The National Education Association is meeting in New Orleans this weekend to help thousands of school workers who contribute to a child’s school experience. They include bus drivers, cafeteria workers, teaching assistants and others classified as Education Support Professionals.
Paula Monroe is a former NEA executive committee member and last year’s Education Support Professional of the Year.
“In Louisiana there are 27,500 full–time education support professionals and most of them earn less than $25,000 a year," she said. "But they work in public education because they love the work they do and they love the students they work with.”
She says 1,000 educators from around the country will be attending workshops and training sessions. It kicks off with an event at the Children’s Museum in New Orleans to promote reading.
“Research shows that children who learn to read and read successfully by grade three have a better opportunity to succeed in life," she said."If they develop a lifelong love of reading they have a better opportunity to succeed in school and as adults."
Children will participate in a group reading of “The Cat in the Hat.”