Executive Office
The Executive Office houses the three elected officers (president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer), executive director, and staff who provide support and coordination for NEA-wide concerns.
Office of the Executive Director
The Office of Strategic Alliances is an office within the Office of the Executive Director.Strategic Alliances houses NEA’s development work and oversees our external partnerships. The department collaborates across the entire NEA enterprise to cultivate new and leverage existing relationships and resources.
Office of General Counsel
The Office of General Counsel provides advice and assistance to NEA governance, staff, and affiliates with regard to labor relations, individual rights, education reform, political activity, and other matters with legal or quasilegal implications.
Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Business and Financial Services (BFS) manages all aspects of financial operations for NEA and related entities.
Human Resources
The Human Resources (HR) Department is dedicated to attracting, developing, aligning, and retaining a high-performing, mission-driven workforce to meet NEA’s strategic goals and core functions in a collaborative environment.
Conference and Facilities Management
Conference and Facilities Management (CFM) coordinates the internal and external conference planning of the Association; and oversees building operations, workspace planning, building security, and printing and mailing services.
Education Policy and Practice
Education Policy and Practice (EPP) serves as NEA’s primary policy and practice center on elementary, secondary, career technical, and higher education issues. EPP advocates for students to have great public schools and an affordable pathway to higher education, and for educators to have the resources, tools, and time necessary to support student learning.
Center for Great Public Schools
The Center for Great Public Schools (CGPS) is the umbrella division for all NEA departments and work teams responsible for implementing the professional practice and quality components of NEA’s Strategic Plan. Specifically, the center works to build a system of Association-convened, educator-led professional learning and supports for all educators across their careers.
- The Education Support Professional Quality (ESPQ) department is committed to supporting the professional quality and growth of NEA’s nearly 500,000 ESP members. ESPQ works to elevate the ESP professions by developing, implementing, and promoting best practices and policies that enhance ESPs’ effectiveness in meeting the needs of the whole student.
- The Teacher Quality (TQ) department is committed to the idea that quality teaching is a critical factor that affects student learning and seeks to help teachers achieve high standards of practice and maintain those standards throughout their careers. Teacher Quality develops policies, products, services, and information that support the professional growth of NEA members, increase the diversity of the teaching workforce, and advance promising models of teacher recruitment, preparation, licensure, advanced certification, teacher leadership, and other forms of professional supports.
Center for Organizing
The goal of the NEA Center for Organizing is to partner with affiliates to promote a practice and habit of organizing to engage members and to identify and develop leaders at all levels of the Association to take active roles in advocating for our students and members. The Center is focused on growing membership and building sustainable capacity in local and state affiliates and provides support to the National Council of State Educations Associations as well as the National Council of Urban Education Associations.
Center for Advocacy
The Center for Advocacy creates the structures and opportunities for our leaders and members to participate in decision-making about federal, state, and local education policy that advances student-centered teaching and learning, creates equity for students in public education, and elevates the education profession.
- Collective Bargaining and Member Advocacy delivers programs and services that safeguard members’ employment rights, protect members from professional liability, and support state affiliates on collective bargaining, compensation, health care, and retirement issues. The department also leads the Association’s work on bargaining for the common good, student-centered bargaining, and advocacy.
- Government Relations (GR) supports the Association’s efforts to strengthen early childhood education, public schools, colleges, and universities through federal legislation and policies. Lobbyists work with Congress to advance the NEA Legislative Program and address priorities of NEA members, who also engage Congress digitally and in back-home advocacy.
Campaigns and Elections
Campaigns and Elections (CE) is responsible for partnering with state affiliates and key allies to help create political conditions for policies that positively impact students, schools, and working families.
Center for Social Justice
The Center for Social Justice continues the Association’s proud legacy of advancing social justice advocacy, with a particular focus on racial justice in education. The Center for Social Justice focuses on engaging our members, leadership, and community partners on a variety of social justice advocacy issues—including rooting out systemic racism in our society and institutions, upholding LGBTQ rights, dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline, defending voting rights, promoting environmental justice, and advancing culturally relevant education for all students to ensure that students from all backgrounds are equipped with the opportunities and resources they need to learn.
- The Community Advocacy and Partnership Engagement (CAPE) Department focuses on fostering strategic partnerships and developing external relationships with communities and community organizations that share a common interest in positively and profoundly impacting public education.
- Human and Civil Rights (HCR) understands that education advocacy, racial, and social justice go hand in hand as we work to support an increasingly diverse group of students and educators who must feel welcome and valued in our public schools. To advance the call of equity for all and create inclusive, welcoming, and affirming school climates, HCR provides advocacy materials utilizing an online platform; and classroom tools and resources as well as training content for NEA members and affiliates on a range of education justice issues that impact students, communities, and educators.
Center for Communications
NEA’s Center for Communications provides integrated, full-service communication services that support the work of the Association’s strategic initiatives and engage and mobilize members and the public to serve the Association’s mission.
Center for Innovation and Technology
NEA’s Center for Innovation and Technology (CIT) provides critical services and member support to NEA and its affiliates. CIT’s general areas of responsibilities and critical services include, but are not limited to: • Partnering with NEA leadership, determining long-term technology strategies and policies. • Consulting with NEA Centers, affiliates, and departmental units to evaluate their IT requirements, capabilities, and requests. • Strategic planning, management, and oversight of the IT infrastructure, resources, and services. • Assisting NEA units and affiliates in the adoption, learning, and implementation of CIT-supported systems. • Providing ongoing customer service support for Association systems. • Supporting members through information technology, state affiliate business offices, and other NEA organizations regarding business process flow analysis, system design, and business (including financial) applications software.
- Driven by a vision of adding value to the practice and professions of our members, the NEA's Enterprise Data and Information Strategy (EDIS) department leads the enterprise strategy for the successful application of the new NEA360 technology.
- Information Technology Services (ITS) provides state-of-the-art information technology tools that help NEA and affiliates maximize the Association’s resources to promote their agenda, conduct day-today business, and leverages the Internet to recruit and serve members efficiently and effectively.
Center for Enterprise Strategy
The Center for Enterprise Strategy (CES) encompasses information gathering, analytics, and application. The Center more closely aligns data and research in the analysis, articulation, and advancement of organizational strategy.
- The Data and Analytics Team is made up of data experts previously assigned to other Centers now coming together in the interests of alignment, cohesion, and efficiencies to meet data and analytical needs for the entire enterprise.
- The Research Department serves NEA and its affiliates by providing the research and analytic support necessary to inform strategic decision-making and achieve growth and strength.
- The Strategy Department builds strategic systems to enhance leadership’s ability to make decisions aligned with NEA’s mission, vision, and core values.
Center for Governance
The Center for Governance coordinates and supports a diverse array of Association programmatic and operational concerns and provides strategic counsel to leaders on priority initiatives as well as organization policies and protocols.
- The Office of International Relations manages NEA membership in Education International (EI), articulates NEA policy in international forums, and maintains communication with EI-affiliated national education unions around the world.
