Education Support Professionals (ESP)

Student learning and school safety should go hand-in-hand. That’s why educators across Michigan are deeply concerned about the rise in disruptive student behavior, which includes verbal outbursts, threats, and physical aggression. Addressing this troubling nationwide trend is critical for the future of education. MEA is prioritizing this work and providing ways for members to engage in the conversation about solutions.…

Nominations are being accepted for several positions on the MEA ESP Caucus Executive Board. Open positions are as follows: DIRECTOR BY CLASSIFICATION CUSTODIAL: 1 Position – Immediate to August 31, 2028 FOOD SERVICE: 1 Position – Immediate to August 31, 2028 MAINTENANCE: 1 Position – Immediate to August 31, 2028 OFFICE PERSONNEL: 1 Position – September 1, 2026 to August…

Paraeducators have long said they needed higher pay plus better training to improve staff retention and equip them for the vital and challenging work they do in schools. That message was heard loud and clear at an MEA paraeducator summit in 2023. From there, a new statewide training series was developed in partnership with the Michigan Association of Administrators of…

Stories by MEA Voice Editor Brenda Ortega MEA member Robin Moore (left), who works at Lansing Community College, is a captain in the campaign. Jeff Wilson, who works at Michigan State University, is a member of the MEA Board of Directors and Ad-Hoc Committee for the campaign. MEA member Jeff Wilson sees the Michigan ESP Bill of Rights campaign as…

ESP Caucus Chair and Dowagiac custodian Roy Freeman was honored with the MEA’s Paul Blewett Friend of Education Award at the MEA Representative Assembly with fellow ESP leader Jennifer Shelito making the award presentation. By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor In the early 1980s, when Roy Freeman first became a school custodian following a post-high school stint in the U.S.…

Percy Brown By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Over a 45-year career as a paraeducator in Ann Arbor Public Schools and a union leader in Michigan, MEA member Percy Brown has traveled the country teaching others in his role how to build strength and respect for school support staff and the important work they do. An early advocate of union…

A new statewide Bill of Rights campaign aimed at improving the wages, benefits and working conditions of school support staff was rolled out recently at the annual MEA conference for Education Support Professionals (ESP). Modeled after similar campaigns launched in other states, including Maryland, Illinois and Massachusetts, the Michigan ESP Bill of Rights calls for six broad reforms to recognize…

Justin Harper earned a degree and certification through a partnership between Eastern Michigan University and Washtenaw ISD. By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor In June of 2021, MEA member Justin Harper and two co-founders formally launched a free program for youth in the Ypsilanti-Ann Arbor area, focusing on sports as a tool for teaching kids about health and nutrition along…

A banner outlining the elements of the new Michigan ESP Bill of Rights, which aims to recognize and value the crucial role that school support staff play in ensuring a quality education for every student. A new statewide Bill of Rights campaign aimed at improving the wages, benefits and working conditions of school support staff was rolled out on Friday…

By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Erinn Parker, Stephenson Education Association President A new MEA task force will examine ways to address increasing violence against educators in the workplace and advocate for policies, legislation and resources to ensure classroom safety for school employees and students alike in Michigan. Formation of the task force was approved on Saturday by the MEA…