Teachers’ Associations

Teachers’ associations are professional organizations that provide a variety of services for teachers and advocate on teachers’ behalf. As many use the terms teacher and educator interchangeably, this entry includes associations that serve those other than classroom teachers, such as school counselors.

The best-known teachers’ associations are the two major teachers’ unions, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. Both work to influence state and national policies, to link research to teacher practice, and to set professional standards. Both have local chapters that engage in collective bargaining with school districts and postsecondary institutions to negotiate contracts that govern members’ salaries and working conditions. Membership dues vary and benefits tend to be more extensive than those of other types of teachers’ associations.

Discipline-specific associations support ...