An unhealthy situation for ESP.(education support professionals; health care costs)(Brief Article)

For too many education support professionals, health care costs are painful and just plain shameful.

Ohio Education Association Labor Relations Consultant Ann Field, who works with a consortium of 11 northern Ohio districts, notes that many of the region's part-time ESPs take their jobs simply to gain access to their district's health care plan.

Unfortunately, costs have risen so dramatically over the last couple of years that some employees, primarily cafeteria workers earning about $7 per hour, actually end up owing their district money at the end of the month. …