ESP Bill of Rights seeks to expand 2023 legislative gains
Every public education employee deserves the same things: to be paid a living wage, access to affordable health care, respect for their role in providing care for our students and safe working conditions. From custodial staff to bus drivers, food workers, paraprofessionals and more, ESPs in every role are the glue that keeps public schools together. Teachers can’t do their work without the critical support ESPs provide.
Unfortunately, many ESPs in Minnesota do not make a living wage and do not have access to affordable health care. For example, the average ESP salary was $34,289 for the 2022-23 fiscal year.
For many years now, Education Minnesota has put forth an ESP Bill of Rights that proposes policies to improve pay, health care and working conditions for ESPs. During the 2023 legislative session, the Legislature passed some of the policies that we have been advocating for in this bill, such as unemployment insurance for hourly workers and paid training for paraprofessionals.
Passing the unemployment insurance provision made Minnesota the first state in the country to make school hourly workers eligible for unemployment insurance during summer break. Unemployment insurance also offers a partial benefit for individuals working at jobs where they make less than they usually do.
This policy has had a significant positive impact on hourly employees, allowing them down time to spend with family, a chance to properly rest and recharge instead of working multiple jobs through the summer.
Courtney Hammes, a member of Education Minnesota Zumbrota-Mazeppa ESPs, said it not only allowed her to take a real break for the first time, but it also helped significantly with ESP retainment.
“This summer was the first summer I had the opportunity to collect unemployment,” she said.
“This summer was also the first summer I felt like I got the mental break I feel I needed. Instead of working three jobs this summer, I was able to work just one. The unemployment was such a huge help. It was amazing. This is also the first time ever I felt recharged after summer and not completely exhausted. I hope they continue this opportunity for paras for years to come because it is such a huge need. Also new this year, there wasn’t a turnover of staff. Everyone returned. In 12 years, that has never happened. I know because I’m a mentor every year. Talking with other paras of all kinds this summer, there was one message: We are all so very thankful for this extra additional opportunity*.”
These are important gains, but ESPs still deserve more. Education Minnesota supports the following legislative proposals to improve pay, benefits and working conditions for ESPs:
- Require school districts and charter schools to pay their ESPs at least $25/hour. Every public school employee should be free to spend time with their families without having to work two or three extra jobs to survive.
- Ensure high quality, affordable health care for ESPs by establishing a mandatory statewide health insurance pool for educators.
- Protect workers from wage theft and crack down on employers who circumvent wage and benefits standards and laws, overtime payment, etc.
- Establish reporting and transparency requirements to identify issues of concern for ESPs on the worksite, such as staffing levels, pay scale, safety, fair scheduling and more.
*This quote first appeared in the Dec./Jan. 2024 issue.
