ratoday - 2020 nea annual meeting · all of the nea social media properties. legislative &...

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 1

TITLE: To confer automatic delegate status to the chair of the Resolutions Internal Editing Committee for all purposes except voting for officers.

Article III. Representative AssemblySection 3(b). Election of Delegates Election to the Board of Direc-tors by the Active NEA members within the state shall constitute election to the Representative As-sembly for all purposes. Election to the Board of Direc-tors by the Active NEA members elected to serve as delegates to the state representative body shall constitute election to the Repre-sentative Assembly for all purposes except voting in elections for As-sociation officers. Election to the Board of Direc-tors as an at-large director or a retired or student director shall constitute election to the Repre-sentative Assembly for all purposes except voting in elections for As-sociation officers. Election to executive office or to the Executive Committee shall

constitute election to the Repre-sentative Assembly for all purposes except voting in elections for As-sociation officers. Election to the presidency of a state affiliate by vote of members in the state who are eligible to vote in such election shall constitute elec-tion to the Representative Assembly for all purposes. Election to the presidency of a state affiliate by the state represen-tative body shall constitute election to the Representative Assembly for all purposes except voting in elec-tions for Association officers. Selection as chairperson of the Internal Editing Committee shall constitute election to the Repre-sentative Assembly for all purposes except voting in elections for As-sociation officers. Selection as chairperson of the Advisory Committee of Student Members shall constitute election to the Representative Assembly for all purposes except voting in elec-tions for Association officers. Election to the presidency of National Education Association-Retired shall constitute election to the Representative Assembly for all purposes except voting in elections for Association officers.

IMPACT STATEMENT:Standing Rule 7(C) provides that the president will appoint a chair-person of the Resolutions Commit-tee annually from among the five members of the Internal Editing Committee, each of whom is also appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors. The chairperson presides over all meetings of the Internal Editing Committee and full Reso-lutions Committee. Members of the Internal Editing Committee are appointed to three-year terms and no member may serve more than two terms. Members of the Internal Editing Committee are eligible for appointment as chairperson in any year of their term.

If the amendment were adopted, appointment of the Resolutions Committee chairperson would also constitute election as a delegate to the Representative Assembly for all purposes except voting in elections for Association officers. Should the chair wish to have voting rights for officer elections, he or she could decline the ex officio credential and seek nomination and election for any local or state delegate position for which he or she were eligible.

ratodayThe Official Newspaper for the 2017 NEA Representative Assembly

2017 RA • ISSUE 3

BOSTON, MA

JULY 3, 2017

ProPosed Amendments to the Constitution, BylAws, And stAnding rules

Proposed amendments to the Constitution, Bylaws, and Standing Rules are published in full in this issue of RA Today. Please keep this copy with you to help you follow the discussion about these proposals on the RA floor. If this discussion results in changes to the text of these amendments, RA Today will publish the revised text. Note: Pro-posed insertions of language are underscored; proposed deletions are shown in strikethrough. The RA Today also carries the text of New Business Items (NBIs) proposed before and during the Annual Meeting and RA. When first printed, each NBI will include its relevant strategic goal or core function as well

as the preliminary estimate of the cost of each item and whether the item is covered in the proposed strategic plan and budget. Delegates should also note that, per Standing Rule 6, adopting an NBI does not include approval of any appropriations. Once an NBI has been considered, RA Today will record the action taken and, if approved, will reprint the NBI text along with any amend-ment. The final edition of RA Today will include the full text of all enacted NBIs. This final is-sue will be sent to each delegate after the RA ends.

nea.org/raYour source for everything RA, including meeting business, updates, & more.

NEA President Lily Eskelsen García’s take on public education and student advocacy.Lilysblackboard.org

FACEBOOK.COM/NEATODAY

TWITTER.COM/NEATODAY

INSTAGRAM.COM/NEATODAY

YOUTUBE.COM/NEAABS

FLICKR.COM/NEATODAY

Hashtag #neara17 connecting all of the NEA social media properties.

Legislative & political news affecting education & ways to get involved.EdVotes.org

Activisim in the fight for racial & social justice in public education.NEAEdJustice.org

Political activism by America’s most powerful voice for public education! Contribute today:NEAFund.org

Our online educator community for connecting, collaborating, sharing, & learning.MyNEA360.org

ra online

Breaking education news & advocacy opportunities. Message & data rates may apply. Text NEA to 84693

NEA MOBILE ALERTS

Bringing you the latest in education news every day.

neatoday.org

Union Strength & Member AdvocacyProfessional PracticeSocial JusticeOur Mission

ra daily theme

Submitted by: 50 Delegates

Contact Person: Michael Bank, Delaware CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 2

TITLE: To change the frequency of the Representative Assembly from every year to every other year begin-ning in 2022.

Article III. Representative Assem-blySection 5. Meetings The Representative Assembly shall meet at least annually. Effective 2022, the Representative Assembly shall meet in even-numbered years. This stipulation shall apply except in cases of emergency. The NEA Board of Directors shall develop and submit for Repre-sentative Assembly approval any necessary amendments to the NEA Constitution, Bylaws, and Standing Rules required to bring them into compliance with this provision.

IMPACT STATEMENT:Article III, Section 5 of the NEA Constitution provides for a meet-ing of the Representative Assembly (“RA”) “at least annually” except in cases of emergency. Article III, Section 9 further provides the procedure by which the RA may be postponed in the event of an emergency.

If adopted, the amendment would change the frequency of the RA from annually to every other year, meeting in even-numbered years beginning 2022. The amendment also directs the NEA Board of Directors to consider and submit for RA approval any changes to NEA governing documents required to bring them into compliance with the new schedule. Because the NEA Constitution supersedes conflict-ing provisions in the NEA Bylaws and Standing Rules, the Board’s task would be to determine if there are governing document provisions the RA should consider amending to make other regularly scheduled business, such as officer election and adoption of the budget, consistent with a two-year cycle.

The amendment addresses only the conduct of the NEA Representative Assembly itself. Its passage would require decisions by the appropri-ate organizations or bodies about the frequency of other meetings, conferences, and events held in conjunction with the RA. Passage of the amendment could also impact activities conducted at the RA, such as PAC fundraising and charitable community events, and would again necessitate decisions by appropriate bodies as to if and how to conduct such activities in the off-years. In terms of the financial impact of this amendment, the NEA Strate-gic Plan and Budget for 2016-18 includes approximately $6M for some, but not all, administrative expenses associated with conducting the Annual Meeting. These in-clude items related to facilities and services, staff, and other expenses associated with running the Annual Meeting. There are other expenses not included in this total, such as those related to pre-conferences and events. The impact on such expenses would depend on whether organizers continue to hold these events in the off-years.

In 2016, RA-related costs (including expenses within and outside the RA line item in the Strategic Plan and Budget) included pre-conference expenses of the Joint Conference, Retired Annual Meeting, and Stu-dent Conference (over $900,000); the Human and Civil Rights dinner ($382,156); staff attendance at the RA and related events ($132,812 – lower in 2016 than in prior years because of the RA location in Wash-ington, DC); transportation such as buses and metro cards ($735,425); and convention center facilities such as food, hall labor, audio visual, stage construction, signage, child care, and registration ($3M).

Passage of this amendment would impact affiliate costs such as for del-egate elections and expenses. The total cost of the annual RA for state and local affiliates is not available.

NEA has agreements in place for RAs through 2024. Cities generally require five years notice to change convention dates. If adopted, because of the effective date, this amendment should not result in NEA incurring any penalties for cancellation of a planned RA, as NEA could notify the impacted city (Orlando, Florida for 2023) five years in advance and re-book the convention there in a later year.


Contact Person: Sue Cahill, Iowa

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 3

TITLE: To delete language that is no longer needed now that execu-tive officer elections are on the same three-year cycle.

Article IV. Executive OfficersSection 5. Elections, Terms, and Salaries Beginning in 1993 and each third year thereafter, the The President, and the Vice President and the Sec-retary-Treasurer shall be nominated at and elected by the Representative Assembly at the Annual Meeting in accordance with this Constitution, the Bylaws, and the Standing Rules. b. Beginning in 2014 and each third year thereafter, the Secretary-Treasurer shall be nominated at and elected by the Representative Assembly at the Annual Meeting in accordance with this Constitution, the Bylaws, and the Standing Rules. c. b. In an election for President, Vice President, or Secretary-Treasur-er, if there is only one (1) candidate for the position, the Chair shall declare such candidate elected. d. c. The terms of the President, of the Vice President, and of the Secretary-Treasurer shall be three (3) years beginning September 1 following their election, except that the term of the Secretary-Treasurer elected in 2012 shall be two (2) years. Each executive officer shall remain in office through August 31 of the year in which a successor is elected, unless otherwise provided in this Constitution. An executive offi-cer shall serve no more than two (2) terms in the office to which elected.IMPACT STATEMENT:Article IV, Section 5 of the NEA Constitution sets out the terms of the NEA president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer. Prior to 1991, the Constitution permitted executive officers to serve up to three two-year terms, with election of the president and vice president taking place in odd-numbered years and election of the secretary-treasur-er in even-numbered years. In 1991, this language was amended to allow officers to serve up to two three-year terms, with election of the president and vice president taking place in 1993 and every third year thereafter,

and election of the secretary-trea-surer taking place in 1992 and every third year thereafter.

In 2010, the Constitution was amended to eliminate the staggered terms for officers starting in 2014. To accomplish this, language was added providing for a one-time two year-term for the secretary-treasurer elected in 2012. In 2014, all three officers were then elected for con-current three-year terms.

The proposed amendment would clean up Article IV by striking the outdated references to 1993, 2012 and 2014, leaving intact the language setting forth the current officer election rules. The amend-ment would have no impact on the conduct of elections or the terms of officers.

Submitted by: Committee on Consti-tution, Bylaws, and Rules

Contact Person: Tim Graham, Pennsylvania [email protected]

STANDING RULE AMENDMENT 1

DEFEATED


DEFEATED


DEFEATED

STANDING RULE AMENDMENT 3A

DEFEATED


DEFEATED


WITHDRAWN


DEFEATED

2 • RA TODAY MONDAY, JULY 3, 2017

Amendments

Notes

MONDAY, JULY 3, 2017 RA TODAY • 3


DEFEATED

STANDING RULE AMENDMENT 7A

ADOPTED

Rule 4. ReportsD. Report of the Committee on Program and Budget Appropriation requests shall be considered by the Representative As-sembly at the time of the adoption of the budget. The adoption of the budget shall be by vote of the Rep-resentative Assembly after consider-ation of all new business items.

STANDING RULE AMENDMENT 7B

ADOPTED

Rule 5. Amendments to the NEA Constitution, Bylaws, and Stand-ing RulesC (1)(a). Amendments to Stand-ing Rules. Proposal of Standing Rule Amendments; Petition of Delegates Amendments to the Standing Rules may be proposed to the Rep-resentative Assembly by one or more of the following methods:(a) Petition of Delegates – peti-

tion signed by at least twenty-five (25) fifty (50) certified delegates and submitted to the Committee on Constitution, Bylaws, and Rules for presen-tation to the Representative Assembly.


WITHDRAWN STANDING RULE AMENDMENT 9

NOT MOVED


WITHDRAWN


DEFEATED


ADOPTED

Rule 11. Elections Conducted at the Representative AssemblyB (3). Procedures – Campaign Materials No campaign materials may be distributed, posted, or displayed within the seating area of the au-ditorium or where they are visible from the seating area while the Rep-resentative Assembly is in session, provided that this prohibition shall not apply to the wearing of T-shirts, hats, pins, buttons, and the like. No campaign materials or materi-als promoting passage or defeat of any Constitutional or Bylaw amend-ment, including T-shirts, hats, pins, buttons, and the like, shall be distributed, posted, or displayed at the polling places or where they are visible from the polling places on election day.

Amendments


new Business items

NEW BUSINESS ITEM 1

ADOPTED

That NEA will make available through the NEA website an ongoing updated list of companies and orga-nizations that the NEA is boycotting with a brief explanation as to why they are being boycotted.

Cost ImplICatIonsActivities to fulfill the require-ments of this NBI can be under-taken within the proposed Modi-fied 2017-2018 Strategic Plan and Budget at no additional cost.

______

NEW BUSINESS ITEM 2

ADOPTED AS AMENDED

The NEA will conduct qualitative research of Online Credit Recovery Programs (OCRP) that were recently being used in various school districts across the nation, noting the follow-ing:

• Instructional method (hybrid or blended), or 100% online; if blended or hybrid, what is the percent of in-person curriculum based instruction by a certified teacher?

• Is it based on research? If it is based on research, then it is independently corroborated?

Cost ImplICatIonsThis NBI can be accomplished at an additional cost of $31,000.

______

NEW BUSINESS ITEM 3

ADOPTED

The NEA will continue to advance the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LG-BTQ) students and educators by taking the following actions to counter the continuing backlash against LGBTQ individuals:

1. Call upon our members and society to promote a culture of safety, support, and affirmation that ensures civil rights and advocacy for LGBTQ members and students including, adopt-ing policies that respect the civil rights of all educators and students, inclusive of transgen-der students and educators.

2. Provide tools for affiliates and members to use at the state and local level to gain or secure pro-tections for LGBTQ individuals at work and in schools.

3. Convene periodic webinars for state and local affiliates and members (in the fall, winter, and spring) to provide updates as to the current status of state and local protections as well as models for actions that can be taken at the state and local level to increase protections.

4. Provide legislative support and resources to state affiliates and tools for local affiliates to use in advocating for increased LGBTQ protections.

5. Continue to actively participate in the legal efforts to secure full civil rights for LGBTQ individuals by filing amicus curiae briefs in support of chal-lenges to anti-LGBTQ legisla-tive and policy initiatives and in support of ensuring full civil rights protections for LGBTQ individuals.

6. Evaluate eliminating states and cities as acceptable locations for future NEA meetings if the state or city adopts a law or ordinance that licenses discrim-ination against students and educators based on their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.


______

NEW BUSINESS ITEM 4

ADOPTED AS MODIFIED

NEA-Retired requests that NEA draft model legislation that can be used in every state to address current concerns such as eliminating gerry-mandering, reversing right to work, or preserving pensions.


______

NEW BUSINESS ITEM 5

REFERRED TO THE APPROPRIATE COMMIT-TEE AS AMENDED

We call upon the NEA, as a member of the labor community, to explore how we could use existing funds to promote solidarity amongst all labor communities through actions such as:

• Declaring that an attack on one of our labor groups is an attack on ALL of our labor groups;

• Working together with other organized labor unions, includ-ing, but not limited to United Steelworkers (USW), United

Automobile Workers (UAW), American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), American Federation of Teach-ers (AFT), International Broth-erhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Em-ployees (AFSCME), Nurses, Firefighters, Peace Officers and many others;

• Standing united against any action that would diminish our rights or the rights of any of our brothers and sisters in the greater labor community; and;

• Providing support, including but not limited to: walking picket lines, providing crisis funds, and other assistance as needed with all labor unions who are faced with uncertainty based off of the whims of local, state, and federal governments.

Cost ImplICatIonsActivities to fulfill the requirements of this NBI can be undertaken within the proposed Modified 2017-2018 Strategic Plan and Budget at no additional cost.

______

NEW BUSINESS ITEM 6

ADOPTED

I move that NEA investigate the feasibility of using otherwise empty charter buses that are being con-tracted for RA use from outside of the host city to transport local and state delegates along the buses' routes to the RA site.

Cost ImplICatIonsThis NBI can be accomplished at an additional cost of $1,000. If this NBI passes, it will be referred to the Annual Meeting Review Committee.

______

NEW BUSINESS ITEM 7

ADOPTED

The NEA shall, using existing re-search and available sources, publish an article in the NEA Today provid-ing the best available information on connections between the school-to-prison pipeline and the govern-ment's practice of privatization of prisons, juvenile detention centers, and immigration detention centers. This article will also share examples of efforts that have successfully reduced, reversed, or ended these privatization schemes.


NEW BUSINESS ITEM 8

DEFEATED

NEW BUSINESS ITEM 9

ADOPTED AS MODIFIED

I move that NEA create a train-ing module on trauma-informed instruction that can be accessed by state and local affiliates, this module will be based on best practices and utilize the trauma-informed educa-tional efforts current NEA affiliates are practicing.


______

NEW BUSINESS ITEM 10

I move that NEA will create articles using existing digital resources to inform members of the detrimental effects of student random searches.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundRandom search policies dispropor-tionately affect students of color and help to continue the school-to-pris-on pipeline. The random searches are many times not random. Students of color are profiled and subjected to public reprimand and embarrassment.


Contact: Cecily Myart-Cruz, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-3 Advocacy and OutreachCF-4 Communications


______


The NEA will publish, through its digital media properties, its strong opposition to forced migration and deportations. In order to educate NEA and community members

Cost of New Business Items yet to be considered: $2,729,473

Cost of New Business Items Referred to Appropriate Committees: $0

Cost of New Business Items to Date: $100,000

about the detrimental effects forced migration and deportations have on people, this publication should in-clude, but not be limited to, stories about and histories of

• Forced migrations and deporta-tions, both past and present.

• How children's lives are detrimentally affected directly and indirectly through forced migration and deportations.

• U.S. military veterans deported after serving in the U.S. mili-tary.

• Why people flee their home countries, including war, famine, and imbalanced treaties such as NAFTA.

And, statistics on

• Numbers and ethnicities of deportees over time.

• Crime statistics, including types of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants vs. citizens.

• Numbers of refugees and mi-grant patterns worldwide.

• Who is affected by immigration laws and policies and how they are affected.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundStrong correlations exist among the physical safety, emotional and social health, economic stability of com-munities, and successful students. Forced migration and deportations violate every aspect of this inter-relationship. We support human rights worldwide and believe that no human is illegal.


Contact: Angela Wolf, [email protected]



______


I move that NEA will have an ongoing series in the NEA Today and existing digital resources high-lighting examples of community schools across the nation and will create a training module for locals to use with parent and community partners around creating community schools.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundAll students deserve community schools. They are the answer to the well-funded privatization at-tacks. We need to support positive examples and inspire our communi-

ties to help push back against these attacks and push forward a vision of community schools.



Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-S Goals' Shared TacticsCF-4 Communications


______


I move that NEA Board of Direc-tors consider a new policy statement on public community schools to be presented at the 2018 NEA RA for adoption.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundCommunity schools have promoted a positive way forward, especially for our neediest schools. This policy statement allows us to lead our profession as the voice for public community schools. Who better than NEA to be the voice for our profession?


Contact: Abby Beytin, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-S Goals' Shared TacticsCF-6 Governance


______


CONSOLIDATED WITH NBI 9

______


NEA will support the implemen-tation of restorative practices by sharing with the members through existing NEA communication chan-nels the best practices and guidelines to implement restorative practices in states and locals.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe implementation of restorative

practices is a means to curtail the school-to-prison pipeline. Students who are suspended have a higher likelihood of not graduating.

Submitted by: 50 delegates

Contact: Theresa Mitchell Dudley, Maryland [email protected]



______


NEA will review the demographic data of high-stakes assessments, like PRAXIS, and other state and national assessments, to ensure that candidates of color are not adversely impacted when they take the assessments required to become educators. The results of this review should be shared through existing NEA communication channels.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundAccountability and assessments are important. However, we need to address potential testing inequi-ties as we attempt to recruit new teachers. Complete transparency in score reporting is needed to ensure bias-free test reporting.


Contact: Kumar Rashad, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-S Goals' Shared TacticsCF-4 Communications


______


The NEA stands for all students including immigrant students, stu-dents from religious minorities, stu-dents of color, and LGBTQ students and will act to ensure that their civil rights are fully protected by:

1. Calling upon our members and society to take action to promote a culture of safety, support, and affirmation that ensures civil rights for all stu-dents by adopting policies that respect the civil rights of all students.

2. Providing tools for affiliates and members to use at the state and local level to gain or secure protections for students' civil rights.

3. Issuing legal guidance and model school district policies that spell out the legal rights and provide best practices de-signed to ensure that students' rights are protected.

4. Continuing to actively par-ticipate in the legal efforts to secure full civil rights by join-ing with other legal advocacy organizations and filing amicus curiae briefs in courts to argue in support of those rights high-lighting the commitment of NEA members to the equal and fair treatment of all students.

5. Joining with the civil rights and advocacy community to ensure that the federal civil rights of students continue to be enforced.

6. Pursuing information regarding the extent to which the current U.S. Department of Education has cut back enforcement of federal civil rights.

7. Joining with other allies to


new Business items

Amending a submitted NBI? Please use the following standards for clarity and consistency:

r Identify the specific sentence(s) you wish to amend, or if you are proposing a complete substitute.

r Clearly note which words you wish to delete and/or add by speci-fying the location (paragraph and sentence) and providing the exact language. Do not use line numbers.

r [Bracket] all proposed deletions; underline all proposed addi-tions.

r Examples: • Amend NBI 2: In the 4th sentence, insert using existing vehicles of

communication after “NEA shall educate members”

• Amend NBI 3: In the 3rd sentence, delete [send to all members] and replace with publish on NEA media properties


new Business itemschallenge where appropriate the U.S. Department of Educa-tion's rollback of civil rights protections for students.

8. Highlighting through NEA communication properties the efforts of NEA members to advocate for their students for these core civil rights issues.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe choices of the current adminis-tration have placed our students in harm's way by cutting back on the enforcement of students' civil rights. This NBI allows the NEA to take the lead in the support and defense of our students.

Submitted By: 50 Delegates

Contact: Amber Gould , [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-3 Advocacy and Outreach



The NEA will oppose deportations and reiterate that public school staff should refuse cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforce-ment (ICE) officials or any official seeking immigration information due to the detrimental effects ICE actions have on documented, citi-zen, and undocumented community members alike.

The NEA will issue a press release stating its support for the physical, social, and emotional well-being all members of school-communities need in order to learn. This press release will also reiterate that school staff should not be encouraged or coerced to provide information about the immigration status of any community member in order to safeguard students' privacy and well-being.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundFirst, safe communities are neces-sary for student learning. Sec-ond, military involvement in 135 countries contributes to instability overseas and often results in forced migration. Therefore, education staff should protect students from deportation.



Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-2 Empowered Educators for Suc-cessful StudentsCF-3 Advocacy and Outreach


______


NEA will reissue the call to action urging members and the public to join the effort to demand that U.S. Secretary of Education DeVos answer NEA President Lily Eskelsen García questons posed in her letter of February 14, 2017.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundIt is important that we understand DeVos' position on the critical issues we care about for our students. We need to support our NEA President and remind Secretary DeVos that we're still waiting for substantive answers to her questions.

Submitted by: 50 delegates

Contact: Becca Ritchie, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-3 Advocacy and OutreachCF-6 Governance


______


The NEA Student Program Chair will recommend a student member for the NEA President to appoint to serve on the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundCurrently, two aspiring educators serve on the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification Committee and Women's Issues Committee. In order to advance the NEA goal of educator voice and empowerment, an ethnic minority aspiring educator should have a voice on this commit-tee.


Contact: Adam Moskowitz, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-6 Governance


______


NEA will explore and encourage state affiliates to explore every op-portunity to fund aspiring educators and early career educators as guests to the NEA RA.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundWhen NEA engages aspiring and early career educators at the national level, they become lifelong union activists. This inspires and encour-ages the next group of educators to become leaders in the active organi-zation, an opportunity they might not have otherwise.


Contact: Amethyst Stegbauer, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-6 Governance


______


The NEA shall make no major politi-cal endorsements outside the annual RA process.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundWe are a diverse body of profession-als. If NEA must endorse political candidates, all of our members' voices, through their elected delegates to the RA, must be heard.


Contact: Mark D. Hamilton, [email protected]



______

Notes


Notesnew Business items


NEA will use existing legal resources to support state affiliates by sharing existing laws that allow undocument-ed students to receive in-state college tuition rates in the state in which they reside.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundProvides opportunities for un-documented students to achieve the educational goals they seek. This will help them become an integral part of their community or state. And will help break down another barrier of institutional racism.


Contact: Charmaine Banther, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-3 Advocacy and OutreachCF-5 Business Operations


______


The NEA shall mount a media campaign in the coming school year advocating the preservation and extension of library media programs in public schools across the country. The campaign shall consist of both print and digital media in both print and video formats. Publication will be made in print and media outlets curated by the NEA and other orga-nizations supportive of school library programs such as the American Library Association, School Library Journal, and everylibrary.org as well as the related social media pages maintained by the same organiza-tions and through their outlets.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundNEA's report published in 2016 states, "studies have shown a direct, positive correlation between student access to library/media centers and student achievement. We believe these findings should inform and advance...education policy makers to fully support library/media centers..."

Submitted By: Required

Contact: Jeff Treistman, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-4 Communications


______


NEA Exit Interview Project - Drawing from the work of state associations and locals that have implemented educational employee exit surveys, the NEA will develop an exit interview tool for locals to use as a guide to exit interview data collection. Locals will be encouraged to contact all educational employees leaving their employment to conduct respectful exit interviews and to collect data including: leaver de-mographics, job statuses, years of em-ployment, reason for leaving. Data collected will be sent to the NEA. The NEA will compile and publish the exit interview data biannually. It will be used to inform local bargain-ing and policy development.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundFew, if any, exit interviews are conducted for educational employ-ees. Data collected by the federal government does not cite reasons for leaving employment. NEA collected exit interview data will identify prob-lems endemic to our profession and specific needs for support.


Contact: Jennifer L. Hall, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-1 Research Policy and Practice


______


NEA will create resources for educa-tors about mental health illnesses that provide strategies for meeting the needs of struggling students. The resources should include one-page handouts that would help educa-tors recognize student behaviors and get them the help that they need on issues such as Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Oppositional Defi-ance Disorder, Anxiety and Depres-sion, and Attention Deficit Hyperac-tivity Disorder.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe National Alliance on Mental Illi-ness says one in five children ages 13-18 experience a serious mental health disorder. Many of our members do not have the background, training, or resources to meet the needs of these vulnerable students.


Contact: Esther A. Fletcher, New [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-2 Empowered Educators for Successful StudentsCF-1 Research Policy and Practice


______


NEA will research and publish suc-cessful practices used by states and locals to recruit and retain minority educators.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundMany districts around the country claim that they do not know where or how to recruit and retain minority educators. NEA we need your help.


Contact: Mavis Ellis, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-2 OrganizingCF-3 Advocacy and Outreach


______


Through a press release, the NEA will state our opposition to the draconian austerity measures and privatization of public services being imposed on the people of Puerto Rico through the Puerto Rican Oversight, Manage-ment, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) of 2016, as this debt was not created nor is owned by the Puerto Rican people. In this press re-lease, the NEA shall explain how we

• support the need for communi-ties to have well-run schools where the people live, and we oppose the closure of more than 130 schools, the cutting of 40 days from the school year, and


Notesthe non-renewal of the year-to-year teacher contracts of more than 5,000 teachers.

• support local educators and op-pose the corporately-controlled board's plans to freeze teacher salaries which have been stag-nant since 2007.

• support the rights of people to access healthcare and receive their pensions and oppose expected cuts in both.

The NEA will include a written de-mand to end to these destructive cuts as outlined above and insist that the restructuring plan not be carried out at the expense of the Puerto Rican U.S. citizens who own less than one-third of the debt. The public good must be put first before the lobbying efforts of hedge- and vulture-fund owners.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundPuerto Ricans own less than one-fifth of the island's debt. Austerity should not destroy this generation of the Puerto Rican people's access to quality public education and health services while the debt creators and creditors benefit from their own mistakes.





______


The NEA will change the name "NEA Student Program" to "NEA Aspiring Educators," starting in the 2018-2020 budget cycle.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe title "Student Program" does not represent members of our constitu-ency, as the term "students" often refers to K-12 individuals. The title "Aspiring Educators" is inclusive to those who belong to the NEA and have committed themselves to the education profession.


Contact: Ashley Muscarella, Pennsylvania

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-2 Organizing


______


In partnership with the Southern Poverty Law Center, NEA will track incidents of discrimination, racism, homophobia, anti-semitism, and bigotry in our public schools. The data will be shared with districts to educate and eradicate hate through the development of programs that include, but are not limited to, train-ing on unconscious bias, culturally responsive instruction, and the anti-defamation league.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundIn 2016-17 school year there has been an uptick of incidents of discrimination and hate within our schools. It is paramount that NEA takes action to combat the uprise in acts of hate and discrimination in our schools to address this current epidemic.


Contact: Ann Katzburg, [email protected]



______


Using digital formats, the NEA will provide locals and states with methods, tools, and resources to cre-ate outreach opportunities and build partnerships with parent advocacy groups, in order to form coalitions for the purpose of seeking full federal funding for special education.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundSpecial Education is currently funded at only 15% of the agreed upon 40%. Joining forces with parent advocacy groups will better ensure legislators accept that we need full funding to ensure proper educational services and supports for students with identified needs.


Contact: Robin Szymanski, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-2 Empowered Educators for Successful StudentsCF-1 Research Policy and PracticeCF-4 Communications


______


Through existing resources, NEA will share sample contract language for fully paid maternity leave and highlight states that have passed ma-ternity leave legislation as well.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundIn a female-dominated field and facing a teacher shortage, we need to join the nations who fully support teachers, women, children, and families.


Contact: Kimberly Gilles, [email protected]



______


NEA calls for an immediate mora-torium on charter school expansion, except for district dependent char-ters, but including private charters and charters privately managed but authorized by school boards.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundNEA has already supported the NAACP moratorium on charter schools. Both public and private charters are on the whole not out-performing public schools, segregate students, and threaten to bankrupt school districts.


Contact: Kristyn Jones, [email protected]


new Business items


NotesCost ImplICatIonsThis NBI can be accomplished at an additional cost of $5,135.

______


The motion is to move that NEA advocates that all schools have Well-ness Policies in place and that school Wellness Policies are in the academic and financial plan.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe goal is to help schools create policy to address childhood wellness and to improve children's physi-cal, mental, and emotional health by making changes in the school environment through the enhanced promotion of physical activity and healthy eating.

Submitted By: Majority vote at regularly called meeting of the state delegation in con-nection with the annual meeting.

Contact: Angie Miyashiro, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-2 Empowered Educators for Successful StudentsCF-1 Research Policy and PracticeCF-3 Advocacy and Outreach


______


Utilizing existing resources, the NEA will prioritize its work with state and local affiliates in order to elect pro-public education governors and state legislators in upcoming state elections.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundPublic education needs state governments that will provide the resources and policies that will move our agenda forward. Also, we need legislative and congressional districts (drawn after the 2020 Census) that are not harmful to public education in future elections.


Contact: Len Paolillo, Massachusetts




The NEA will collaborate with the ACLU, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and state member organiza-tions to end the routine policing and arresting power of law enforcement in schools for non-violent offenses.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe practice of arrests and referral to law enforcement for common and appropriate adolescent behaviors increases the likelihood of young people suffering from trauma and entering prison.


Contact: Amity Pope, [email protected]



______


The NEA will publish an article that documents the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy in 1893, the prolonged illegal occupation of the United States in the Hawaiian Kingdom, and the harmful effects that this occupation has had on the Hawaiian people and resources of the land.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundIn 1893 a group of Americans il-legally overthrew the Hawaiian Mon-archy. These events and the ones that followed, in violation of international law, must be shared to promote historical accuracy and justice. For more information, see link https://hawaiiankingdom.org/us-occupation.shtml


Contact: Chris Santomauro, [email protected]



______


The NEA will participate in and support mass actions as part of the resistance to Trump. We will par-ticipate in this movement to defend democracy and basic human rights, including civil rights, trade union rights, immigrant rights, and public education against the presidency of Donald Trump.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundTrump's moves toward an authori-tarian regime and scapegoating of immigrants, raises the specter, for the first time of a fascist movement coming to power in America. Mil-lions have marched against Trump. It is critical that the NEA build this movement.


Contact: Tania Kapner, [email protected]



______


That the NEA stands in solidarity with the Boston Teachers Union in their struggle for a fair contract that includes pay equity and respect for veteran teachers, full staffing and support for special education and inclusion students, smaller classes for the most vulnerable students: a contract that is good for students and fair to educators. Further, that the NEA stands in solidarity with the members of the Educational Associa-tion of Worcester in their fight for a fair contract.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe Boston Teachers Union is en-gaged in a contract struggle in which the defense of veteran teachers is a critical issue. Worcester, one of Mas-sachusetts' largest locals, has been offered zero percent increases.


Contact: Barbara Madeloni, [email protected]


new Business items


NotesCost ImplICatIonsActivities to fulfill the require-ments of this NBI can be under-taken within the proposed Modi-fied 2017-2018 Strategic Plan and Budget at no additional cost.

______


The NEA will electronically survey members to determine their perspec-tives about the necessary elements that make Individualized Education Programs appropriate for all diverse learners receiving special education services. The NEA will then publish an article summarizing this informa-tion.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundAlthough the Supreme Court overturned Neil Gorsuch's ruling that schools must provide "merely more than the de minimus" in order to provide Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), clarification of "appropriate" education program for IDEA students is needed.


Contact: Niels Pasternak, [email protected]



______


The NEA will publicize our sup-port of the right to Universal Health Care. We oppose the attack by the Trump presidency and the Republi-can Congress on Medicaid, teach-ers' health insurance plans, and the health care of our students and their families. The NEA will publicize our support of efforts in Congress and by the mass Resistance to Trump to defend the right to health care and defeat Trump and the Congressional Republican's attacks. We will publi-cize these positions in our media and actions.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe NEA demands "Health Care for All Children" (Resolution C-1) and "the adoption of a single-payer health care plan" (Resolution C-8). The Trump Administration/Repub-licans are waging an attack on health

care for millions. Our action matters more than ever.


Contact: Adi Hoag, California



______


NEA will use its existing media resources to ask members to demand that the U.S. government create a universal healthcare system for all.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe chronic problem of the for-profit America's healthcare system is getting worse. NEA is the right stakeholder to advocate decisively for universal healthcare.


Contact: Sergio Flores, [email protected]



______


NEA will publicize our opposition to and rejection of McDonald's program, McTeacher's Nights, for exploiting public schools and teachers to market junk food to our students, including:

1. NEA will publish articles on the negative effects of the McTe-acher's Night program through existing channels, including on NEA Today and through digital channels.

2. President Eskelsen García will write a letter of concern directed to the President and CEO of McDonald's regarding the harmful effects of McTeacher's Nights, which local associa-tions can submit to local medial outlets where the McTeacher's Nights program is active.

3. President Eskelsen García will write a letter to the president of state and national PTAs urging them to stop all partnerships with McDonald's on McTe-acher's Nights.

4. NEA will encourage state and local affiliates to re-evaluate McTeacher's Nights and to sup-port state and local legislation and policies aimed at protecting children and students from junk food marketing.

5. NEA will publicize our support of legislative and policy initia-tives at the state and local levels to curb junk good marketing that targets children.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundMcTeacher's Nights is promoted as a fundraiser when, in fact, it is a thinly veiled marketing tactic by which McDonald's sells its products and promotes its brand to students and their families.





______


The NEA will convene a taskforce to gather information on the necessity and the implementation of Career Technical Education-Vocational/Trade Programs. The taskforce will look at the following areas:

1. Are school systems promoting and informing students about CTE-Vocational/Trade Educa-tion Programs at a fair and equitable level?

2. Are school systems providing funding that allows for the latest technology and equipment for quality CTE-Vocational/Trade Programs to allow students to be career ready? Explore practical ways for vocational/trade profes-sionals to enter the educational field to allow the highest quality instruction to students.

3. Are there unnecessary and/or inequitable barriers that limit access for students? Does there need to be a system that creates better awareness of the programs and their economic potential? Is there a need for educational systems to introduce aware-

new Business items


Notesness to reduce the stigmas and stereotypes associated with vocational/trade careers? Are there exclusionary barriers that unfairly limit student access to these programs including GPAs, attendance, behavior records, physical and learning disabilities, and English Language Learners?

4. Are there adequate partnerships to have these programs become a gateway to the workforce?

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundVocational education allows students to leave school and gain employment with a living wage allowing them to be active participants in the local economy and has the potential to reduce the impact of the school-to-prison pipeline on students.


Contact: G. Michael Curry, [email protected]



______


NEA will educate as many members as possible on, and promote the atti-tudes, values, and goals of, unionism (solidarity, justice, fairness, and the search for the common good). NEA can accomplish this by expanding its existing resources and trainings.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundUnions are under attack! It is imperative that NEA members become knowledgeable and articulate advocates of unionism. It is time to put civic values (solidarity, justice, fairness, and the common good) above market values (greed, competi-tion, profit).



Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-2 OrganizingCF-3 Advocacy and Outreach



NEA will develop an online toolkit to assist communities and educa-tors in combating the insidious hate speech and actions of white suprema-cists, nationalists, and the so-called "alt-right." The toolkit will identify the groups behind the propaganda and provide counter-messaging and techniques to help protect our students, our educators, and our communities.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundHate speech and calls for violence against people of color, LGBTQ, women, minority religious groups, and immigrants by white suprema-cists, nationalists, and the "alt-right" are a fundamental danger to our democracy and most children.


Contact: Ruth Luevand, [email protected]



______


NEA will develop and promote resolutions that local associations can introduce at school board meet-ings calling for county-wide and state-wide moratoria on new charter school authorizations in every state that has legislation authorizing the creation of charter schools.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundIt is going to take a broad-based ef-fort to alter the status quo on charter schools in every state that has passed charter school legislation. We must build a grassroots movement in order to create real change.


Contact: Paul Zive, [email protected]



______


NEA will educate and organize its members to defend public educa-tion from privatization by training them on how to identify, correct, and refute misinformation.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundDisguised as education reform, pub-lic schools have been underfunded, their services outsourced, their teachers over stressed, and democracy undermined.



Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-1 Strong Affiliates


______


NEA shall, using existing digital media, support LGBTQ youth by encouraging state and local affiliates to use the booklet from GLSEN called "Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation and Youth: A Primer for Principals, Educators, and School Personnel" (https://www.glsen.org.org/sites/default/files/Just_the_facts_O.pdf)

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThis booklet provides principals, educators, and school personnel accurate information in response to efforts to change the sexual orien-tation of LGBTQ youth through therapy, religious ministries, and anti-homosexual perspectives shared in schools.


Contact: Charles Shannon, [email protected]



______


The NEA shall inform all members through appropriate existing means about national and state-by-state efforts to maintain and enhance per-

new Business items


pupil expenditure levels in the public schools.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThis core issue deserves our constant attention as we strive to truly "level the playing field" and empower the youth—our future.


Contact: Mark D. Hamilton, [email protected]



______


NEA shall, using existing digital media, encourage state and local affiliates to promote substance abuse prevention programs, counseling, support groups, and treatment cen-ters that educate students about the dangers of all types of drugs and to help those already addicted.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundWhen our youth abuse drugs before the brain is fully developed, this may lead to negative changes in the brain and its functional capabilities and lead to increased risk for health problems or the potential contraction of an infectious disease.



Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-1 Research Policy and PracticeCF-4 Communications


______


NEA will request the resignation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Educa-tion.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundStudents in the United States would benefit from having as Secretary of Education an individual who is an educator and supports public educa-tion.


Contact: Timothy Brown, [email protected]



______


NEA will establish a task force to examine the relationships and part-nerships that NEA has with corpora-tions and businesses to determine if they operate in a manner that is socially responsible and are acting in the best interest of our members, students, families, communities, and associations. As part of this process, the task force will

1. Identify the characteristics and practices of, and establish guide-lines met by, socially responsible corporations and/or businesses.

2. Identify corporate and business practices that are not socially responsible.

3. Release a report to NEA members about the task force findings.

4. Conduct a telephone town hall for members who are interested in discussing the report.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundAs the largest public union in the country, we have a moral responsi-bility to hold the corporations and businesses with which we work to high, socially responsible, pro-union standards and practices.


Contact: Melissa Tomlinson, New [email protected]



______


NEA will use existing communica-tion channels to inform parents and teachers about existing laws and requirements for English Language Learners including the requirements for Integrated and Designated Eng-lish Language Development models

of instruction.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundMembers needs to have current in-formation on the legal requirements and the differences between these two programs.


Contact: Raul Gonzalez, [email protected]



______


NEA shall, using existing digital media, encourage state and local af-filiates to foster school environments that affirm the gender diversity of students by using valid and existing resources such as Gender Spectrum's guide called the "Gender Inclusive Schools Toolkit." (http://jasmyn.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Gen-der-Inclusive-Schools-Toolkit.pdf )

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundStudents are facing binary gender ex-pectations in schools. They learn how a girl or boy is supposed to look, act, dress, and play. Through thoughtful and intentional practices, any school can create gender-inclusive condi-tions for all of its students.





______


NEA will create a competitive grant process that totals $200,000 for locals with charter school concen-trations in their districts of 20% or greater. The funds will be used to foster implementation of NEA policy on charter schools.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundLocals with high densities of charter schools can benefit from additional resources to implement policy.

Notes new Business items






______


NEA will collect research on positive methods being utilized to address chronic student absenteeism and release the report through digital and print media.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe majority of the state ESSA plans include the use of chronic absentee-ism as an indicator. We need to make sure that this does not become puni-tive towards students, families, staff, and schools.





______


NEA will encourage state and local affiliates to get local school boards to pass "Safe Haven" resolutions. NEA will provide sample resolutions on the NEA website and to state and local affiliates through existing com-munication channels.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundNEA members want to ensure that our children are safe. Passing "Safe Haven" resolutions makes students and their families feel safe. Providing samples to our state and local affili-ates allows them to take action.


Contact: Raul Gonzalez, [email protected] stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-1 Strong Affiliates


______


NEA will fund materials and one of two trainers for an Applied Suicide Intervention Skills training class for up to 30 members delegates as a pre-RA event in 2018.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundSuicide continues to impact our students and our members. With 44,193 suicides annually, action needs to be taken. Training 30 educators would statistically prevent 36-120 suicides next year.



Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-2 Empowered Educators for Successful StudentsCF-1 Research Policy and PracticeCF-6 Governance


______


NEA shall, using existing digital media, encourage all state and local affiliates to adopt suicide preven-tion policies and practices like those found in Palo Alto Unified School Districts "Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Schools" that target high-risk groups (http://pausd.org/ComprehensiveSuicidePreven-tionToolkit)

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundAcross our nation, suicide is the second leading cause of death among teens. By providing school personnel and families with information and training, they can ensure our youth have the skills and education they need to live long, healthy lives.





______


NEA will publish a statement through existing channels about how the prohibitive cost of teacher certifi-cation programs are creating barriers for underrepresented pre-service educators.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundNEA needs to advocate for increasing staffing levels of underrepresented ed-ucational professionals as well as the removal of barriers created through institutional racism.





______


The NEA opposes Trump's Muslim Travel Ban and will publicize our opposition, and will join with other organizations in actions to defeat it.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundWith the Supreme Court's upcom-ing hearing on Trump's travel ban, we need a response by the movement that deals it a death-blow. Thousands protested at airports dealing Trump's executive order a huge defeat. NEA should lead in defending this victory.


Contact: Tania Kappner, [email protected]






NEA will use existing communica-tion channels to inform members and member locals about the avail-ability of training with the newly developed English Language Learner modules including Advocacy for English Learners; Assessment for English Learners; standard-based instruction and lesson plans for ELLs; Second Language Acquisition; and Issues of Equity and Culture. The training is available through the NEA professional development and support department.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundNEA members and our locals need to know that these high quality train-ings are available to our members. Additionally, members need to know what department to contact to ar-range the trainings.


Contact: Raul Gonzalez, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-2 Empowered Educators for Successful Students


______


The NEA will make available, through the NEA website, an ongo-ing up-to-date list of companies and organizations that manufacture/sell union made products and/or provide services from worker-friendly employers.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundGive NEA members and their families an opportunity to identify and promote good employers that support our core values.


Contact: Stephanie Towles, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-4 CommunicationsCF-6 Governance



The NEA will support both the efforts in the Department of Justice and the U.S. Congress to constrain Donald Trump's abuses of power and will participate in the ongoing ac-tions of the movement of Resistance to Trump to defeat Trump's abuses through the direct mobilization and action of the American people.

The NEA defends the independence and integrity of the ongoing investi-gations of Donald Trump, the Trump campaign, and the Trump presiden-cy. The NEA also supports the efforts to begin the process of impeaching Donald Trump in the U.S. House of Representatives that could lead to his trial before the U.S. Senate.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundDonald Trump is engaging in the abuse of presidential power. He has asserted an authoritarian interpreta-tion of the powers of the presidency and repeatedly violated traditional democratic and constitutional pro-tections. NEA must defend the very democratic basis of our country.


Contact: Mark Airgood, California

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-1 Strong AffiliatesCF-3 Advocacy and Outreach


______


That the delegates of NEA be encour-aged to make donations to provide financial support for the work of Migrant Justice, an organization that supports Vermont migrant workers, in order to pay the court bond and other related expenses for two unjustly detained farm workers. Such donations would be entirely voluntary.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundWhereas the NEA is honoring mi-grant justice with the Cesar Chavez Human & Civil Rights Award, we believe it is imperative for our union to extend solidarity with our fellow workers in their time of need through direct support. (http:/mi-grantjustice.net)


Contact: Merrie Najimy, [email protected]



______


The NEA shall, using existing resources, collect and electronically distribute information to states about what each state is doing to combat the chronic underfunding of public colleges and universities.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe chronic underfunding of public community colleges and universities contributes to an over-reliance on contingent workers in classrooms and support offices, often causing a reduction in services offered to the students who most need them, dam-aging their chances at success.


Contact: Joe Nardoni, Massachusetts



______


The NEA will publicize through existing publications the Trump Administration's efforts to conceal, subvert, or change scientific informa-tion and data from public websites including information used by edu-cators to teach about climate change and climate justice.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundEducators need reliable and factual information to teach about climate justice and help students take the lead as we transition to a clean energy future. The Next Generation Science Standards demand it and our future depends on it.


Contact: Noam Gundle, [email protected]





______


Support Project Pipeline Repair, an initiative by the State Higher Educa-tion Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) to recruit men of color in high school into the teaching profes-sion by establishing a partnership with SHEEO.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThis project works with Histori-cally Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)to prepare young men of color to enter education prepara-tion programs by supporting them academically, providing mentors, and preparing them to take the mandated tests to enter teacher education.


Contact: Lamikco Magee, [email protected]



______


NEA will conduct a two-year campaign around the work that educators do over the summer using #whatsummerbreak. This campaign will encourage educators to share their summer jobs, their higher ed classes, their curriculum planning, etc. through their various social media platforms. Each summer this campaign will be conducted over al-ready existing NEA communications, such as NEA Today, NEA social media accounts, etc.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundIt is a common misconception that educators enjoy long and luxurious summer breaks. Let's show the world how many educators work over the summer to regain more respect for the profession.


Contact: Elizabeth McMahon, [email protected]



______


NEA will provide model language for locals seeking to protect members who have a concern about data being collected on students and who wish to voice their concern to parents without retribution from their em-ployer. This language should be cre-ated for collective bargaining or other processes for affiliates as needed.This information will be posted on mynea360.org (in the appropriate online community).

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundEducators in the classrooms log stu-dents onto myriad online programs; district-approved or not. Parents are unaware of what programs their stu-dents use at school. School employ-ees are the first line of defense.


Contact: Phil Sorensen, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-1 Research Policy and PracticeCF-3 Advocacy and Outreach


______


The NEA will identify historically underrepresented school systems that are successfully recruiting and retain-ing teachers of color.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe NEA will determine what policies and practices support their efforts and create a toolkit for locals, schools, and school districts to use to recruit and retain teachers of color.


Contact: Lamikco Magee, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-S Goals' Shared Tactics


______


NEA will investigate and report find-ings in NEA Today or mynea360.org regarding:

1. What is determined to be the weakest aspects of federal student data privacy laws (e.g. FERPA - Federal Education Records Privacy Act; COPPA - Children's Online Privacy Pro-tection Rule; PPRA - Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment; HIPPA - Health Insurance Por-tability and Accountability Act) that may allow entities outside the classroom-student-parent-district relationships to collect and use student data (regardless if the data is considered 'person-ally identifiable' or not or if the data is used for 'educational purposes').

2. Specific cases in which student data collected by computerized programs were used in ways parents were unaware of and subsequently opposed.

3. If appropriate, a description of what recourse parents have in various jurisdictions when they learn that their child's data is misused.

4. Recommendations for how states and school districts can strengthen policies for: student data privacy, parental consent, transparency in data collec-tion, and opt-out provisions for computer-based learning or testing.

5. Which states or local jurisdic-tions have done an exemplary job disclosing to parents in a coherent and comprehensive format what non-school based entities receive their students' data.

6. School districts that provide clear opt-out policies for parents that do not want their child's data shared outside of the school district community.

7. Ways educators and school systems can provide alternatives to computerized learning when parents request less screen time for their child at school.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundWhen students access online pro-grams, software, or take tests, millions of data points may be collected and used for purposes that do not improve the educational experience. Parents and educators deserve to know what entities have access to this data.




Contact: Julianna Dauble, [email protected]



______


NEA will release, through existing channels, a statement to encourage the inclusion of anti-bias training as a component of teacher prepara-tion programs and/or certification requirements.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundTo take steps toward being effective in addressing institutional racism and bias in their work, educators must first be able to recognize bias and rac-ism, as well as understand the lasting harm these behaviors and attitudes cause students and families.


Contact: Carrie Odgers Lax, New [email protected]



______


The NEA will use available commu-nication tools to ask school district and college and university officials to open gyms with showers one hour before school starts to allow home-less students to use the facilities for exercise and showers before school.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundHomeless students who sleep in a car or outdoors need to have a place to shower before school starts. If the school district provides a "work-out class" before school starts, these stu-dents can use the facilities and start class fresh


Contact: Cecile Bendavid, [email protected]



______


NEA will share with state and local affiliates best practices in moving educator evaluations from reliance on standardized testing and student growth mechanisms to evaluations based on professional practices.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundESSA reauthorization is an oppor-tunity for states and local affiliates to address the issues of toxic testing and its negative impact on teacher evaluations. Educators are receiving negative evaluations due to student growth but effective evaluations based on professional practice.


Contact: Theresa Mitchell Dudley, [email protected]


Cost ImplICatIonsActivities to fulfill the requirements of this NBI can be undertaken within the proposed Modified 2017-2018 Strategic Plan and Bud-get at no additional cost.

______


The NEA will present to the 2018 RA an electronic executive summary of the NEA's organizational efforts to save and strengthen Social Security and repeal of the offset provisions of Social Security - the Govern-ment Provision Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). Included in the presentation will be descriptions about what is being done now, will be ongoing, and will proposed for the future.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe report is included in the 2017 RA digital delegate packets (Reports on page 12). http://ra.nea.org/dele-gate-resources//. Reproduc this report to keep our members back home informed.


Contact: Ed Foglia, California



______


Using existing research and avail-able resources, the NEA shall do the following:

1. Publish an article in NEA Today on the history of standardized testing and its racist origins.

2. Make policy recommendations on assessment.

3. Communicate findings, policy recommendations, and examples of language in ESSA plans that locals, districts, and states have agreed upon that exemplify educationally just practices for assessment.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundPlans are underway to meet ESSA requirements and many will continue standardized testing. Yet most people are unaware that standardized tests were originally designed to promote white supremacy. We need to expose this history, revolutionize schools, and end institutional racism.


Contact: Tracey Drum, [email protected]



______NEW BUSINESS ITEM 79

The NEA shall provide direct orga-nizing support to locals and state af-filiates who form or expand Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools (AROS), community tables ,and coalitions to defeat the DeVos national voucher plan and organize for the world class public schools all of our students deserve. NEA will provide organizing support up to $125,000.RatIonale/BaCkgRoundOur struggles are connected. Through local, unified, multi-racial, intersectional community and parent AROS coalitions, we can defeat na-tional privatization of public schools



and win democratic public schools that welcome and serve every child. Community coalitions are critical to our survival.


Contact: Amy Mizialko, [email protected]



______

new BusIness Item 80

NEA will provide support to a state or local affiliate who wishes to conduct a feasibility study of a public bank to learn how these institutions, as opposed to commercial banks, may better support our schools, communities, infrastructure, and those seeking student loans. Addi-tionally, the initial start up cost and the potential risk to public education finance will be reported to the 2018 RA delegates and shared externally as NEA governance see fit and as the budget allows. The total cost to the Association should not exceed $15,000.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundPublic banking is a long term proj-ect. Chartering public banks would provide secure, accountable, and transparent financial systems. Assets collected by a public bank may be loaned for infrastructure and low in-terest student loans rather than high risk financial schemes.


Contact: Wil Page, [email protected]


Cost ImplICatIonsCost estimate not available at time of publication.

______


Using existing media, NEA will edu-cate members about social and emo-tional health needs of transgender and nonbinary students and educators.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundTransgender students are committing suicide in alarming members. Ha-rassment, intimidation, and bullying of transgender students and col-leagues creates hostile and unhealthy learning and work environments.


Contact: Michael Pena, Washington



______


The NEA RA directs the NEA na-tional office of the General Coun-sel to help state affiliate legal staff assist Higher Ed contingent faculty appeal a negative disposition to an unemployment compensation claim by creating guidelines contingents can use to help craft their appeal letters and prepare for hearings. These guidelines would be based on the new US Department of Labor guidance letter 5-17, which ac-knowledged that contingent faculty do not have reasonable assurance of employment between terms and are eligible for unemployment insurance compensation when they do not have work between terms.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe Department of Labor clarified to state employment compensation agencies that higher ed contingent faculty do not have "reasonable as-surance" of employment and qualify for the benefit. Doing this will help advance NEA organizing.


Contact: Beverly Stewart, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-5 Business Operations



NEA will use existing media to inform members about the conse-quences of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) sweeping.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundSweeping or knocking on every door in a certain neighborhood looking for a particular person causes many law abiding persons to be detained and deported. This terrorizes com-munities, parents, and students.


Contact: Angie Sullivan, [email protected]



______


NEA, working with the Contingent Faculty Caucus, shall communicate and ask state affiliates to commu-nicate with all members about the work of the national organization ad-vocating for contingent (non-tenure-track) faculty, New Faculty Majority (NFM), and about the benefits of NEA's work with NFM, encouraging all members to join NFM. newfacul-tymajority.org unemploymentforad-juncts.com

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundNFM orchestrated the multi-union effort moving the Department of Labor to clarify contingent faculty's right to unemployment benefits. NFM continues to support NEA's organizing goals, helping convert fee-payers to members in an under-represented segment.


Contact: Judy Olson, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-2 OrganizingCF-4 Communications


______


NEA shall publicize, through exist-ing channels and an article in NEA Today, a comparison chart and analysis comparing average salaries of education professionals versus

comparable (by education, certifica-tion, and professional development responsibilities) professions and their gender demographics.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundAs a women-dominated profession, there is a profession-based wage gap affecting education. A compilation of existing data highlighting this will raise public awareness of this hidden wage gap.


Contact: Libby Black-Walker, [email protected]



______


Be it moved that the NEA imple-ment its own rules and regulations on "Becoming an Exhibitor" to NEA caucuses Ex-Gay Educator and im-mediately remove the exhibit entitled "NEA Ex-Gay Educators" from the exhibit hall on the grounds that this exhibit violates existing NEA exhibi-tor standards. These standards state that exhibitors may not distribute materials that are offensive, distract-ing, or discriminatory.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundNEA Expo Rules and Regulations Management reserves the right to deny any and all applications. Appli-cants must adhere to policies on non-discrimination and can be defined as obscene, distracting, and disruptive. This exhibit meets all criteria for an outside exhibitor.


Contact: Deb McCarthy, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-5 Business OperationsCF-6 Governance


______

new Business items




The NEA will make available on the NEA website information about the complex issue of the trafficking of women and children by support-ing and encouraging collaboration with Child Protective Services, law enforcement, social services, and community-based service providers.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundEducators should understand how human trafficking impacts schools, recognize indicators of possible child and woman trafficking and develop policies, protocols, and partnerships to address and prevent exploitation of children. Educators must be able to find information on the NEA website.


Contact: Cecile Bendavid, [email protected]



______


NEA will create a toolkit for local affiliates to hold local political rallies in support of pro-public education candidates.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundIn order to ensure the success of pro-public education candidates, local affiliates need more engagement and organization of members for this purpose.

Submitted By: 50 DelegatesContact: Jo (Joyce) Hendrickson, [email protected]




I move that the NEA send a letter to Ben & Jerry founders and corpora-tion expressing strong support for the Migrant Justice Movement in Vermont, demanding safe working conditions for workers at farms in their supply chain. I further move

that the NEA, through existing communications channels, educate members on the working conditions of migrant far workers.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe NEA stands for the human and civil rights of all. Safe working condi-tions that hold employees responsi-bleare a value that we advocate for at our school sites and need to stand for in our communities.


Contact: Ingrid Gunnell, [email protected]



______


The NEA will renew its membership in the Labor Campaign 4 Single-Pay-er (LC4SP) and encourage state and local affiliates to coordinate pro-sin-gle payer activities with LC4SP and organizations with a similar purpose.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundAt a time when 28 million are without healthcare and another 22 million are threatened with loss of coverage, members of all labor or-ganizations must unite for universal medicare for all.


Contact: Chelsea Foo, [email protected]



______


NEA will #sayDyslexia and recom-mend that all states screen students for dyslexia before the end of first grade. In addition, NEA will recom-mend that students should receive evidence-based instructor and teach-ers should be trained to teach this population with a different ability.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundDyslexia affects 20% of the popula-tion (1 in 5) and these students need

to be taught the way their brains learn. Without using an Orton-Gillingham-based program these students will continue to struggle with reading, writing, and/or math-ematics.


Contact: Kristen Benko, [email protected]



______


The NEA leadership must discour-age, through appropriate means and venues, the purchase and patron-age of Trump-family-owned goods, services, and properties to include, but not limited to, hotels, casinos, country clubs, shoes, apparel, and cosmetics.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundTrump's policies, appointments, and beliefs are inimical to NEA core val-ues regarding the immigration ban, public education, medicaid funding, collective bargaining, military adven-turism, environmental preservation, and truth telling and we need not further enrich him, his family, and cronies.Submitted By: 50 Delegates

Contact: Jeffrey Morgan, [email protected]



______


The NEA will expose, using existing media channels, the falsehood of the claim that charters are a means of encouraging innovation and creativ-ity or in any way improving the quality of education, in opposition to the supposed problems of public


new Business items

education and teachers' unions. The NEA will actively defend the truth that it is only within a fully-funded and integrated public school system in which there is a strong defense of the academic and intellectual freedom of teachers and students that real innovation, creativity, and the overall improvement of the quality of education can take place for all of our nation's students. The NEA will actively condemn the common cyni-cal process of turning a public school into a charter school in order to accomplish the closing of the school day by the charter company so they may pretend that the politicians of a school board are not actually respon-sible for closing schools.

The NEA will join with the NAACP to call for a moratorium on the creation of any new charter schools because of the use of charterization to resegregate previously integrated public school systems and the tendency of charter schools to be a means of degrading the quality of education to, particularly, children in minority communities.

The RA condemns the attack on public education. Locally and nation-ally, the NEA will work with families, community organizations and lead-ers, and our political supporters to defeat the attack on public education and bring an end to the anti-public school and anti-union movement for charter schools.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundWe cannot defeat Trump's push toward vouchers by supporting "pub-lic" charters. Public versus privately run charters is a distinction without a difference. Charters are an attack on the right of young people to a public education and on the NEA.


Contact: Mark Airgood, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-S Goals' Shared TacticsG-2 Empowered Educators for Successful StudentsCF-1 Research Policy and PracticeCF-3 Advocacy and OutreachCF-4 Communications


______


The NEA supports sanctuary cities and schools and opposes any attacks

and attempts to penalize and pro-hibit such sanctuaries. The NEA will publicize a program of support to help schools institute sanctuary pro-grams for undocumented students and their families. Wherever possible, NEA members and local associations will take an active role in helping to create and defend sanctuary efforts.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThe Trump regime aims to quickly deport as many people as possible. The larger purpose is to change the racial demographics of the national through a racial purge. The question of political power in American today hinges on this issue.


Contact: Adi Hoag, California



______


The NEA stands against the Trump/I.C.E. deportations of our students and their families. We will publicize our support for legal and collective mass action to defend our students, their families, and the tens of thou-sands of people facing deportation. The NEA, NEA members, and local associations will, in whatever ways they can, support efforts by law-yers and by the new movement of Resistance, to save families unjustly threatened with deportation and to bring an end to the entire cruel Trump policy.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundUnder Trump, the I.C.E. has dou-bled the rate of arrests of immigrants who have not criminal records. I.C.E. targets the parents of young immigrants in DACA and is using regular "check in " visits to detain immigrants "silently." This must end.


Contact: Tania Kappner, California




The NEA will develop a toolbox of best practices for educators. The em-phasis will be on educating children living in poverty-stricken/economi-cally disadvantaged areas within the United States.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundAbout 15 million children in the United States—21% of all chil-dren—live in families with incomes below the federal poverty threshold. Poverty is a known adverse child-hood experience that has a significant impact on learning and cognitive development.


Contact: Nathaniel L. Wallace, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-2 Empowered Educators for Successful Students


______


NEA shall educate all members, using existing methods of commu-nications, on the clause in the 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution related to crime and punishment and how application of that clause connects the 13th Amendment to the school-to-prison pipeline.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundIncreasing members' understanding of the historical roots of school-to-prison pipeline improves educator cultural competency, reduces per-sonal bias, and strengthens associa-tion commitment to address school discipline policy disparities that funnel students into the juvenile and criminal justice system.


Contact: Georgene Foun tain, Maryland

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-3 Advocacy and OutreachCF-5 Business Operations


______


The NEA will advocate for the re-moval or revision of developmentally inappropriate standards from state standards, including Common Core State Standards.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundNEA supports teachers' academic freedom and standards that contrib-ute to the continual improvement of education (Resolution E-1); there-fore, NEA must support teachers' professional judgement to teach stan-dards they know are developmentally appropriate, and not to be forced to teach otherwise.


Contact: Lisa Morrison, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-S Goals' Shared TacticsG-2 Empowered Educators for Successful StudentsCF-1 Research Policy and Practice


______


NEA will educate and encourage its members to target every member of Congress on a continual basis urging them to support passage of legislation repealing the Government Pension Offset/Windfall Elimination Provi-sion (GPO/WEP).

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundSince 1983, the GPO/WEP have penalized public servants in fifteen states, who both paid Social Security tax and have non-covered earnings, by reducing Social Security retire-ment benefits. A national campaign will spotlight this injustice, leading to Congressional Reform.


Contact: Charles Clark, [email protected]



______



Direct the PAC Council to determine a workable method for canvassing membership regarding their prefer-ence for President and publicizing the results prior to the recommenda-tion by the PAC council for President of the U.S. in 2020.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundThere was widespread dissatisfaction with the process the NEA used to de-termine who to support for President of the U.S. in 2016. Delegates and members felt that our voices were ig-nored. We need to be more inclusive of our membership.


Contact: Peter Henry, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)G-1 Strong AffiliatesCF-3 Advocacy and Outreach


______


The NEA RA directs the NEA to examine the economic effect of establishing a dues structure based on income for all members and report the cost effect on members.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundMany NEA members do not earn a living wage. Their dues obliga-tion should not represent a financial hardship. If the results of the study are feasible, it would help the NEA create a socially just dues structure.


Contact: Beverly Stewart, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-5 Business Operations


______


The NEA will support, through exist-ing NEA communication channels, the actions taken by states to fight

legislation that encourages the teach-ing of ideology and non-scientific alternatives to scientifically-accepted topics such as global climate change and evolution.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundWith the advent of multiple states copying pieces of legislation such as this, sharing best practices that have been successful in defeating the at-tempts of organizations that wish to dilute and divert science education, will assist states in defeating them.


Contact: Chelsea Foo, [email protected]



______


NEA use existing communications to promote opportunities and cultur-ally-proficient resources available to teachers relocating to other states and coming in from other countries regarding the ethnic student popula-tion in that state/community.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundMany new/veteran teachers find themselves teaching students that may not be similar to their home-town. This would give those educa-tors a line of support to engage with their students and set them up for success.


Contact: Karlana Kulseth, [email protected]



______


I move that NEA develop a "Watch List" of Broad Superintendents including financial ties and corporate backers. The list shall be made avail-able to state and local affiliates.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundMany districts are being targeted by

states through the superintendent search process, resulting in all Broad superintendents as finalists.


Contact: Naomi Johnson-LaFleur, New Jersey



______


We call upon the President of NEA to form an ad hoc committee of the Board of Directors to investigate ways to enhance Wi-Fi capacity and better use technology at the NEA RA. This committee will recommend improvements to the RA website and app with the goal of an improved digital experience for delegates.

RatIonale/BaCkgRoundIn 2017, members expect a good digital experience. We can do better. Currently, the app, website, and wifi experience is fair to poor.


Contact: Marshall Thompson, [email protected]

Relevant stRategIC goal (g) oR CoRe FunCtIon (CF)CF-5 Business OperationsCF-6 Governance


new Business itemsNotes

FINDING NEA’S RESOURCESJ U S T G O T E A S I E R

SupportEd.nea.org provides the essential tools,

resources, and support to help you as an educator.

Search for content based on your job category,

the age of students you interact with,

issues you care about, and more.

Find the resources you need to succeed at:

SupportEd.nea.org


LegisLative amendments

LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENT 1

Section: Human and Civil RightsPage 29 line 44Add new itemNEA opposes

• federal funding and support for privatization of private prisons, juvenile detention centers, immigration detention facili-ties, and other similar facilities at the local, state, and federal level.

• federal funding and support of all aspects of the prison industrial complex and criminal justice system, from arrest through re-entry, by for-profit entities.

Rationale/BackgRoundFederal funding for privatization of the criminal justice system and its facilities perpetuates the school-to-prison pipeline and unjust deten-tions of immigrants. Submitted By: 50 delegates Contact: Becca Ritchie, [email protected] LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENT 2

Section: Human and Civil RightsPage 29 line 17Add a new itemNEA supports

• legislation that ensures town hall meetings held by members of Congress in taxpayer-funded facilities should be open to any person.

Rationale/BackgRoundPublic policy made by those in elected office impacts more than constituents. Submitted By: Majority vote at regularly called meeting of the state delegation in connection with the an-nual meeting. Contact: Joyce Roberta “JR” Miller-Alper, Texas LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENT 3

Section: Human and Civil RightsPage 29 line 44Add a new itemNEA supports

• legislation to reduce the mass incarceration of targeted, pro-filed, and vulnerable popula-tions.

Rationale/BackgRoundNEA supports ending the school-to-prison pipeline, which is a part of mass incarceration; resolution C-13; policy statement. Submitted By: 50 delegates

Contact: Georgene Fountain, Mary-land

PoLicy statements

A. CHARTER SCHOOLS

amendment a-1

Amend by addition on page 7, line 23, new letter c:

c. When a charter is authorized by a public school district that has an existing collective bargaining agreement with its employees, the educators hired by the charter shall likewise be covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

Rationale/BackgRoundAn organized workforce of public educators constitutes the best pro-tection for both charter employee rights and the rights and interests of students in the charter school.

Submitted By: 50 delegates

Contact: Sidney Kardon, [email protected]

amendment a-2

Amend by addition on page 6, lines 31-32:

States should entertain appeals from approvals or denials of charters only on the narrow grounds that the local process for approving a charter was not properly followed or that the approval or denial of a charter was arbitrary or illegal.

Rationale/BackgRoundPublic school defenders need to challenge school boards that improperly, arbitrarily, or illegally approve charters.


Contact: Conrad Floeter, [email protected]

C. PRIVATIZATION AND SUBCONTRACTING PROGRAMS

amendment c-1

Amend by addition on page 12, line 34:

...and any other program, such as online instruction, school mental health services, and professional development, that simply replaces public education employees with private-sector employees.

Rationale/BackgRoundThe privatization movement is growing to target more education professions than those currently listed. It is essential to have educa-tors provide these services.


Contact: Robert Hull, Maryland [email protected]

amendment c-2

Amend by addition on page 11, line 45, new section 2 under Application of Criteria:

2. Private College and Univer-sity Tuition Programs and Transfer Credits

a. NEA opposes the application of state funds to subsidize tuition at, or otherwise to underwrite, private colleges and universi-ties for courses and/or degree programs that substantially duplicate offerings by that state’s public colleges and universities.

b. NEA opposes legislative mea-sures that require public colleges and universities to accept private college and university credits to be transferred and/or applied in-kind toward degrees at public institu-tions. Faculty, not legislators, should decide course equivalency.

Rationale/BackgRoundPrivate colleges and universities should not siphon public funding for programs already provided by state schools. Faculty governance should not be co-opted by legisla-tors.


Contact: Michael Buchler, Florida [email protected]


State . . . . . . . . . . Voting Time State. . . . . . . . . . Voting Time

Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . 11:00 AM

Alaska . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:00 AM Montana . . . . . . . . . . . .11:30 AM

Arizona . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:30 AM Nebraska . . . . . . . . . . 10:45 AM

Arkansas . . . . . . . . . . . .9:15 AM Nevada . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:45 AM

California . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM New Hampshire . . . . . 11:00 AM

Colorado . . . . . . . . . . . 11:30 AM New Jersey . . . . . . . . . 9:30 AM

Connecticut. . . . . . . . . 11:00 AM New Mexico . . . . . . . . 11:00 AM

Delaware . . . . . . . . . . . 11:00 AM New York . . . . . . . . . . 10:00 AM

District of Columbia . . 11:30 AM North Carolina . . . . . . 10:30 AM

*Ex Officio . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM North Dakota . . . . . . . .11:30 AM

Federal EA. . . . . . . . . 10:45 AM Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11:30 AM

Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:30 AM Oklahoma. . . . . . . . . . 11:00 AM

Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . .9:15 AM Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:15 AM

Hawaii . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:45 AM Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . 9:15 AM

Idaho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9:15 AM Rhode Island . . . . . . . .9:00 AM

Illinois. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:45 AM South Carolina . . . . . . .10:15 AM

Indiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:30 AM South Dakota. . . . . . . . 11:45 AM

Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:45 AM Tennessee. . . . . . . . . . .10:15 AM

Kansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:15 AM Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10:15 AM

Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . .9:15 AM Utah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:45 AM

Louisiana . . . . . . . . . . 10:00 AM Vermont . . . . . . . . . . . .9:00 AM

Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:15 AM Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . .10:15 AM

Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . 11:15 AM Washington . . . . . . . . 10:00 AM

Massachusetts. . . . . . . 10:15 AM West Virginia . . . . . . . .9:00 AM

Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . .9:15 AM Wisconsin. . . . . . . . . . 10:30 AM

Minnesota . . . . . . . . . . 11:15 AM Wyoming . . . . . . . . . . . 9:30 AM

Mississippi . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM

*Ex Officio delegates with limited voting rights may only vote for

amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws on July 4.

2017 NEA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY

VOTING SCHEDULE – FOR JULY 3/4, 2017

Who can vote? Only delegates who have registered for the RA can vote.

When do you vote? With so many voters, the Elections Committee tries to avoid long lines by asking delegates to vote with their state delegations at the designated times.

Where do you vote?Balloting will take place in Exhibit Hall A. Del-egates should go to the voting station that is indi-cated on the front of their delegate ID.

How do you vote?At the voting area, delegates should go to the vot-ing station that is labeled with their voting station number, show only their delegate credential, and sign for the ballot. Each delegate will have access to a voting booth. NEA voting is by secret ballot. No campaign material of any kind is allowed in the voting area. No cameras are allowed.

How are ballots counted? The ballots are counted electronically using a patented process that allows for transparency and accuracy.

When will results be announced? The results will be announced before the lunch break on Monday, July 3, and before the lunch break on Tuesday, July 4.

What if the first election does not fill every position? To be elected, a candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast. If there are positions for which not enough candidates win majorities, there will be a run-off election. In a vote-for-one election, the top two candidates will be in the run-off. If more than one position needs to be filled, the number of candidates in the run-off will be one more than the number of positions to be filled. If needed, run-off elections will be held Tuesday, July 4, along with balloting for bylaws and constitutional amendments.

Voting: What You Need to KnowDelegates begin casting ballots today.

Mark Your Ballot Carefully

√

x

Correct

Wrong

Wrong

Wrong

2017 rA eleCtions

votIng RequIRements

Delegates will only need to pres-ent their representative assem-bly credentials prior to receiv-ing their ballot for the election of officers, amendments, and at-large representation on the board of directors.

P 01274-17-05

NEA RA 2017 Ballot01

PRESIDENT - Three-year term Vote for up to one (1)

Mark Airgood Lily Eskelsen Garcia

VICE PRESIDENT - Three-year term Vote for up to one (1)

Becky Pringle

Tania Kappner

SECRETARY-TREASURER - Three-year term Vote for up to one (1)

Ric Abreu

Princess Moss

NEA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - Three-year term Vote for up to two (2)

Hanna VaanderingGeorge SheridanAdi Hoag

Ceresta Smith

Rae Nwosu

ESP at-large Representatives Three-year term Vote for up to seven (7)

Donna West

Frank Green

Jeanette Griffin-Kimber

Tracy Phillips

Brenda Johnson

Vallerie Fisher

Karen Barnes

Dan Kivett

Gerry French

Terri Shuman

Margaret Powell

Lisa Jennings

Sequanna Taylor

ratoday - 2020 nea annual meeting · all of the nea social media properties. legislative &...

Documents