Six Principles for Leading the ESP Profession

Statement of purpose: Like all Alaskans, Education Support Professionals (ESP) want each and every child to have a world class education. As professionals, we provide a safe and healthy school learning environment, mentoring, classroom learning, healthy food, technology, student health services, and a helping hand in the front office, hallways, classrooms and communities. Directing Alaska’s resources and energy to the following principles will provide the substantial gains in student learning at reasonable cost.

1. Provide ESPs professional development and training in Alaska State Standards (AKSS), technology, curriculum and other appropriate areas to be effective members in the educational process.
2. Continue to develop every ESP into a quality resource for students and staff by providing the time, resources and training to support teachers to become even more highly effective.
3. Create opportunities for innovative practices such as peer mentors to support continuous ESP development.
4. Increase the amount of time students spend learning by maximizing the time ESPs are involved in direct student support.
5. Create a fair and equitable evaluation system. ESPs should be accountable, with multiple measures that increase ESP knowledge, skills and work practices.
6. As ESPs and long term community members we support family education, advisory boards, and other methods of inviting parents and other local leaders into schools and helping them to become integrated into the learning process