New life for ESP retirement bill

There's new life for a proposal to improve retirement benefits for education support professionals.

State Sen. Fred Risser is seeking co-sponsors for a bill he is re-introducing that modifies how the Wisconsin Retirement System treats education support professionals. Currently, there is a difference in the way ESP and teachers qualify for creditable service toward retirement.

Teachers, librarians and administrators currently need fewer hours of employment per year to qualify for creditable service toward retirement in the WRS. The difference in calculating creditable service effectively requires ESP to work longer than other education staff to become eligible to make contributions to the WRS.

The bill introduced by Sen. Risser is part of WEAC's Legislative Agenda. It requires that education support professionals and teachers, librarians, and administrators be treated the same in terms of qualifying for WRS coverage, with full-time employment for education support professionals set at 1,330 hours per year.

"Sen. Risser deserves our thanks for introducing this bill," WEAC President Stan Johnson said. "It adds fairness to a situation that has been unfair for many years."

Johnson said it is especially fitting that the bill is moving forward during American Education Week, which honors public education, teachers, and education support professionals.

"The Wednesday of American Education Week is set aside as ESP Day – a time for all Americans to take a moment and reflect on the service provided by our education support professionals," Johnson said. "ESP are one of the reasons Wisconsin has great schools. Senator Risser's bill is one step toward giving ESP the recognition they deserve."

Johnson said education support professionals' time spent in public service should be given the same level of respect as all other professionals in public service.

"The improvements in Sen. Risser's proposal will provide an incentive for ESP to stay in public service for their entire careers, making sure every school has great teachers and staff," Johnson said. "More needs to be done for our ESP members, and this is a good start."

For more information about the Legislative Agenda proposal, visit the At the Capitol section of OnWEAC at www.weac.org.