BUSHNELL (7/1/2021) - While most ESP have grown accustomed to all conversations about compensation for education staff centering on teacher pay, it is particulalry worrisome that even in a time when ALL public school employees made sacrifices, took on additional responsibilities and heavier workloads, and placed themselves in harms way to help reopen schools, ESP have once again been forgotten --or worse, been fully disregarded-- by the folks elected to serve us in Tallahassee.
Quite a bit of attention was garnered when the Governor announced that he would be signing a budget that included $1000 bonuses to classroom teachers and principals as a 'thank you' for work done during the COVID pandemic. But what about our ESP? Where is the 'thank you' for their work?
In a statement released today, the FEA reiterated the short-sightedness of bonuses paid in this manner after the state released details regarding the distribution of bonuses - now to be referred to as 'relief payments'. Districts have until July 13th to provide the state with names and information for all qualifying employees. Presumably, the checks would be processed and likely received by mid-August.
In the meantime, some Districts around the state have already committed to making the employees left out of state bonuses whole. SCESP will be advocating that the District follow suit and make it right for our ESSENTIAL support personnel.