The ESP Professional Growth Continuum, published by NEA, identifies Communication as one of the eight Universal Standards that describe what education support professionals should know and be able to do. If you haven't spent a lot of time exploring the communication standard, that is OK! This course, which contains seven lessons, will help you gain a solid understanding of responsible, effective communication at work.  The ESP Professional Growth Continuum outlines skills and knowledge related to communication (and all of the eight Universal Standards) at three levels of practice. Those are: Foundational (I know this) Proficient (I do this consistently) Advanced/Mastery (I lead this) This self-paced, independent study course can be explored on your own, or with colleagues. It has been developed by NEA members and staff specifically for ESPs, and features the perspectives of education support professionals just like you. Read more

Participants will explore presuming competence and adopting an asset-based approach for students with disabilities. The course covers recognizing and leveraging students' unique strengths, understanding disability language choices, and the impact of person-first and identity-based language. Additionally, participants will learn about anti-ableist language to create inclusive and affirming environments. Read more

The ESP Professional Growth Continuum, published by NEA, identifies Cultural Competence as one of the eight Universal Standards that describe what Education Support Professionals should know and be able to do. If you haven't spent a lot of time exploring or focusing on cultural competence at work, that is OK! This course, which contains seven lessons, will help you gain a solid understanding of what cultural competence is, why it matters, and how to make it a valuable part of your day-to-day work.  The ESP Professional Growth Continuum outlines skills and knowledge related to cultural competence (and all of the eight Universal Standards) at three levels of practice. Those are: Foundational (I know this) Proficient (I do this consistently) Advanced/Mastery (I lead this) This self-paced, independent study course can be explored on your own, or with colleagues. It has been developed by NEA members and staff specifically for ESPs, and features the perspectives of education support professionals just like you. Read more

Educators will be able to define and describe implicit and explicit bias and identify how bias influences decisions, actions, and behaviors with students and families. Educators will also identify specific actions they can take to disrupt bias in their classrooms, schools, and districts. Read more

Educators will explore and understand historical inequities in education, identify how this impacts the public education system, schools, students, and families. Read more

Through this course, educators will be guided to define and identify examples of inequity in education and understand the impact of those inequities. They will also reflect on their current practice and develop action steps that promote equity, inclusion, and belonging. Read more