We’re here to make sure every student & educator succeeds.
The National Education Association (NEA) is more than 3 million people—educators, students, activists, workers, parents, neighbors, friends—who believe in opportunity for all students and in the power of public education to transform lives and create a more just and inclusive society.
We are Speaking Up For
Classroom Expenses Push Teachers in High-Needs Schools to the Financial Brink
Classroom Expenses Push Teachers in High-Needs Schools to the Financial Brink
Teachers in lower-income schools spend the most on classroom essentials. Some are going to extremes to make sure students have what they need.
How to Work Across Parenting Styles
How to Work Across Parenting Styles
Strong educator-parent relationships help students succeed.
School Nurses Face Largest Measles Outbreak in 35 Years
School Nurses Face Largest Measles Outbreak in 35 Years
Lower vaccination rates and misinformation are fueling the spread of the highly contagious virus.
What’s Going on With Federal Student Loans?
What’s Going on With Federal Student Loans?
Borrowers need to pay attention to big changes in repayment plans. Plus, NEA wins!
Before Brown v. Board, There Was Alice Piper
Before Brown v. Board, There Was Alice Piper
Thirty years before Brown transformed public education in the United States, a 15-year-old Paiute student named Alice Piper stood at the center of a landmark legal victory that challenged school segregation.
Our best hope for student success is you.
Your passion and commitment are crucial to helping all students—of all colors and backgrounds—learn, grow, and fulfill their potential. Here’s how you can get started.
Achieve professional excellence
Your Rights and Working Conditions
Advance justice with us
Are you an affiliate?
Jump to updates, opportunities, and resources for NEA state and local affiliates.
Let’s bring real change
Let’s get real
Thirty-two percent of full-time ESPs in K–12 public schools make less than $25,000 a year.
Let’s bring real change
“For too long, wealth and power have been concentrated in the hands of a few, while working people like us—the very backbone of our communities—are told to settle for less....No one should have to work several jobs to put food on the table. One job should be enough.”
— Stanley "Ric" Calhoun, 2026 Education Support Professionals of the Year
Hear more from Ric
Faculty and staff at public colleges and universities face growing challenges these days, including attacks on academic freedom.
Let’s bring real change
“When they come for our contracts, when academic freedom gets attacked, when tenure gets treated like a suggestion, we litigate. Look at the NEA’s injunction against the Higher Education Dear Colleague Letter. That decision protected real people, faculty who would have lost protections they’d spent careers earning. That’s what it looks like when we stop asking politely and start drawing lines in the sand.”
— Clinton Smith, National Higher Educators of the Year
Hear more of Clinton's message to NEA delegates
When students see themselves in what they learn, they discover what's possible for their own lives.
Let’s bring real change
Education must remain a powerful promise that students can see themselves in and the essential work of NEA members plays a key role in making sure all students are seen and valued.
— Leon Smith, National Teacher of the Year
Read more about Leon's address to NEA Delegates in Denver
Finding a local focus can be an effective way to teach big topics.
Let’s bring real change
“The World Cup can’t happen without agriculture, from the fibers used to create uniforms to the materials the balls are made of to the grass or turf of the fields. I invited members of the Farm Bureau and parents who work in agriculture to talk to students about where everything in the World Cup comes from.”
— Nancy Smith, first-grade teacher, Kansas
Read: Educators turn summer headlines into engaging fall lessons
From book bans to firings to personal attacks, America’s culture wars are sweeping through public schools, turning teachers and librarians into targets.
Let’s bring real change
“It is truly distressing. One lesbian teacher was accused of being a groomer because she wrote a note assuring her troubled student that ‘it gets better.’ Another educator received death threats after telling her middle school students that she was going on a vacation with her girlfriend....Non-LGBTQ+ educators who openly support queer students face harassment, too....Unions provide essential job protection. Several teachers who were unfairly harassed and/or disciplined told me they still have jobs only because of our union.”
— Sue Granzella, author of Pushed to the Edge: Teachers’ Stories from the Culture Wars
Read more
What’s on Your Mind?
We’re here to help. Our community comes to us seeking tools (guides, reports, trainings, and more) to help answer everyday questions. We’re here to support you in whatever you need.
- Bullying
- Collective Bargaining
- College Affordability
- COVID-19
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Education Funding
- English Language Learning
- Federal Legislation
- Gun Violence
- Immigration
- Mental Health
- Politics & Campaigns
- Privatization
- Racial & Social Justice
- School Climate
- Trauma
- Union Organizing
- Voting Rights
- Workplace Conditions
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
To help celebrate and educate about the contributions of Hispanic Americans and Hispanic culture, check out our curated list of lessons, activities, videos, and more.
Stay Informed We'll come to you
We're here to help you succeed in your career, advocate for public school students, and stay up to date on the latest education news. Sign up to stay informed
Great public schools for every student
The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.