National Education Association

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National Education Association
1201 16th St., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036-3290
By Susan Ihrie
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Mission

• Every child in the U.S. deserves a quality
  education, regardless of income or place of
  residence
• To improve the quality of teaching
• To increase student achievement
• To make schools safer, better places to learn
• To advocate for education professionals

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Membership

• 3.2 million members
• Is largest educational organization in U.S.
• Composed of classroom teachers, school
  administrators, support/classified personnel,
  retired educators, students preparing to teach

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NEA Legislative Priorities
Priorities for the 110th Congress

• Influence Reauthorization of the Elementary and
  Secondary Education Act. Influence
  reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary
  Education Act (ESEA) with a proactive agenda
  based on priorities outlined in NEA's Positive
  Agenda for the ESEA Reauthorization.
• Close Achievement Gaps. Advance proven strategies
  such as reducing class sizes, ensuring high
  quality educators, and promoting parental
  involvement.
• Maximize Education Funding. Maximize overall
  federal funding of public education, particularly
  for ESEA/NCLB programs such as Title I and
  teacher quality, IDEA, Pell Grants, E-Rate, rural
  education and other critical programs.
• Reduce Dropout Rates/Increase Graduation Rates.
  Invest 10 billion over the next 10 years to
  support dropout prevention programs and states
  who make high school graduation compulsory,
  starting with an appropriation of 1 billion in
  Fiscal Year 2008.
• Strengthen Higher Education. Strengthen teacher
  preparation programs, support quality innovations
  including distance learning, and increase access
  including by strengthening student aid in the
  reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
• Expand Educator Tax Relief. Encourage respect for
  educators by using the tax code to recognize
  educator sacrifice and provide additional
  resources for schools.
• Reduce Cost of and Improve Access to Health Care.
  Address the high cost of health care and
  prescription drugs promote access by NEA
  members, children, and the public to affordable
  health insurance plans.

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NEA Publicaitons

• NEA TodayThe Association's flagship publication
  explores today's toughest teaching
  challenges--and solutions. It's an important
  resource that NEA members look forward to
  receiving eight times a year--September to May.
• This Active LifeThis Active Life is a bimonthly
  magazine for NEA-Retired members.
• Tomorrow's TeachersTomorrow's Teachers is an
  annual magazine for NEA student members. It
  offers a wealth of resources to those new to the
  teaching profession..
• Higher Education AdvocatePublished six times per
  year in newsletter format. It highlights trends,
  legislation, resource material, and local, state,
  and national news in post-secondary education.
• Thought ActionNEA's higher educational journal
  is designed to provide faculty, staff, and
  students an enlightened balance between theory
  and practice on issues in higher education.
• The NEA Almanac of Higher EducationThe Almanac,
  published annually, provides NEA higher education
  members with current information on higher
  education employment conditions.
• The NEA HandbookThe NEA Handbook is published
  annually for use by Association officers,
  national and state staff, members, and other
  interested leaders in the field of education..
• Education StatisticsNEA's Rankings Estimates
  is published yearly by NEA Research.

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• NEA's Read Across America2007
• Happy 10th Anniversary!
• March 2, 2007
• Celebrated on Dr. Seusss birthday
• Purpose--to make reading a national pastime
• 10 ways to celebrate the tenth anniversary
• http//www.nea.org/readacross/10ways.html

To send the cat in the hat a birthday card click
on www.catinthehat.com.
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Helpful for Librarians

• 50 multicultural books every child should read
  http//www.nea.org/readacross/resources/50multiboo
  ks.html
• Asian American booklist http//www.nea.org/readac
  ross/resources/aabooks.html
• Multiculturalism Celebrate It Through Reading
  365 Days a Year http//www.nea.org/webresources/r
  eadmulticult0509.html

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Professional Development on NEAs website

• Checklist for a professional portfolio
• Benefits of mentoring
• Online professional development
• Professional library (books)
• Booklists on various topics
• Issues in education
• Resources for teachers

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• For more information Visit the NEA website at
  http//www.nea.org/index.html