Cultural Competence: Universal Standards for Education Support Professionals

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.