NEA is America's oldest and largest organization committed to advancing the cause of public education. Founded in 1857 in Philadelphia and now headquartered in Washington, D.C., NEA proudly claims 2.5 million members who work at every level of education, from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliates in every state as well as in over 13,000 local communities across the United States. Anyone who works for a public school district, a college or university, or any other public institution devoted primarily to education is eligible to join NEA. NEA also has special membership categories for retired educators and college students studying to become teachers. 

NEA members nationwide set Association policy through an annual Representative Assembly. NEA goals, policies, resolutions, positions and standards are decided each year. This is done by 9,000 delegates to the Representative Assembly who vote to decide the course and set policy for the National Education Association. NEA's top decision-making bodies are the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee.

National Education Association
1201 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC  20036
(202) 833-4000
Web:  http://www.nea.org

President of NEA is Bob Chase, Contact him at:  BobChase@nea.org

The National Education Association believes that limited English proficiency (LEP) students must have available to them programs that address their unique needs and that provide equal opportunity to all students, regardless of their primary language. Programs for LEP students should emphasize English proficiency while concurrently providing meaningful instruction in all other curriculum areas.

The Association also believes that LEP students should be placed in bilingual education programs to receive instruction in their native language from qualified teachers until such time as English proficiency is achieved. If no bilingual programs are available, these students should be taught in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs designed to meet their specific needs. Students should not be enrolled in special education classes solely because of linguistic differences.

The Association further believes that model bilingual education programs, in which language minority students demonstrate an increase in English language acquisition and academic achievement throughout the grade levels, should be promoted and supported at the federal, state, and local levels. Further, the Association advocates full funding of all instructional materials, resources, and programs for LEP students as well as professional development programs for education employees who work with these students. The school district or other appropriate agency should provide released time for the training of teachers who instruct LEP students.

Educators, through a bargaining or other bilateral decision-making process, must be fully involved in the development and implementation of programs serving these students, including the assignment of teachers and the terms and conditions of their employment. Teachers should be compensated at the teacher's hourly rate of pay for any additional time spent in training. They should also be reimbursed for the cost of tuition, textbooks, and travel incurred in such training.

The Association values bilingual and multilingual competence and supports programs that assist individuals in attaining and maintaining proficiency in their native language before and after they acquire proficiency in English. (81, 99)
 

The National Education Association believes that migrant workers and their children are entitled to educational opportunities that address their diverse and unique educational needs.

The Association advocates the implementation of bilingual / bicultural and remedial instructional programs that address the individual instructional needs of migrant students in the United States, regardless of the availability of federal and state funds to support such programs. (75, 96)
 

The National Education Association recognizes that the complex and diverse needs of Hispanic children require the direct involvement of Hispanic educators, parents/guardians, and community leaders in developing programs that meet the cultural, language, and learning characteristics of these children.

The Association believes in efforts that provide for--

a. Programs establishing appropriate educational opportunities for Hispanic students

b. Grants and scholarships for higher education that will facilitate the recruitment, entry, and retention of Hispanics

c. Recognition of Hispanic educators as role models

d. Hiring and promotion of Hispanic educators at all levels of the education profession

e. The recruitment, training, and employment of bilingual teachers, counselors, and other professional and support staff to meet the needs of Hispanic students

f. English proficiency programs that are designed to meet the language needs of Hispanic students

g. Dissemination of information and programs that include the values, heritage, language, culture, and history of Hispanics.

The responsibility for developing and implementing programs for Hispanic children should be realized by state and local agencies, regardless of the availability of federal funds. (1972, 2000)