Mission: NEA-Retired is dedicated to promoting secure retirement with dignity, advancing equitable and quality public education, and advocating for human, civil, and economic rights for all.
Vision: The vision of NEA-Retired is to become the preeminent voice for retired members while strengthening NEA
NEA-Retired works to meet the needs of retired education employees. We work with active NEA members to:
- Protect and improve retirement pension, and health benefits—including state pensions, Social Security, and Medicare.
- Improve public education through mentoring, literacy, and intergenerational programs and activities.
- Achieve legislative and political action goals for education and education employees.
Registration is now open - NEA Retired Conference
Join us for the NEA-Retired Conference on March 3-5, 2024.
This year’s conference theme is “EDUCATION. DEMOCRACY. FREEDOM. OUR RIGHT! OUR RESPONSIBILITY Retired and Powerful. Promoting, Protecting and Strengthening Education.”
We are excited to offer our members training, professional learning, and leadership opportunities. The conference is full of sessions and activities that allow members to learn, connect, and have fun while remaining safe.
To register for the Retired Conference only, CLICK HERE.
To register for the Retired and Leadership Conferences, CLICK HERE.
NEA members/non-members Registration Fee $120.00 (Retired Conference Only).
The conference hotel is the Hyatt Regency, Chicago, IL. 151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60601. To reserve your room, CLICK HERE by February 10th.
2024 Nominations
Nominations for 2024 NEA-Retired positions are now open. Information about the nomination process and links to the nomination forms are here.
Our Leaders & Governance
NEA-Retired is governed by a nine-member Executive Council, elected by NEA-Retired members. NEA-Retired members serve on various committees within NEA and meet annually in June to conduct business of the organization.
- Meet the NEA-Retired leadership team and read about their roles and responsibilities.
- View the NEA-Retired bylaws, standing rules and elections procedures.
- Learn more about our Annual Meeting and the awards presented at the Retired Annual Meeting.
- Frequently asked questions about NEA-Retired membership and benefits.
- About NEA-Retired
Organizing Grants
Each year the NEA Center for Organizing, in collaboration with NEA-Retired, awards State Organizing Grants to State Retired entities. Grants are used for Membership Recruitment, Organizing New Retired Locals, Retired Organizing Projects, Creating Retired Activists, Developing Retired Leaders, or Developing and Strengthening Community Partnerships.
Find more information on Retired Organizing Grants and application information.
Calendar of Events
Find more opportunities to connect and contribute.
Jack Kinnaman Scholarships
Applications for the Scholarships are now being accepted
Thanks to the generosity of many NEA-Retired members, five NEA-Retired Jack Kinnaman scholarships were awarded during the 2023 Retired Annual Meeting. Each scholarship amount was $3,500, a significant contribution toward an Aspiring Educator’s higher education costs. From the first $1,000 award to one recipient in 2002, the program has grown significantly and now has awarded a total of over $107,000 in scholarship money to 51 Aspiring Educators.
To learn more about Jack Kinnaman, and for information on how to contribute to this incredibly impactful program, visit this webpage. All contributions, regardless of amount, are welcome; in fact, most donations are from small dollar donors who give less than $100. To ensure that your contribution is properly credited, please remember to make checks payable to “The NEA Foundation” and in the memo line, reference “Kinnaman Scholarships."
Retirees4PublicEd
Many opportunities exist for you to take action for retired educators and public education.
M.O.R.E. Projects
The M.O.R.E. Project is designed to mobilize, organize, recruit, and engage retirees in the strategic priorities of the NEA and its state affiliates. Active in Florida and Arizona, the M.O.R.E. Project is scheduled to expand to Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas in 2020.
Be a part of the NEA Retired Rapid Response Team!
Join with over 3,000 other NEA-Retired Members that live within a 50 mile radius of downtown Washington, DC. Your expertise and years of experience are crucial during this critical turning point in NEA’s history.
NEA-Retired Member Organizing Toolkit
NEA Retirees are helping to advocate for public education community by community, school by school, educator by educator, one conversation at a time — whether that’s on a front porch or in a classroom. They’re committed to dialoging with the next generation of educator organizers, because at the end of the day, they aren’t the first to fight for public education, and they won’t be the last. This organizing toolkit will help retirees take action — teaching, and training others in organizing for public education. Dive in to find help with assessing educational issues, needs and resources, addressing one-on-one conversation skills, engaging stakeholders, and building leadership.
Download the NEA-Retired Member Organizing Toolkit (PDF, 4.5MB, 98pgs)
Suggested Further Reading
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