Just this month, Minnesota Teacher of the Year Tom Rademacher wrote a narrative in the Education Post about his experience with the teachers union that bestowed him such a title. And to put it bluntly, despite his support of the union model, his union expose describes a less than enthusiastic account of his involvement.

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Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner issued an executive order yesterday designed to prevent government employees (including teachers) from being forced to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment.

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Mike Antonucci from the Education Intelligence Agency couldn’t have put it better when he said that for unions to really make great strides on behalf of Millenials in the teaching profession it “would require sacrificing the interests of those in the room for those still outside of the building.”   Continue Reading...

 

Over the course of the past eight years (since 2006), states have been attempting to focus on closing the disparities between effective teachers and poor and minority students. As reserach has shown, quality teachers are the number one factor in closing achievement gaps.

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What does $60 million buy you? Apparently not votes.   Continue Reading...

Yesterday, Michigan Administrative Law Judge Julia C. Stern found the union guilty of unfair labor practices and mandated that public employees be allowed to resign from membership at any time. Here’s what  people are asking…   Continue Reading...

AAE Executive Director Gary Beckner's op-ed in the Providence Journal:

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In honor of our second annual National Employee Freedom Week - a nationwide campaign offering an unparalleled focus on the freedoms union employees have to opt out of union membership - we are sharing stories of how worker freedom impacts American teachers.   Continue Reading...

In honor of our second annual National Employee Freedom Week - a nationwide campaign offering an unparalleled focus on the freedoms union employees have to opt out of union membership - we are sharing stories of teachers who have exercised their rights and have chosen the organization that best meets their needs.   Continue Reading...

Welcome to the Association of American Educators' online publication, Reform Matters! This education reform-focused publication features both original AAE content and a compilation of the latest news from the growing education reform community.   Continue Reading...

When 9,000 National Education Association members from across the country gathered in Denver for their annual conference last week, they made it easy to understand why union membership is in sharp decline.   Continue Reading...

Two AAE member educators, Regional Membership Director Kristi Lacroix, and coalition of other local stakeholders testified Thursday before a Pennsylvania House committee in support of a new paycheck protection bill designed to promote teacher freedom of choice and union accountability.   Continue Reading...

Membership in labor unions has continuously declined for the past decade as a growing number of individuals opt out of union politics and exorbitant dues. Teachers unions are no exception. Educators across the country are embracing professional alternatives like AAE as they continue to reject big labor’s outdated model of representation.

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In right-to-work states or in communities where union membership is entirely voluntary, teachers and education employees often join their local National Education Association (NEA) affiliate thinking they are advancing their profession and protecting their interests, without the union baggage. Drawn in by the promises of a "united voice" and "dues staying at the state level," busy teachers often get more than they bargained for when joining these self-proclaimed "professional associations."   Continue Reading...

The Thomas B. Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now recently completed a study about the strength of teacher unions nationwide. The study ranked all 50 states according to the influence of their state-level unions and concludes that there is indeed a declining status of teacher unions across the country.

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With the Republican National Convention (RNC) in full swing this week, high-profile Republican leaders have turned their attention to the growing education crisis in the United States. Never before have we seen this kind of attention given to education on a national stage. This renewed focus has signaled that education reform will be an emerging campaign issue in the months ahead. In fiery speeches, GOP leaders spoke about K-12 education by battering President Obama and teachers unions—as they called for a new direction in American education reform.   Continue Reading...

Shadowbosses, released this week, tells a story of intrigue, drama, and corruption and reads like an organized crime novel. Amazingly, it is actually a true story of how public sector labor unions (including teacher unions) are spending member dues and controlling the political process.   Continue Reading...

Peter Cohee discusses AAE as an alternative to teacher unions on Examiner.com:Alternatives to teacher unions?

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In a difficult financial climate where states and school districts are struggling to buy supplies and fund educational programs, it might come as a shock to hard-working teachers to find out that union leaders are raking in astronomical salaries on par with that of the average corporate CEO. According to several reports, NEA and AFT leaders–both nationally and statewide–are pulling in nearly half a million dollars apiece each year.   Continue Reading...

“Are teachers or anyone in the private sector experiencing those increases in times of financial hardship?" AAE Executive Director Gary Beckner featured in FoxNews.com article about union boss salaries being nearly 10 times that of the average teacher:   Continue Reading...