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Benefits of Joining

We are stronger together. You can thrive as an educator when you have a voice at the table, the job security and benefits you need, and your union community and colleagues behind you every step of the way.

1. There's power in numbers

Joining the association gives your voice more authority over the decisions that affect your classroom and career. Whether you advocate for changes in your school, speak at school board meetings, advocate for increased school funding at the state and local level, or lobby your state legislators and city/county board members, your local will support you and your students.

2. Increased pay and benefits

Recently we’ve won pay increases for New Mexico educators, much-needed increases to tier minimums for licensed teachers, and caps on healthcare costs for educators. NEA-NM fights to ensure a career in education is a viable profession. And we win.

3. Improved professional practice

Your local association helps you advocate for access to high-quality professional development and increased collaboration time so you can improve your practice. Your association (and that means you and your co-workers!) can work with the school district to develop mentoring and other support from more experienced colleagues. Access to professional learning and professional learning hub at a reduced rate or free rate.

We’re also fighting for changes that will ensure adequate staffing in public schools. We recently won a significant increase in stipends for participants in teacher residency programs, which will help with new educator recruitment.

4. Nation-wide community of educators

When you are a member of your local association, you are also a member of your state affiliate and the national NEA. The association is your way to connect with like minded colleagues across the district, state, and nation who are working to better students’ lives.

5. Improved working and student learning conditions at your worksite

Local associations empower educators to advocate for smaller class size, less standardized testing, input into curriculum, and safe buildings, just to name a few. These working conditions mean a better learning environment for students.

6. Positive change in your workplace

The association can work with the administration as a partner and collaborate with the PTA and other community organizations to resolve issues in your school. As an educator who knows the students best, you can work with the administration to solve problems together.

7. Enhanced rights

A collective bargaining agreement is an enforceable legal document that protects your rights. It contains a formal procedure for advancing grievances with support of expert staff and leaders. Even if your local association doesn’t currently have a collective bargaining agreement, your association will be there for you to offer guidance, advice, and, if necessary, legal representation.

8. Commitment to social justice

As a member of the association, you join forces with fellow educators to make a difference in the social justice issues that matter most to you and affect your students’ lives. The association works to achieve opportunity for all students in schools and can provide training to members to develop new strategies.

9. Liability insurance

Because the liability potential can be so serious for individuals employed by schools and other educational units (and your employer doesn’t always have your back), NEA provides all eligible association members with professional liability insurance through the NEA Educators Employment Liability (EEL) Program.

10. NEA Member Benefits

Improve your buying power and save money with  NEA’s Member Benefits program that offers extensive benefits and discounts for products and services you use everyday.