NEA in Action August 2023

NEA Grants Support Educators

In spring, NEA awarded $6.7 million in Great Public Schools Fund grants to 11 state and local affiliates to launch innovative projects. These grants will help thousands of educators improve student success and strengthen the education profession. Two of the many projects include:

• A leadership mentoring program for Massachusetts education support pro-fessionals that nurtures ?the next generation of union advocates. 
• An initiative to support Indigenous educators and teachers of color in California in earning National Board Certification.

Learn how your affiliate can apply at nea.org/GPSFundGrants. Next application deadline: September 15, 2023.

NEA is a Voting Powerhouse

When NEA flexes its muscle to support pro-public education and pro-union candidates, like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, educators win. Here’s how Biden has delivered for public schools:

1. $170 billion in funding to raise educator pay, save jobs, address educator shortages, fix crumbling school buildings, and more. 

2. Big steps toward safer schools with bipartisan gun safety legislation?—passed largely as a result of NEA advocacy—that expands background checks, targets interstate gun trafficking, and supports state “red flag” laws, which can prevent someone in crisis from accessing guns.
   

   

3. Appointments of people who have walked in our shoes, including Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. As a former educator, he understands what it takes to lead a public school classroom.

NEA protects your rights

Worried about your rights as an activist? NEA has you covered. Check out our guide, “Educator Rights: Speaking Up for Public Education & Our Students,” which explains what kind of activism is protected in and out of school—and what can land you in trouble. Download the report at nea.org/advocacy-rights.

NEA Helps Members Get Loans Forgiven

NEA student debt experts have assisted nearly 40,000 educators in the student debt forgiveness process through its online student debt navigator tool, Savi. This benefit is free to NEA members. How much have NEA members saved?

$731,190,450

Total projected forgiveness 

$36,491

Average amount of debt per person that’s eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness

$54,438,505

Total projected savings 

$2,000

Average annual savings per person

Access NEA’s debt navigator tool at nea.org/savi. Know educators who are not NEA members? Ask them to join at nea.org/join.