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Sign held up at rally saying 40 million families need student loan relief now.

Organizing Tools - Student Debt

Let's Talk About Student Debt
Looking for a way to start the conversation around membership? We’ve created tools and explainers about student debt benefits that you can send to potential members.

How to use this toolkit

  • Learn about student debt and options for cancellation and relief.
  • Share our conversation starters to help potential and existing members understand NEA's student debt supports.
  • Use prompts to schedule follow up conversations that deepen relationships and connections.

Fixing the student debt crisis makes our public schools stronger.

The victories around Public Service Loan Forgiveness and student debt cancellation is an excellent example of the power of our union and how educators uniting together can benefit the lives of many.

NEA has developed tools for educators to make the most of Public Service Loan Forgiveness and advocate for further student debt cancellation. 

Spread the Word

Use these prompts to start a conversation with someone following an initial contact. You can also change them a bit and use them to reach out to someone you haven't heard from in a while!

Share These Messages

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On Text Message

Hi <FIRSTNAME>! Want to tackle student debt but aren’t sure where to start? Text STUDENTDEBT to 48744 to get connected with the resources that are right for you. 

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On Email

Hi <FIRSTNAME>, 

It’s <YOURNAME> from <AFFILIATENAME>! It was great meeting you at <EVENTNAME>. 

Everyone—no matter where they are from or how much is in their bank account—deserves to learn and grow without limits. That’s why tens of thousands of educators took action over the past few months to make sure our higher education system works for students, not for bankers and their profits.   

10 years of public service equals no student debt. That is the promise. And we will not stop until that promise is kept to everyone. Take these three steps to ensure you get the support you deserve:  

Our victories around student debt show the power educators can have when we come together. But we still have more to accomplish. I’d love to chat with you about our union’s work. Do you have time in the next few weeks? 

In solidarity, 

<YOUR NAME>

P.S. Pass it on! Share these resources with a friend or colleague. 

Online Tools

By working to cancel student debt and improve forgiveness programs, we can make sure everybody who wants to learn and grow can do so—without exceptions. Use these online tools to learn about opportunities for student debt relief.

Navigate Your Student Debt

NEA’s student debt experts have created tools designed to help educators through the complicated student debt system.
Navigate Your Student Debt

Get Public Service Loan Forgiveness

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF) was created to cancel the remaining balance of federal student debt for workers who provide 10 years of public service while making 120 monthly payments on their federal student loans.
About Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Prepare for Payment Resumption

The interest payment pause is officially ending. Use this guide to prepare to restart your student debt payments in October 2023.
Prepare for Payment Resumption

Student Debt Graphics

Share these images to let educators know that there are tools to help them understand their student debt options.
Cancelling student debt is an educator retention issue.
Cancelling student debt is an educator retention issue.

Canceling student debt is a racial justice issue.
Canceling student debt is a racial justice issue.

Canceling student debt is an educator recruitment issue.
Canceling student debt is an educator recruitment issue.

Share Online

Share these tools on your social media platforms! You can follow up with potential members that like or comment on your posts.

Social Media Messages

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Facebook

In the last year, educators have gotten over $1 million dollars in student debt cancellation. Learn how: <LINK> 

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Instagram

10 years of public service equals no student debt. Congress made that promise to educators in 2007. And we will not stop until that promise is kept to everyone. Check out the link in bio to find the tools you need to #CancelStudentDebt.

Link for Instagram bio: <LINK>

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Twitter

550,000 public service workers are now closer to the cancellation they were promised. What this means for you: <LINK> #CancelStudentDebt 

Expert Webinars

Almost half of all current educators have had to take on student debt to enter the profession. This reality keeps too many talented young people out of the profession and pushes out those who do enter it. 

We believe that every educator should be able to afford to learn without limits, and without a lifelong burden of student debt. That's why NEA’s student debt experts have created tools designed to help educators through the complicated student debt system, including webinars explaining opportunities for relief. 

Find past webinar recordings here:

Join Our Movement

We ask only what is right: equal opportunity for every student, every educator, every family. At home, in school, online, in Washington–there’s a right place for all of us to make a difference.
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Talk About Your Union

With more members, we can have an even stronger voice to raise wages, improve working conditions, and create the schools our students deserve. Learn how to communicate about union membership and the meaningful changes won by educators in your area and across the country.
National Education Association

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.
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