ESPs: Supporting Our Own Through Peer Mentoring Workshop

1) Pre-learning: December 5 – March 1, 2023

Form your team and complete the pre-learning before applying. 

Form your team 

Teams can include Association members, leaders, committee members, Association staff and managers, school district/university representatives, and community partners.  

Teams should consist of individuals who can offer the unique knowledge, skills, experiences, or resources needed for an ESP mentoring program. They should be positioned to advance the project and sustain the goals of the program once launched.  We encourage careful, intentional consideration when building your team. Attention should be given to establishing a team that reflects diversity in ethnicity, gender, age, career, roles, responsibilities, and viewpoints. Please be intentional about including those typically under-represented. 

• Teams should have 3-5 members: No fewer than three and no more than 5.  

  • NEA will fully fund three members of each team to participate in the workshop. Additional members will be self-funded. 

• ESP, teacher, and SISP (specialized instructional support personnel) team members must be NEA members. 

• We highly encourage including partners and potential partners, such as school district/university representatives or a teacher ally.   

Complete the pre-learning 

• Each team member must complete the ESP mentoring learning path course by March 1, 2023. 

  • Sign up for the course at nea.org/espmentoringcourse 

• After completing the course, work collaboratively with your team to complete the ESP Mentoring Program Checklist.   

  • Submit your team’s completed checklist to: [email protected] by March 1, 2023. 

  • Download the checklist below.  

2) Application: December 5 – March 1, 2023 

Complete your team application.

• One team member should apply on behalf of your team. There should be only one application submitted per team. 

• Team applications will only be considered once all team members have completed the ESP mentoring learning path course and your team has submitted their ESP mentoring program checklist. 

• Download a preview of the application questions below. 

• Applicants will be notified of their application status no later than March 24, 2023.  

Apply here

3) Registration: March 24- April 10, 2023 

If selected to participate, complete your team registration. 

• Selected teams will receive a workshop registration link.  

• Fully funded members of your team will receive travel, lodging, and travel stipend information in their registration confirmation email. 

• NEA works with specific travel vendors.  All fully funded participants must reserve their travel and lodging through these NEA-endorsed vendors to be fully funded.   

• Self-funded members of your team will receive lodging information in their registration confirmation email.  Self-funded members are responsible for making their own lodging and travel arrangements.   

  • The following meals will be complimentary for all participants during the workshop as listed below:  

    • Saturday, March 27th: Breakfast and Lunch 

    • Sunday, March 28th: Breakfast 

4) Workshop: May 27-28, 2023, Salt Lake City, UT

Convene with teams around the country and plan your unique ESP mentoring pilot program. 

• Participants will check in on Friday, March 26th, and check out on Sunday, March 28th. 

• The workshop will begin at 8:00 am on Saturday, March 27th and end at 11:30 am on Sunday, March 28th. 

• Teams who complete the workshop are eligible to apply for an NEA Professional Excellence Grant to fund the first year of their ESP mentoring pilot program. 

• Further workshop details will be shared with selected teams. 

Health and Safety Procedures during the workshop  
In response to the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, changing public health approaches and public attitudes, and revised guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NEA has updated its COVID-19 protocols for gatherings at which fifty (50) or more attendees are expected. View the most current NEA COVID-19 protocols below.