Education Support Professionals (ESP) Day

Education Support Professionals (ESP) Day focuses on the importance of these school employees, who take care of students every day, making sure they have the tools they need to succeed in school.

Education Support Professionals (ESP) Day was first celebrated in 1987, after NEA's Representative Assembly called for the creation of a way to honor the contributions of school support staff.

The name reflects a growing pride in the valuable role ESPs play throughout America's public schools. Today's support professionals provide invaluable services that enable students to learn in positive, supportive environments. ESPs are equal and essential partners in the education process.

For more information about EAA's celebration of our support professionals, contact the EAA Office at (703) 370-1121.

NOT Waiting for Superman

Rethinking Schools recently wrote:

• On Sept. 24, a new film, “Waiting for Superman,” drew media attention to public education across the country. Unfortunately, most of it has been negative. So we’ve started a project to talk back to the film and the message it promotes. We hope you will join us on the pages of NOTwaitingforsuperman.org.
• The message of the film is that public schools are failing because of bad teachers and their unions. The film’s “solution,” to the minimal extent it suggests one, is to replace them with “great” charter schools and teachers who have less power over their schools and classrooms.
• This message is not just wrong. In the current political climate, it’s toxic.