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How the Women of #RedforEd are Closing the Pay Gap “It’s no longer enough to get a small paycheck, but big rewards....Watching women be devalued—in the workplace and in the political realm—has pushed us to speak.” READ MORE » Five Trends in Education to Watch This Year For experienced educators, the school year ahead will be familiar territory—or will it? See what's emerging as hot issues in education. LEARN MORE » The Paraeducator Perspective How do you build a good foundation with the other educator in your classroom? A veteran paraeducator shares her wisdom. READ MORE » ADVERTISEMENT Is Personalized Learning Losing its Luster? “Public school educators do not need businessmen to tell them how to educate, nurture, and innovate.” READ MORE » When ICE Raids Your School We answer the most common questions educators are asking about ICE raids and supporting immigrant youth. LEARN MORE » Your Resolution for the New School Year Don’t just think about how you are going to teach, but what you are going to learn. READ MORE » Creating Inclusive Environments for LGBTQ Students With little progress at the national or state level, students and educators are making sure something is being done in their school districts to protect LGBTQ rights. LEARN MORE » MORE TOP STORIES ESPs, Learn to Be an Effective Leader in Your Association. Apply for the ESP Leadership Institute. » School Climate: The Overlooked Factor in the Teacher Shortage. » August 28, 2019 NEA MEMBER BENEFITS NEA TOOLS AND IDEAS MEMBERS AND EDUCATORS HOME Don't Miss Your Chance to Attend! Create Pivotal Change: The 2019 Conference on Educational Leadership Join leaders in education from around the world at The Gaylord Hotel & Resort, National Harbor, November 8-10 when ASCD brings together the best minds in school and district transformation. Discover what restores focus, wholeness, and engagement to climate and performance. Whether you are a seasoned district superintendent, school principal, or reseacher, you will value these extraordinary lessons from leaders who have restored and sustained K-12 education at its best. Meet Welcome Reception Guest - Former U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr., CEO of The Education Trust Acclaimed Authors Pete Hall and Kristin Souers on Relationship, Responsibility, and Regulation: Fostering Resilient Learners Trailblazer of Urban Education Luis Torres on The Fifth Priority Champion High-Performance Schools Leader Tiffany Anderson on Transforming Schools for Excellence Through Leadership: Eliminating Opportunity Gaps Researcher and Instructional Coaching Expert Jim Knight on Better Conversations Original Freedom Writer and Author Manny Scott on Where Do We Go from Here? It's time to stop struggling and build the climate and culture our schools need. Explore over 140 learning sessions. Please join us. Register Register as a Team and Save! Every fifth person from your organization attends FREE!* Learn More www.ascd.org 1703 North Beauregard Street Alexandria, Virginia 22311-1714 1-800-933-ASCD (2723) © 2019 ASCD. All Rights Reserved. *All team members must register at the same time for the same conference events, including the same pre-conference institutes. ASCD must receive all five registration forms together. (For pre-conference institutes, registration payments must include materials fees, if applicable.) Hi Friend, Our country’s strength is built on our diverse, committed, and educated communities. No matter our color, where we come from, or where we live, our kids deserve an education that will help them achieve their dreams. Is your school doing all that it can to help black, white, and brown students thrive? Fill out the Opportunity Checklist today to take stock of what your school could improve. Disinvestment and division within our public school system—perpetuated by burdensome testing and funding structures—hold vulnerable students back from their full potential. The Every Student Succeeds Act has created a system that puts students first, and highlights the expertise of educators and parents—not the views of inexperienced politicians—to give our kids the education they deserve. To make the dream of a great public school for every child a reality, we—as colleagues, as parents—need to come together to evaluate what our school needs, and take collective action. When we do, we ensure that our students are given the public education they deserve, regardless of how much money their parents make or where they come from. Are you ready? Take the first step by filling out your school’s opportunity checklist today. Redesigning the future for our students and public schools is in our hands. Ensure every school in your district looks like the school our students deserve by taking stock of how your school compares today. In solidarity, The National Education Association Build your school’s Opportunity Checklist > View this email on the web

An ‘Appalling Reality’ for Educators Second jobs during the summer account for up to 12 percent of an educator’s annual income, but financial pressures don’t go away after Labor Day. READ MORE »

Dynamic Duos: Cultivating a Successful Teacher-Paraeducator Relationship The benefits of having more than one adult to support learners in the classroom can’t be underestimated. Listen to our podcast for school year preparation tips and how to have a supportive professional relationship. LISTEN NOW »

Inside a Trauma-Informed Classroom With the right professional training, educators can reduce the impact of traumatic experiences and help all children learn. READ MORE »

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When Small Local Unions Make a Big Impact Their counterparts in big cities garnered national attention, but educators in smaller towns are also notching wins for students and their profession. READ MORE »

The Heroes We Need This summer, NEA recognized everyday heroes who have fought—and continue to fight—for human and civil rights across the country. Watch their inspiring stories. LEARN MORE »

How to Evaluate Tech Tools You’ve Never Used in Less Than Seven Minutes How do you find the best of the bunch without sacrificing all of your free time? LEARN MORE »

Eight Ways to Make Students Feel Welcome on their First Day of School First impressions matter. Here are some tried and true suggestions from our archives on how to make your classroom safe and welcoming from the beginning.  How do you welcome students back to school? Share your ideas with your colleagues. »

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The State of Teacher Pay NEA report breaks down the status of educator pay (along with school revenues and student expenditures) across the nation. How does your state rank? READ MORE »

Don’t Flunk Schools, Support Them How one state dropped its A-F grading system to pave the way for a more effective and less punitive system of accountability. READ MORE »

Being the Best for Students Requires Continual Learning Education support professionals are finally being given the opportunity to learn and grow in their careers. READ MORE »

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Meet the Amazing 2019 Teacher of the Year Rodney Robinson is a voice for students who feel unseen, unheard, unappreciated, and undervalued. READ MORE »

Divisive, Hostile Political Rhetoric Not Stopping at the Schoolhouse Gate The anger that dominates our political discourse, accelerated by a flow of untrustworthy information, is presenting educators with a new set of challenges. READ MORE »

#ThankATeacher National Teacher Appreciation Week is May 5-11! Show your gratitude for a teacher who has made a difference in your life. READ MORE »

You Can Support Students in Crisis Take these proactive steps to ensure your students know they’ll have your support when they need it most. READ MORE »

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Webinar: Everything You Need to Know About ESP Mentoring ESP in the Workplace. Sign Up Now. »

Curriculum Resources to Help Students Explore the Sights and Sounds of Spring. »

A Shelf a Day Keeps the Clutter Away  To prepare for the end of the school year, educator Sigrid Grace shares this tip: “I begin packing my classroom in May. Otherwise, the last day of June is a nightmare with too much to do in an elementary classroom. With a ‘chip away at the big project’ approach, I stay on track. If I get too busy and need to skip a day, I clean two shelves the next day. Or, if I know in advance that I’ll be too busy, I clean ahead of schedule. It really helps me pace myself for a great conclusion of the year.” How do you prepare for the end of the school year? Share your tips with your colleagues. »

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Teacher Shortage is ‘Real and Growing, and Worse Than We Thought’ A perfect storm in the teacher labor market has formed, and students in high-poverty schools are bearing the brunt of its impact. READ MORE »

Finally! Congress Sees You, ESP  Thanks to efforts by NEA educators, Congress recognizes education support professionals with a national award. READ MORE »

Schools Finding a Record Number of Homeless Students  The number of homeless K-12 students has increased by more than 70 percent over the last decade. READ MORE »

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‘A Deal is a Deal’: Sacramento Teachers Strike! When your district refuses to honor your contract, commits 31 unfair labor practices, and spends millions in vacation buyouts for administrators, it's time to hit the picket line. READ MORE »

Passport to Education For some students, getting an education means crossing the border every day. READ MORE »

It Is All About You! Bring Your Personality and Interests Into the Classroom Share more about yourself and you’ll engage more with students. READ MORE »

Public Education ‘Ground Zero’ in Assault on Democracy, Says Historian Backed by billionaires, the radical right's efforts to privatize schools has left lasting damage, but Nancy MacLean believes the public is getting wise and is determined to stop it. READ MORE »

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Lesson Planner: Teaching Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage. »

Explore New and Familiar Ways to Live Responsibly with these Earth Day Curriculum Resources. »

Get Creative for National Poetry Month How do you make your school great? Let us know—in 17 syllables. That's right, we're inviting you to join our Facebook thread to compose and share your best haiku about being an educator. Get started. Do you bring poetry into your lessons? Share your ideas for celebrating National Poetry Month. »

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Why We Stay: What Motivates Educators To Step Into (and Remain) in the Classroom We give a lot of attention to why so many educators leave the profession. Time to talk about those who stay. READ MORE »

Are Four-Day School Weeks Worth It? Still a predominantly rural trend, four-day school weeks are now inching closer to cities and suburbs. READ MORE »

This Custodian Can Do It All He thinks in dos rather than don’ts. Find out why Matthew Powell is the 2019 Education Support Professional of the Year.  READ MORE »

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Betsy DeVos and Her No Good, Very Bad Record on Public Education Our timeline chronicles the actions of an education secretary working to wreck public schools. READ MORE »

How Corporate Subsidies Cost Schools $1.8 Billion Last Year Educators and their unions say it’s time to stop giving this money away. READ MORE »

Hungry Students Can’t Learn. These Schools Can Help. “There is no end to what educators want to give, but in a community school, the silos are removed and helping meet students’ needs is more streamlined and sustainable.” READ MORE »

When a Lesson Becomes a Law  Inspired by unsolved civil-rights murders, students in New Jersey take their case to Capitol Hill. READ MORE »

Reimagine Your Classroom Here’s how some educators are modifying their instruction and reshaping their spaces to meet 21st century student needs. READ MORE »

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Subscriber, Betsy DeVos had a bad week. First, she defended her budget that calls for the elimination of federal funding for the Special Olympics. As if that wasn't bad enough, she also had the audacity to claim that—and this is a direct quote—“Students may be better served by being in larger classes.” Anyone who has ever been in a classroom knows this is cluelessly wrong. But, this was not the first or only time Betsy DeVos tried to roll back funding for students who need it most. In fact, she has spent her entire time as education secretary trying to eliminate funding and protections for public school students. We should know. We put together a timeline of Betsy DeVos’ tenure as education secretary. Check it out here. Line by line, month by month, you can see in real-time how she’s promoted the privatization of public schools through vouchers, called for deep cuts to federal funding, rolled back protections for vulnerable children, and shilled for the for-profit college industry that has defrauded countless students. We will continue to hold Betsy DeVos accountable for her actions, and come November 2020, we’ll send her and her allies a powerful message: Our students deserve better. In solidarity, Lily Eskelsen García President National Education Association View more »

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Subscriber, I think we can all agree that Betsy DeVos has been a disaster as the U.S Secretary of Education. But, just how bad? Our team at NEA Education Votes has put together a comprehensive timeline of all the major actions Betsy DeVos has taken as education secretary to undermine public schools. Click to Read What Betsy DeVos has been able to accomplish has been minimized only by the amount of pushback she’s received from people like you. Every time she’s tried to privatize public schools, called for regressive cuts to education, or rolled back protections for vulnerable children, we’ve stood up to her on behalf of our students. Click here to see all the times Betsy DeVos has tried to undermine public education as education secretary. Let’s be clear: Betsy DeVos was hand-picked by a president that knew her agenda and empowered her to pursue it. But in 2020, we will have the opportunity to send a message to Betsy DeVos and her allies: it’s time we have leaders who have the backs of America’s educators and who will make public schools better for students. We will elect leaders who take public education seriously and will work to strengthen it, not undermine it. That’s an opportunity we must seize—for the sake of America's public school students and educators. In solidarity, Lily Eskelsen García President National Education Association

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Does This Spark Joy? KonMari Does More Than Just Declutter Classrooms The popular tidying up method has inspired some educators to look at what sparks joy—and engagement—in their classrooms. READ MORE »

What’s the Verdict on Your #RedforEd Protests? The proof is in: You have the power to get money for your students. READ MORE »

The Latest Terrible Idea From Betsy DeVos She still wants to take your money to pay for private school tuition. READ MORE »

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When Planning Lockdown Drills, Don’t Forget This In today’s school climate, active shooter drills are becoming as common as fire drills. Here's one thing you can do right now to improve your plan. READ MORE »

Looking Out for Our Littlest Learners Under pressure to include academic rigor in kindergarten, educators work hard to strike the balance between learning and fun. READ MORE »

Five Key Trends in the Teacher Workforce Expert says the transformation of the teaching profession over the past 30 years needs to be better understood by school leaders and policymakers. READ MORE »

What’s Changed in Lesson Planning? Your lesson plans should fit the shifting education landscape. Here are 16 concepts to consider as you prepare new instruction. READ MORE »

Choosing Text Excerpts for Close Reading How would you feel if you saw even your most reluctant readers curled up with a great book, eager to find out what happens and talk about it with you or a peer? Impossible you say? Not if you create a classroom filled with high-quality, complex texts and teach students the strategies to enjoy and learn from them. Learn how one educator engages students. What strategies are you using to turn students into lifelong readers? Share them with your colleagues. »

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Subscriber, Dreamers (who were brought here as minors) and recipients of Temporary Protective Status are educators and students, our colleagues, neighbors and friends. They are teaching in our schools, organizing in our union, serving in the military, and contributing to our communities. This country is their home. Now there is finally a bill in Congress to give this group of aspiring Americans the rights and protections they deserve. 5 Things about the Dream and Promise Act > As a union, we stand together to protect our brothers and sisters, our communities. That means we must have an unwavering commitment to immigrant families. After all, protecting educators and students—all of them—is a cornerstone of our association. In solidarity, Lily Eskelsen García President National Education Association

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Here’s What Happens When School Starts Later The switch to a later start time can be challenging, but there is a reason why more school districts are taking this big step. READ MORE »

Educators Drive Another Nail in the Merit Pay Coffin Forget bait and switch bonuses: educators and students deserve a fair, transparent, and professional salary schedule that delivers stability to their classrooms. READ MORE »

How Does Only One Nurse Keep 1,750 Students Healthy and Safe? The “nerve-wracking” school nurse shortage is one of the reasons why 3,000 members of the Oakland Education Association went on strike. READ MORE »

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Anyone Can Be a Mermaid NEA's Read Across America Event celebrates diverse literature, where students see themselves as the heroes, while also seeing that all kinds of people can be the heroes too. READ MORE »

Why is the National Teacher of the Year at the Border? Roughly 15,000 immigrant children are being held in federal detention centers — apart from their parents — and these NEA members say it must stop. READ MORE »

How To Get Students to Care What’s the best way to connect students to the material? Ensure learning is meaningful. READ MORE »

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Thinking About Becoming a Blogger? It’s Not Too Late to Start. »

ICYMI: Get the Recording of our Adult Workplace Bullying Webinar and Learn Strategies to Identify and Address Bullying Behaviors. »

Learn How to Create a Trauma-Informed School Register for our next free webinar on March 14 at 8 p.m. EST to understand how trauma can affect student behaviors and responses within the school context. While you may not be able to reverse the effects of childhood trauma, you can learn techniques on how to help your students overcome them. We’ll cover tactics you can use to reduce the stress of standardized tests, how to frame questions to produce less anxiety, and discover ways we can build better relationships with our students. Sign up now. Are you using any trauma-informed practices in your classroom? Share them with your colleagues. »

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Are ‘School Hardening’ Tactics Going to Keep You Safe? One year after Parkland, it’s time to stop talking about arming educators and fortifying our schools, and focus on proven strategies that will protect students. READ MORE »

‘This is a House Party, Not a Classroom!’ Reducing class size is expensive, but so what? It works. READ MORE »

School Custodian Raises $175,000 for Children Bob Hudzig organizes the annual Darts for Kids tournament to raise money for local families who need help. READ MORE »

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Denver Teachers Strike for Fair, Livable Pay Determined to win a fair, transparent, professional salary plan, Denver teachers went on strike, joining the national #RedforEd movement. READ MORE »

Experience Matters: The Case for Seniority Let’s debate if teachers receive effective professional development or whether students have the necessary supports – but not if experience is valuable. READ MORE »

Don’t Forget to Treat Yourself: Tips to Get Through The Mid-Year Slump Educators are “programmed” to take care of everyone else, but who looks out for their needs? Veteran educator Jada Jackson offers some simple ideas for self-care, plus ways to support your colleagues. READ MORE »

Working Toward a More Just World Meet five educators determined to help young people realize their value and power by addressing social justice issues in school. READ MORE »

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Get Ready to Read Across America with our Recommended Diverse Books! »

Lesson Planner: Classroom Resources for Teaching Women’s History Month »

Getting Academic in Kindergarten: What Do You Think? Play is an important part of a child's development, but new research shows focusing on academics in kindergarten raises achievement. Should we have play-based or academic-based kindergarten classrooms? Can we strike a balance? Share your experiences with us for a future article in NEA Today Express. Kindergarten teachers, what are your best ideas for combining play with academics in your classroom? Share them with your colleagues. »