By Kathryn Coulibaly
Last summer, Old Bridge paraprofessional and 2022 NJEA Educational Support Professional (ESP) of the Year Nancy Cogland reached out to some of her new colleagues.
“We had eight new paraprofessionals join the district last September,” Cogland says. “I wanted to welcome them and make that connection, but I was able to get in touch with only six of them. Four of the six weren’t able to get on their district email. This is the only place where they can find the schedule for the first two days of school. Two of them thought they started when the students start. Who wants to start off a new job like that?”
Cogland knew she had to do something. For many years, she has been active in NJEA and NEA and she knew that other districts had implemented ESP peer mentoring programs.
“I attended a training provided by NEA on ESP mentoring, and I knew it would work in our district,” Cogland says. “They work with you to develop a program that suits your district’s size and needs. It is designed to grow and evolve as your program grows.
Cogland met with her local president, Andrew Lewis, and district representatives in September 2022 to explain the issues and how the peer mentoring program would help.
“We’re having issues hiring staff,” Cogland explains. “There’s a high turnover rate, which is bad for the other staff in the building as well as the students. New hires aren’t aware of the rules and they’re getting in trouble for things that could be avoided.”
She was invited to be the first ESP to serve on the district’s Instructional Council where she gave a presentation, followed by another meeting with the assistant superintendent.
“I felt totally prepared by my NEA training,” Cogland says. “Every question they asked me, or problem they posed, I had an answer.”
The assistant superintendent enthusiastically supported the idea, and thanks to Cogland’s participation in the NEA training, the district was eligible for a grant from NEA to offset any costs associated with the initiation of the peer mentoring program.
Cogland and Lewis applied for—and received—the NEA grant in the spring of 2023.
A two-year program benefits ESPs and district
Cogland has developed the program to benefit mentors and mentees. There will be six paraprofessional mentors plus Cogland, the program coordinator. There will be training for the mentors, so everyone is on the same page with what mentees need to know and when they need to know it.
Once a month, the mentor and mentee will meet. They will address one topic each month. Some topics will be broader, such as where paraprofessionals fit in on the special education team.
“It’s important for paraprofessionals to understand how all the pieces work together for the student and who to go to when there are issues,” Cogland says.
Mentors and mentees will meet more frequently in the first year when the new hires are likely to have more questions and concerns.
In the second year, the mentors move on to a new class of mentees and Cogland will work closely with the second-year mentees. In addition to monthly check ins, Cogland will meet with all the mentees on in-service days and go over different material. They will focus on questions related to their specific assignments and not as much on broader educational questions.
Cogland is excited to connect veteran paraprofessionals with the new hires. She is hopeful that it will reinvigorate her veteran colleagues and make them feel more valued and respected.
“I want the new paraprofessionals to learn from someone who does the job well,” Cogland says. “I like that the new hire will have a solid employee who knows the ropes and how the pieces fit together and understands the challenges and rewards of the position. People aren’t sticking around long enough to see that this is a very rewarding job. Part of why they’re not staying is because they’re not properly supported.”
Unhappy staff are also likely to take more time off, Cogland points out. By giving them the information and training they need, the peer mentoring program boosts self-confidence and has new employees immediately feeling like members of the team.
Mentoring and staff retention
Both Cogland and Lewis see ESP mentoring as an important part of addressing high turnover, which negatively affects everyone.
“The problem with high turnover is that now the teacher is not getting support with the students and the students do not have a familiar, reliable person to count on,” Cogland says. “It’s lose-lose for everyone, from the employee all the way to the district. You’re spending an awful lot of time and money to hire people for the same jobs over and over again. It makes more sense to take the time and train someone rather than to rehire.”
“Having the mentoring program will allow for new hires to be part of the fabric of the district from day one, making it even more difficult for the district to privatize, something they’ve tried twice before,” Lewis adds.
Cogland also recognizes the brain drain that happens when ESPs leave the district.
“The employee has spent hours in professional development workshops and PLC meetings and all that knowledge goes out the door with them,” Cogland says. “You’re starting from scratch again. It’s difficult to maintain a standard level of care for the students. I’m hoping this mentoring program sets that standard. Parents should feel confident that their child’s paraprofessional meets that standard of excellence.”
NEA grant funds program startup
While the program is funded by NEA in its initial phase, Cogland believes the value will be evident and in the next round of negotiations, she hopes that the program will be funded by the district.
“We’re going to evaluate the program after the first year,” Cogland says. “The numbers won’t lie. If it gives our current staff a reason to be rejuvenated and helps reduce staff turnover, I think that’s worth exploring. But if it’s an experiment that doesn’t work, it doesn’t cost the district anything.”
The Old Bridge ESP peer mentoring program is funded by NEA through June 2024.
“I’m sure there will be bumps along the way, but anything we can do is better than nothing,” Cogland says.
The local association’s efforts to be considerate of ESPs and their needs, and the collaboration with the district will provide a strong foundation for the mentoring program and ultimately benefit everyone involved.
Mentoring is a tried-and-true strategy with proven results. According to the Task Force on Public School Staff Shortages in New Jersey, which looked at the high turnover rate among all New Jersey school employees, expanding mentorship and professional development for early career educators is a top priority.
ESP work matters
Cogland’s enthusiasm and respect for her paraprofessional colleagues is clear. She is constantly working to build her skills and takes advantage of every NJEA and NEA training available to help her advocate for her colleagues and her students.
She strongly encourages other ESP colleagues to learn more about the peer mentoring program and to bring it to their districts. She points to the success of other ESP peer mentoring programs in Princeton and Livingston.
“It’s really a sign of respect for our staff and the work we do,” Cogland says. “Our work matters and we are an important part of our students’ lives. Helping us to feel more comfortable and knowledgeable just makes good sense!”
To learn more about NEA’s ESP peer mentoring program, go to nea.org.
Kathryn Coulibaly is the associate editor of the NJEA Review and provides content and support to njea.org. She can be reached at kcoulibaly@njea.org.
Continue learning with NEA
NEA’s ESP Quality (ESPQ) Department develops, implements and promotes policies and professional supports that enhance the effectiveness of educational support professionals in meeting the needs of every student. These association-convened and educator-led programs support ESPs throughout their careers to build a culture of professional excellence and student success in public education. ESPs can take classes online, at their own pace, and earn certificates. Learn more at nea.org.
ESP pay is essential to addressing turnover
As important as mentoring is, ESP salaries must increase if districts are serious about addressing high turnover.
According to National Education Association data, New Jersey ranks fourth in the nation in ESP salaries, with an average of $40,250 for full-time educational support professionals. The national average is $32,837.
As NEA reported in an April 2023 article, Living Wage Still Eludes School Support Professionals, “There are many factors driving staff shortages—workload, lack of support—but better pay is one of the biggest. Without improvement, more ESPs will likely choose to leave the profession earlier than they had planned.”