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Classified Education Support Professionals

As an Education Support Professional (ESP) employee, you know just how much your workplace colleagues and your students depend on you – and your fellow AEA members do too!
AEA attendees at the 2024 NEA ESP conference

"ESP" - What Does it Mean?

School support staff, also known as Education Support Professionals (ESPs), support students and teachers, manage school offices, clean buildings, drives buses, and do so much more. ESPs strengthen our schools, communities, and associations across our state. They 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.

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Our Impact

We deserve rESPect

Arkansas public schools work because ESPs do! We deserve high-quality professional development, fair wages, and respect on the job.
ESPs at a professional development smiling and laughing together

Microcredential: Professional Growth Continuum

Learn about the NEA's ESP Professional Growth Continuum, the 8 Universal Standards of professionalism for all ESPs, and demonstrate their knowledge and skills in the areas of competency and how it impacts ESPs for each Standard at the proficent level of the Continuum.
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A custodian stands in a hall smiling

ESP Pay

ESPs want and deserve better pay. NEA has a detailed report on the state of ESP earnings around the country.
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An NEA member signing a large banner of the ESP Bill of Rights

ESP Bill of Rights

Pledge your support for the ESP Bill of Rights and learn how to build strategic campaigns to advocate for a living wage, fairness, and respect for ESPs all across the country.
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Evelyn Wilson-Thomas
We are all educators, and should all be equal. It takes all of us to run this school. That’s what we do our best to do.
Quote by: Evelyn Wilson-Thomas, Academic and Behavior Interventionist
Three delegates at the 2023 AEA RA smile for a picture.

Together we're stronger. Together we're heard.

You belong in the movement! Join today to belong to the movement fighting for the pay, working conditions, and respect we all deserve.
Arkansas Education Association logo

Ensuring the Success of Every Student.

The Arkansas Education Association is a professional organization for teachers, education support professionals, students and advocates. Our fundamental objective is to work for quality and equitable public education for all of Arkansas students, the betterment of the Arkansas state education system and quality working conditions for educators.
About us
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The Arkansas Education Association is a state affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.

Learn more at NEA.org

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