Take Action
Urge your members of Congress to cosponsor the Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights (S.Res. 450/H.Res. 990).
Schools could not operate without the work of dedicated education support professionals (ESPs). School bus drivers are the first to see students in the morning. Food service professionals prepare and serve healthy meals, often greeting students by name and taking the time to learn their food allergies. They maintain buildings and grounds, keep computers running, and do behind-the-scenes work that is often taken for granted.
Despite their essential roles, more than one-third of education support professionals earn less than $25,000 a year. In fact, more than one-fourth must rely on federal assistance programs to take care of their families.
The Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights (S.Res.450/H. Res. 990), introduced by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT), calls for living wages, good benefits, and fair working conditions for the 2.2 million education support professionals in schools and the 750,000 on college and university campuses.