Why join BCEA?

The answer is as easy as A-B-C!

ADVOCACY

Who advocates for you & what do they do?  When you join us, you get not one, but THREE teams of advocates working for you!

1. BCEA: The Blount County Education Association advocates for you:

• Your elected leaders are constantly working in your interests with our school board, administration, and local government.
• BCEA’s President regularly meets with our Superintendent to bring your concerns to him.
• BCEA’s Association Representatives at each building work with your administration and report your concerns to the Representative Assembly each month.

2. TEA: The Tennessee Education Association advocates for you.

• TEA is YOUR collective voice. When you’re busy teaching, your advocates at TEA are working with legislators and other groups to make sure classroom teachers’ opinions are heard in Nashville.
• TEA is made sure that YOUR opinions were heard on the new teacher evaluation system.
  
• TEA representatives attended every TEAC meeting and presented your concerns.
• TEA is working to make sure unanswered questions you’re asking about the evaluations are addressed.
• TEA works to increase funding for public schools. TEA is the strongest advocate for  schools – so you have the resources to do your job and students have what they need to learn.  TEA’s success in increasing school funding has resulted in smaller class sizes, full time kindergarten, initial state funding for Pre-K classes, and added positions to meet students’ needs.
• TEA works to control the cost of health care. TEA’s work means the state will continue to pay its 45% share of health insurance premiums, while working towards an increase to at least 80%. Also, the TEA works with your local association to see that your district pays the highest portion possible of your health insurance premium. (Source)
• TEA is THE voice of Education in Nashville.

3. NEA: The National Education Association advocates for you

Building community support through:

• Year-round, comprehensive campaigns to communicate our messages using both news media and advertising
• Building coalitions among school employees, parents and the public on key issues such as school safety

Lobbying for funding and other decisions that affect our schools

• Impact on legislative funding and other decisions that affect our schools
• Year-round promotion of increased, sufficient and sustained funding for K-12 public schools and higher education institutions
• Professional lobbying to inform and influence legislators and other decision makers about education employees’ interests and priorities (Source)

Check back here to find out about Benefits of membership & Collective action!