Education Minnesota task force to focus on recommendations for ESP pension improvements
During the 2025 legislative session, Education Minnesota members successfully advocated for much-needed pension improvements for teachers, creating an enhanced career rule for teachers who are at least 60 years of age and have at least 30 years of service in public schools. However, these pension improvements only applied to teachers who are eligible for a pension through TRA—which does not include education support professionals, who have historically been underpaid and remain some of the lowest-paid public school employees in Minnesota.
As a result, many ESPs extend their careers because they cannot afford to retire. Osseo ESP president Michelle Dennard highlighted this problem in her remarks during the governor’s forum at the 2026 Political Conference. “Many support staff work multiple jobs… And many ESPs work longer than they’d like to because they do not receive a pension that will support them in retirement” she said. “We hear a lot about how valued we are, and yet our pay [and benefits] often do not reflect that.”
To address this problem, Education Minnesota has established a new task force to examine ESP pensions and develop recommendations to improve them. The ESP Pension Advocacy Group, made up of five ESPs and Secretary-Treasurer Ryan Fiereck, will meet regularly, working in union to develop and recommend an action plan for advocacy and improvements for the Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA), the organization that oversees ESP pensions.
This ad-hoc task force was created at the direction of the Education Minnesota president and reports to the Education Minnesota Governing Board. The committee has a term of one year but may be extended as work continues. Education Minnesota’s legislative agenda has long focused on ending the educator shortage by making improvements to pay, pensions and health care, and we are committed to ensuring these improvements reach all educators, no matter their role in our public schools. We will provide updates on the group’s recommendations and next steps as they become available.
