NEA Representative Assembly

2015 NEA Representative Assembly

More than 7,000 educators from all 50 states gathered in Orlando, Florida, from July 3-6 to attend the National Education Association’s 94th Representative Assembly (RA). The RA is the top decisionmaking body for the nearly 3 million-member NEA, and sets Association policy for the coming year.

Among the 124 proposed New Business Items (NBIs), delegates passed two high-profi le NBIs, which direct NEA’s work:

Supporting shared responsibility of education, mandating the NEA partner with parent and community groups to support students.

NEA address issues of institutional racism and expand professional development in area of cultural competence, diversity, and social justice.

Members of Seeds of Peace pictured with MEA delegates at the NEA RA. Seeds of Peace received the NEA Applegate-Dorros Peace Award, the Association's highest civil rights honor.

How the NEA RA Changed Me

“My experience as a first time NEA delegate was incredibly inspirational! It's a process like none other, and one that I found to be incredibly moving. The RA presented me with the opportunity to actually take action and effect positive change with respect to the issues that impact public education for both students and educators. I was able to connect with, network, and discuss the most influential topics in my profession, then steer the direction of this incredible organization toward real effectual change with respect to those issues, through the power of my one vote. The process is compelling and extraordinary! I feel very fortunate to have been part of this process in 2015 and eagerly await the opportunity to serve again.” - Beth French, Penobscot Bay Education Association

MEA-Retired member wins big for retirees at NEA RA

Crystal Ward, a retired teacher from Lewiston and member of MEA-Retired, proposed a New Business Item (NBI) at the NEA RA on behalf of all active and student members. Ward worked to pass the NBI which asks the NEA to inform all members about retirement issues saying, “their lack of understanding of retirement issues was alarming.” Now, thanks to an MEA-Retired member, the NEA will publish two articles, one in the active member publication and one in the student publication to inform members about things like how your pension works. “I worked with retired members from several delegations and Maine delegates helped and I was able to get NBI #20 passed without opposition!” exclaimed Ward.