Greetings!

Welcome to the Texas Educational Support Staff Association (TESA) website!

TESA is the sole professional association for paraprofessionals working in education across Texas, offering numerous benefits to our members. These benefits include scholarships, TPEP courses, area workshops, and the annual summer work conference. Through the TPEP Program, our membership can complete a 60-hour training and attain the Certified Educational Organization Professional (CEOP) certification. To maintain your certification, a 6-hour course is required periodically.

It is my honor to serve as your President for the 2023-2024 school year. I extend my gratitude to the TESA membership for their trust and support in this significant step in my life. I am fully committed to ensuring a successful year and propelling TESA in the right direction.

For my term, I have chosen the theme "Cultivating Excellence, Level Up: Personally and Professionally," symbolized by the growth stages of a sunflower—Seedling, Shoot, Bud, Bloom, Wilt, and Regrowth. Much like the sunflower, TESA members undergo various stages: Seedling, as we join TESA; Shoot, when we become involved; Bud, as we begin our CEOP certification; Bloom, upon graduating with our CEOP; Wilt, where some of us faced challenges like COVID; and now, we are in the regrowth stage. I firmly believe in the constant pursuit of growth. We should continuously enhance our skills and share them with others to help them grow too.

I encourage you to visit our website regularly to stay updated on the latest TESA information and events held throughout the year. This will enable you to continue Cultivating Excellence and Leveling Up Personally and Professionally.

Both President-Elect Eva Zamora and I, along with our Executive Board and committee members, are here to provide any assistance you may need. Please feel free to email us with any questions or concerns, as communication is vital in staying connected and serving our TESA membership.

With warm regards,

Ofelia Barron, CEOP

TESA President 2023-2024