Black male teachers reads aloud to young children in a library

Education. Activism. Solidarity. NEA Aspiring Educators

Aspiring Educators are pre-service teachers united together through our union. We are the leading voice for the next generation of educators.

The Aspiring Educators Program supports, develops, and empowers diverse, pre-service teachers with the resources, networks, and opportunities to excel as educators and leaders, both as students and throughout their career.

More than 40,000 Aspiring Educators are already part of the National Education Association – the nation’s largest union of 3 million teachers and school staff. Together, we’re building the future of public education in America – join us!

Become a Member

Upcoming Opportunities

By May 1, 2025: Declare Your Candidacy for Aspiring Educator Elections

We are the leaders of today and tomorrow

About our Program

The Aspiring Educator Program is more than a cool club on campus and a source of liability insurance. When you join, you become a member of a professional organization and a union.

Through your campus chapter, you reap the benefits of membership, including access to workshops that boost your skills and opportunities to meet other Aspiring Educator members.

Member Benefits

Join Today!

Build Your Aspiring Educator Campus Chapter

If you’re an AE chapter leader or are interested in becoming one, check out NEA’s “Aspiring Educators Chapter Toolkit" for an in-depth look at how to create, build, and expand your campus chapter.

Our Toolkit

Connect with Aspiring Educators Across the Country

Your campus chapter’s connection with your state association and the NEA means you can meet practicing classroom teachers and school staff who will help you feel more comfortable as a future educator.

"[The] support is one of the things I appreciate the most about the Aspiring Ed program, I have a large network of retired and current educators, members of the Mississippi Association of Educators and the NEA, who are more than happy and willing to support me. " — Brianna Bailey, Aspiring Educator at Jackson State University in Mississippi

Supporting Aspiring Educators Throughout Your Program

From your first day of membership through retirement, NEA members are here to help you succeed. The Aspiring Educator Program connects you with a national network of other aspiring educators, as well as millions of current and retired educators.

Together we share advice, learning opportunities, and other resources to help you throughout your program and career.

NEA Support

Support for New Aspiring Educators

Welcome to the Aspiring Educator family! We are here to guide you through every step of your journey to become an educator. Check out our resources below to learn more about the ins-and-outs of our program, a layout of the typical steps of an aspiring educator, and how to get more involved with your union.

Resources for New Aspiring Educators

Aspiring Educator 101

How to Get Involved

Helpful Resources

Preparing for Testing and Licensure

Becoming a teacher of record requires more than just an education degree or good grades. There are often multiple standardized tests you need to pass. And it's different in every state—from the minimum scores required for licensure to the types of tests themselves. We’ve developed tools to help you navigate the testing and licensure process.

Tools to Help You Succeed

Student Teaching and Residencies

Your time as a student teacher is your best and last chance to get real classroom experience before you take control of your very own classroom, so it’s one of the most important parts of your teacher training. Everyone’s experience is unique, but we want to give you an idea of what to expect: green flags, red flags, and tips to help make the most of your internship time.

In addition to the resources below, members of the National Education Association are working to end unjust unpaid student teaching. We are putting together a collection of stories from Aspiring Educators across the country to help us work with leaders to develop policy proposals and change legislation.

Share Your Story

Organize for Paid Student Teaching

Make the Most of Your Experience

To help you make the most of the student teaching experience, we gathered advice from current student teachers, early career educators, cooperating teachers, EPP faculty, school district hiring personnel, experts who track who is hired and how well they succeed in their career.

Choose the Right Program: They may call student teaching “clinical practice,” “residency,” or a variety of other names. Regardless of what it’s called, here are a few desired features that you should discuss with your program advisor.
Build Positive Professional Relationships: Principals, district personnel directors, cooperating teachers, and university supervisors all agree there are some very basic habits that are essential for success as a student teacher. They also agree that demonstrating a commitment to these basic actions determines whether a teacher candidate will be considered for employment when seeking that first job.
Engage Beyond the Classroom: A list of activities we recommend invaluable list of learning experiences that will truly help you become a better teacher for each of your students and a key to leadership development to advance your professional career for years to come.

Addressing Common Challenges

Suggested Activities and Lesson Plans

Better Lessons: NEA has partnered with the Master Teacher Project to build a database of free, comprehensive lessons and effective strategies created by high-performing teachers across the country.
Read Across America: NEA’s Read Across America is the nation’s largest celebration of reading. This year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone, for everyone.
Build Just and Equitable Schools: NEA's Center for Social Justice has created a professional development program designed to help educators identify and correct explicit and implicit discrimination in their classrooms.

More Lesson Plans:

Graduation and Early Career Educators

Everyone's path to becoming an educator looks a little different. These resources will help you navigate the process of finding a job and ensuring your first few years in the profession are a success!

Finding Your First Job

If you have secured your next position, fill out this form and we will send you monthly professional resources designed to help you throughout your career!

Support for Early Career Educators

Our Early Career Learning Labs (ECLL) and Early Leadership Institute (ELI) programs are designed to inspire, engage, and retain early career educators through member-led, personalized, professional and social emotional supports. These programs also support early career educators as they learn to become effective leaders and advocates for their students, coworkers, and profession.

Learn More

Advice from Fellow Educators

Suggested Activities and Lesson Plans

Better Lessons: NEA has partnered with the Master Teacher Project to build a database of free, comprehensive lessons and effective strategies created by high-performing teachers across the country.
Read Across America: NEA’s Read Across America is the nation’s largest celebration of reading. This year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone, for everyone.
Build Just and Equitable Schools: NEA's Center for Social Justice has created a professional development program designed to help educators identify and correct explicit and implicit discrimination in their classrooms.

Teaching Guides

Tackling Common Challenges

Aspiring Educators Make a Difference

Aspiring Educators are the leading voice of the next generation of educators. We believe in public education and its potential to uplift individuals, families, and communities.

NEA Aspiring Educators advocate for and support:

Aspiring educators are already confronting the challenges of today. We are demanding the resources and respect every educator needs and deserves. We are advocating for racial and social justice that creates education justice.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned working with...Aspiring Ed members is the power of self-advocacy and our collective voice, and that my values are non-negotiable.

Quote by: Roman Trejo, Aspiring Educator in Blue Island, Illinois

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

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Education. Activism. Solidarity. NEA Aspiring Educators

Connect With NEA Aspiring Educators

Upcoming Opportunities

Aspiring Educator Quick Links

NEA Today for Aspiring Educators

Professional Support

Frequently Asked Questions

We are the leaders of today and tomorrow

About our Program

Build Your Aspiring Educator Campus Chapter

Connect with Aspiring Educators Across the Country

Jack Kinnaman Scholarship for Aspiring Educators

Supporting Aspiring Educators Throughout Your Program

Support for New Aspiring Educators

Resources for New Aspiring Educators

Aspiring Educator 101

How to Get Involved

Helpful Resources

Preparing for Testing and Licensure

Tools to Help You Succeed

Student Teaching and Residencies

Make the Most of Your Experience

Addressing Common Challenges

Suggested Activities and Lesson Plans

Graduation and Early Career Educators

Finding Your First Job

Support for Early Career Educators

Advice from Fellow Educators

Suggested Activities and Lesson Plans

Teaching Guides

Tackling Common Challenges

Key Resources for Aspiring Educators

Financial Well-Being

Professional Excellence

Education Materials

Aspiring Educators Make a Difference

Leaders of Today and Tomorrow

Making Schools Safe & Just

Unions and Labor Rights

Our Nation’s Future

Join the Movement

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