National Education Association (NEA).
National Education Association is third top donor to American politics since 1989, which gained my interest of what exactly the NEA strives to accomplish? The National Education Association is found in 1857 and is one of the nations oldest and largest teachers union and their mission statement is "to elevate the character and advance the interests of the profession of teaching and to promote the cause of popular education in the United States" (About 1). This cause is very appealing because NEA attempts advance and improve educated through out America.
NEA policy is decided by member in a democratic manner, these policies are usually discussed in nationwide representative assemblies. The Board of Directors and Executive Committee play a major role in influencing and enacting these policies. This then translates into certain actions by member in local, national and state level. Before discussing the execution of actions by the NEA member, membership mainly consists of any member of any public institution dedicated to education. Members also include school district employees, college and university employees are also members. Plus NEA also accepts students that are attempting to become teachers or devoted to the betterment of education. Local level NEA member conduct activities that include raising funds for scholarship programs so that they can conducting professional workshops that concern and affect faculty like bargaining contracts for school district employees. NEA state associates lobby legislators for the resources schools need, campaign for higher professional standards for the teaching profession and file legal actions to protect academic freedom and the rights of school employees. Nationally NEA lobbies Congress and federal agencies to improve public schools, supports and works with other education organizations and friends of public education, provides training and technical assistance to its affiliates and generally conducts activities consistent with the policies set by its elected governing bodies (About 1).