NEA’s Strategic Framework for 2024–2026
Visionary Goals
To achieve our mission and to meet our shared responsibility to elevate and unite all our members, the NEA, in partnership with affiliates, will build connections that:
- Enhance success, justice, and equity in our nation's public schools, and the well-being of all our students, parents, families, and communities.
- Promote fulfilling professional lives and the success of our members.
- Grow and strengthen our Union through leaders trained to retain, inspire, engage, recruit, and empower fellow educators and public employees.
Strategic Objectives
In partnership with our Affiliates, NEA will:
Strengthen Public Education as the Cornerstone of Democracy: Build a movement that promotes, protects, and strengthens public education; safeguards the rights of students, communities, and educators; advances economic justice; increases public regard for educators and their public schools from pre-K to higher education; and ensures that students are prepared to participate fully in our democratic society.
Advance Racial Justice and Social Justice: Support members in advancing racial and social justice in education, and improving conditions for all students, families, and communities through awareness, capacity building, partnership, and individual and collective action.
Promote Safe, Healthy, Inclusive, Collaborative, and Future-Focused Public Schools: Support the development of modern, safe, and supportive public schools that are affirming to all students and employees, resourced to meet the academic and developmental needs of today’s students, and that serve as beacons of pride and support in their communities.
Improve Professional Respect and High Quality Working Conditions: Enhance the well-being, satisfaction and respect of our members (aspiring, active, and retired), ensuring they receive fair compensation (salary, benefits and retirement); cultivate favorable working conditions for aspiring, new, and experienced educators; amplify opportunities for authentic voice; and safeguard the freedom to teach in the most effective manner for their students.
Support Professional Excellence and Student Learning: Enhance the education professions and the pride that all educators throughout their careers experience in their work by supporting educators’ growth in the professional knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to maximize students’ academic and social-emotional learning and shape the future of learning.
Fuel the Transformation of Affiliate Organizational Capacity: Build the capacity of state and local affiliates for growth, collective action, and agenda-driving power with particular focus on: a Dynamically Aligned Leadership Development System; Membership Growth and Engagement, Organizing, and a Culture of Connectedness; Racial and Social Justice Culture; Modern Affiliate Communications; Data and Technological Advancement; and overall Affiliate Health and Strength.
NEA Operations: Ongoing functions that sustain the organizational infrastructure and nimbly adjust to the changing nature of the external environment; advance organizational learning and effectiveness; implement responsible business practices; and promote a positive, just, and innovative culture across the NEA.
Organizational Capacity: 2024-2026 Areas of Focus
Programs and initiatives across the organization that support the Strategic Objectives, build lasting strength and agenda-driving power in Affiliates, and grow the Association. In this 2-year cycle, we will focus on our ability to grow capacity in the following areas:
A Dynamically-Aligned Leadership Development System: Create a robust leadership development system across the organization, that identifies, invites, prepares, trains, and supports both formal and informal leaders and that offers many pathways for all members to grow and demonstrate leadership in support of excellent and equitable public education
Member Growth and Engagement, Organizing, and A Culture of Connectedness: Organize around issues important to our members; provide members with support to engage in meaningful by member-for-member advocacy and activities; and provide opportunities for members to connect with other professionals, allies and communities, fostering loyalty to their professions and unions
Racial and Social Justice Culture: Support Affiliates in fostering a culture of racial and social justice that is reflected in mindsets, practices, and strategies
Modern Affiliate Communications: Modernize and support Affiliate capacity to research, craft, and implement internal and public relations messaging in support of public education, members’ needs, and Affiliate activities
Data and Technological Advancement: Implement a modern and aligned data analytics and technology infrastructure for membership, engagement, and business practices
Affiliate Health and Strength: Support strong fiscal management, risk mitigation, data management, strategic use of data and information, and organizational learning processes across the organization
NEA Operations
Ongoing functions that sustain the organizational infrastructure, secure the long-term health of the organization, and promote a positive culture.
- Leadership and Governance Supports
- Business, HR and Financial Services
- HQ Data and Technology Services
- Communications
- Human Resources
- Legal
- Research
- Strategy
Learn more about the Strategic Framework
Strategic Goals (Princess Moss and Noel Candelaria)
Strengthen Pubic Education as the Cornerstone of Democracy (Bill Farmer)
Advance Racial Justice and Social Justice (Dr. James Fedderman)
Promote Safe, Healthy, Inclusive, Collaborative, and Future-Focused Public Schools (Wil Page)
Improve Professional Respect and High-Quality Working Conditions (Ivory Smith)
Support Professional Excellence and Student Learning (Brenda Robinson)
Fuel the Transformation of Affiliate Organizational Capacity (Aaron Kubo)
NEA Operations (Brenda Robinson)
