National Education Association Archives - Marketplace

Education support specialists keep schools running, but their pay doesn't reflect that

by Julia Schiff

May 27, 2022

ESPs, or classified employees, are a chronically underpaid part of the education system. Low wages are driving them out of the profession.

Education support specialists on average make $35,000 a year, but they often go the extra mile to help students succeed.

Illustration by Julia Schiff