Following the annual peace walk across the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge to commemorate the birthday of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., NEA President Becky Pringle joined congressional, civil rights, and community leaders at a press conference. They urged the Senate to pass the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act (H.R. 5746)—and change Senate rules…
The perennial battlegrounds of Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Texas are among at least 19 states that enacted laws last year making it harder for ordinary citizens to vote and easier for partisans to seize power. Similar legislation is pending in the battlegrounds of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Republicans continue to block federal action with…
The educators named below have been relentless in reaching out to their members of Congress during the past year. We’ve got a lot to celebrate—and more to come. Thanks for helping NEA make a difference for students, educators, and families across America. Let’s keep the activism going in 2022! Top NEA cyber-lobbyists in 2021 Cassandra…
After 48,000 NEA members demanded action, the U.S. Department of Education made major changes in the badly broken Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. A temporary waiver unveiled in October promises imminent relief for tens of thousands of public service workers, like educators, and eventual relief for hundreds of thousands more. Now, NEA is urging…
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law by President Biden on Nov. 15, 2021, extends the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program through 2023 and increases payments. First enacted in 2000, SRS supports public education and community services in rural counties located near national forests in 41 states and Puerto Rico. More than 9…