Education Assistants

Welcome to CUPE’s resource page for Education Assistants.

About 12,500 Education Assistants (EAs) work in B.C.’s public school system, most working full school days, but being paid part-time hours. While their formal job titles vary from one school district to the next, EAs share the common experience of working to provide direct educational services and supports to school children who need them.

CUPE BC, along with the BC Teachers’ Federation issued an updated joint paper Roles and Responsibilities of Teachers and Teacher Assistants/Education Assistants in March 2010. It has been a very important resource for teachers and education assistants. This document was first published in 2000. Roles and Responsibilities has been sent to CUPE locals and other support staff unions throughout the province. A French version will be available shortly.

Other resources for EAs include a November 2008 report Recognition and Respect – documenting the working conditions of EAs, and in particular looking at their unrecognized and often unpaid time. A pamphlet highlighting the key findings is also available.

The report has been broken down into summaries by school district so you can access the information for your area.

Le 27 novembre, 2008, le SCFP a soumis un rapport qui analyse les conditions de travail des aides-enseignantes, surtout en ce qui a trait aux heures de travail non rémunérées et souvent non reconnues. Un dépliant couvrant les résultats importants est aussi disponible.