Work Environment ESPs deserve a safe and healthy workplace that is free of violence, including physical, verbal, and emotional abuse, and free of exposure to hazardous materials. ESPs deserve clear safety protocols, appropriate supplies, safely maintained equipment, training on workplace regulations, and whistleblower protections.
Cartoon checklist with a blue pencil, orange checkboxes, and NEA ESP at the top in blue
Affordable Healthcare ESPs should have access to affordable health insurance.
Cartoon checklist with a blue pencil, orange checkboxes, and NEA ESP at the top in blue
Paid Leave ESPs deserve paid leave, including personal days, sick days, parental/caregiver leave, and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits.
Cartoon checklist with a blue pencil, orange checkboxes, and NEA ESP at the top in blue
Professional Learning and Career Advancement ESPs deserve high-quality, job-related professional learning and accessible opportunities for career advancement. Seniority rights must be protected when ESPs pursue promotions and request transfers, and at times of layoffs or furlough.
Cartoon checklist with a blue pencil, orange checkboxes, and NEA ESP at the top in blue
Workload and Staffing ESPs have the right to a workload that allows them to excel in their assigned positions. ESPs deserve a voice in establishing fully staffed shifts, clear work protocols, and resources that support their careers.
Cartoon checklist with a blue pencil, orange checkboxes, and NEA ESP at the top in blue
Retirement ESPs have the right to a secure retirement. All their years of service should count toward a pension.
Cartoon checklist with a blue pencil, orange checkboxes, and NEA ESP at the top in blue
Protection from Privatization ESPs should be free of the threats of privatization that risk the stability of school communities, silence the voice of employees, and further undermine the value of the services they provide in their jobs.
Cartoon checklist with a blue pencil, orange checkboxes, and NEA ESP at the top in blue
Right to Bargain ESPs deserve a strong voice in their workplace that includes the right to join their union and advocate for the rights and protections they deserve. Bargaining and advocacy ensure they enhance student learning and improve educator working conditions–benefiting students, schools, and the community as a whole.

The ESP Bill of Rights, Explained

Across the country, states are working to secure better pay, working conditions, and more for their ESPs, because one job should be enough. On this episode, we’re discussing how NEA members, staff, and leaders are collaborating on a campaign to create an ESP Bill of Rights in each state—an effort to increase ESP visibility, rights, and respect—and how your state can join in, too.

Share Your ESP Story

ESPs are making a difference for students and other educators across the country. Has your local won salary or policy advances for ESPs? Use the form below to tell us your story.
One file only.
256 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif jpg jpeg png bmp eps tif pict psd txt rtf html odf pdf doc docx ppt pptx xls xlsx xml avi mov mp3 ogg wav bz2 dmg gz jar rar sit svg tar zip.

A Growing Movement

Read and share these real stories from members like you who launched Bill of Rights and living wage campaigns in their states.
esp bill of rights MSEA

How ESPs Advocate for Fair Pay, Better Working Conditions and Respect

More states adopt NEA ESP Bill of Rights to say, “One job should be enough!”
Learn more
Newton teacher's strike

For School Support Staff, Respect Begins with a Living Wage

More than one-third of ESPs who work in K-12 schools earn less than $25,000.
Learn more
Jimmy Johnson

The Political Power of Education Support Professionals

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

Spread the Word

Use these posters, flyers, and social media graphics to get the word out about ESP rights.

Flyers & Postcards

ESP one-pager
ESP one-pager

NEA ESP Bill of Rights Spanish One Pager
NEA ESP Bill of Rights Spanish One Pager

ESP Postcard Front
ESP Postcard Front

ESP Postcard Front

ESP Postcard Back
ESP Postcard Back

ESP Postcard Back

ESP Bill of Rights Spanish
ESP Bill of Rights Spanish

ESP Bill of Rights Spanish page 2
ESP Bill of Rights Spanish page 2

Document titled 10 steps to creating an ESP Bill of Rights with the 10 steps listed that can also be found on nea.org/esptoolkit
Document titled 10 steps to creating an ESP Bill of Rights with the 10 steps listed that can also be found on nea.org/esptoolkit

Posters & Visual Background

ESP Poster 1
ESP Poster 1

ESP Poster 2
ESP Poster 2

Dark blue virtual background with NEA logo and "ESP Bill of Rights" and nea.org/espbillofrights in the top lefthand corner and "one job should be enough" in the top righthand corner
Dark blue virtual background with NEA logo and "ESP Bill of Rights" and nea.org/espbillofrights in the top lefthand corner and "one job should be enough" in the top righthand corner

Social Media Graphics

ESP Social Media 1
ESP Social Media 1

ESP Social Media 1 Spanish
ESP Social Media 1 Spanish

ESP Social Media 2
ESP Social Media 2

ESP Social Media 2 Spanish
ESP Social Media 2 Spanish

Start a Campaign

Across the country, states are investing in ESP Bill of Rights/rESPect campaigns to increase ESP visibility and secure better wages, benefits, working conditions, and more for their ESPs. These campaigns build awareness and advocacy around the issues ESPs face, such as poverty-level wages, a lack of benefits, safety concerns, and lack of respect and appreciation for their contributions. They capture the issues ESPs are often ashamed to share.

Through the ESP Bill of Rights movement, we can help parents/caregivers, students, elected officials, community members, and other school staff understand the contributions ESPs make to school communities and the vital role they play in public education. 

Use this information and resources to guide you through building a successful ESP Bill of Rights campaign. You will find sample bargaining language, sample data collection tools, and more to help ESPs advocate for thriving wages, good benefits like retirement and paid leave, professional development and career growth opportunities, respect, and inclusion.

Use our Toolkit to get started

Descargar kit de recursos en español

ESP Bill of Rights Campaign

How Can You Get Started? Let Your Colleagues Be Your Guide

Hear from three state affiliates—Massachusetts, Maryland, and Illinois—on how NEA members, staff, and leaders partnered to build their campaigns for ESP rights and respect from the ground up, what successes and challenges they faced, and what resources and strategies they have for affiliates seeking to engage in their own campaign.
National Education Association logo

Great public schools for every student

About us
Partner with us
Advertise with us