We use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience, provide ads, analyze site traffic, and personalize content. If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies.
The National Education Association (NEA) is more than 3 million people—educators, students, activists, workers, parents, neighbors, friends—who believe in opportunity for all students and in the power of public education to transform lives and create a more just and inclusive society.
- Join us
- Find your state affiliate
- Learn more about NEA
“Classrooms across the country are led by passionate and talented teachers who have the power to use their voices to speak for the voiceless — our students.”
Quote by: —Missy Testerman, 2024 National Teacher of the Year
Our best hope for student success is you.
Your passion and commitment are crucial to helping all students—of all colors and backgrounds—learn, grow, and fulfill their potential. Here’s how you can get started.
Be a voice for each and every student.
Students have a right to a safe, welcoming, and affirming learning environment in a school that respects and values them and is free of bias. Learn about issues affecting our students and how you can help students succeed.
Advocate for your rights & working conditions.
Those who serve our students and communities need the support, resources, and working conditions to excel in their work. The power and influence of the NEA community are here to help you understand your rights and improve your working conditions.
Achieve professional excellence and become a leader in your profession.
Being an education professional requires passion, dedication, confidence, and resilience. Our community helps educators at all stages in their career become leaders in their profession, in their union, and in their communities. Explore how you can achieve professional excellence and mentor others through leadership development.
Advance justice with us.
Institutional racism prevents students from getting the opportunities they deserve. See how you can bring racial and social justice into our schools and transform our communities.
Are you an affiliate?
Jump to updates, opportunities, and resources for NEA state and local affiliates.
- Grants and funding
- Tools and trainings
- New from NEA
Our journey began more than a century ago. Yours starts now.
We’ve spent decades working for students and educators—but, there’s still more to do. Like our progress during the civil rights and women’s rights movements, we need to dig in and speak up for the students and educators who are still facing inequality every day.
Advance racial and social justice in our communities and schools.
- Create just and equitable schools
- Stand up for racial and social justice
- Learn more
Safeguard and strengthen public education through collective action, advocacy, and policy change.
- Visit NEA's Action Center
- Learn what makes great public schools
- Enact change through collective bargaining and educator voice
Let’s get real
Let’s bring real change
Let’s get real
Eighty percent of parents agree that lessons about climate change should be taught.
Let’s bring real change
“In the beginning, they were bringing it up in a hopeful way, like we could try different things to stop the worst outcomes. But at the rate that change is happening, now when students bring it up it’s not in a way of hope....What I’m teaching in Arizona will not look identical to what teachers in Minnesota and Florida are teaching about. Starting with our students’ lived experiences and helping them ask the right questions is the best place to start.”
— Dylan Wince, high school teacher, Arizona
Meet the challenge of teaching climate changeAccording to U.S. Department of Education data, specific racial groups tend to fall within specific disability categories at higher rates.
Let’s bring real change
“People make a lot of judgment calls. Those biases … play into your beliefs around the child's capacity. This crosses color lines too. We need all educators to check their own bias about how they show up and allow their perceptions of the community they live within [or outside of] impact the way they make recommendations for kids.”
— Nikki Woodward, special education teacher, Maryland
Learn more about implicit bias in special educationAn NEA survey revealed that 17 percent of teachers and 22 percent of support staff had “moderate or serious problems” making rent or mortgage payments.
Let’s bring real change
“Santa Fe is a beautiful place and I love teaching. Can I live here on my salary? Yes, but it has been very difficult....I’m at the top of my salary schedule. I cannot imagine how a new teacher is supposed to cope. Our pay raise was great news, but by itself it may not be enough to keep people in the profession. We’ve not been able to fill positions at my school. It’s a little scary.”
— Zoe Gierman, elementary school teacher, New Mexico
Learn how unions are helping to solve the educator housing crisis.What’s on Your Mind?
We’re here to help. Our community comes to us seeking tools (guides, reports, trainings, and more) to help answer everyday questions. We’re here to support you in whatever you need.
- Bullying
- Collective Bargaining
- College Affordability
- COVID-19
- Education Funding
- English Language Learning
- Federal Legislation
- Gun Violence
- Immigration
- Mental Health
- Privatization
- School Climate
- Trauma
- Voting Rights
- Workplace Conditions
Find K-12 lesson plans, teaching tips, ideas for differentiation, and teacher-tested advice for your April 22 curriculum and beyond.
- Get resources
- Learn more about our climate justice advocacy resources
Stay Informed We'll come to you
We're here to help you succeed in your career, advocate for public school students, and stay up to date on the latest education news. Sign up to stay informed
Great public schools for every student
The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.
