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AAE Releases 2011 Member Survey
posted by: Alix | November 02, 2011, 02:11 PM   

Today the 2011 annual membership survey was released by the Association of American Educators. The survey was conducted this summer, polling AAE members from all 50 states on issues relating to education and labor reform. Survey results showed shifting attitudes toward policies including school choice, technology, attracting new teachers to the workforce, and collective bargaining.

While policymakers champion new and innovative ideas in education, it's critical that educators' opinions and experiences are taken into account as these reforms are considered and implemented. As a member-driven organization, AAE brings an authentic teacher voice to the education reform dialogue, rendering valuable input into creating a world class education system from well-informed teachers nationwide.

AAE derives its policy positions directly from our membership survey so that we can most accurately represent member views at a time when the teaching profession is drastically changing. The opinions expressed in this survey are those of real teachers, not union bosses with partisan political agendas.

With regard to increased federal education spending, AAE members stress local control and are suspect of increased federal assistance with ties to the federal bureaucracy:
  • 77% of survey respondents do not support increased federal spending on education at the expense of increased regulations in their respective states.
  • 83% of AAE members do not support a national curriculum.
While the union-backed establishment sees school choice as detrimental to the teaching profession, AAE member teachers support varied policies that empower parents to choose the learning environment best suited for their child:
  • 78% of survey respondents agree with a law in Oklahoma that provides a tax credit to individuals and corporations that donate to organizations providing "Opportunity Scholarships."
  • 61% of those surveyed agree with an Arizona law that provides tax credit scholarships to special education students in traditional public schools, allowing them to attend the public or private school of their choice.
According to the results relating to technology and education:
  • 58% of survey respondents agree with a policy that would phase out textbooks with digital content.
  • 75% of teachers agree with a Utah law guaranteeing high school students access to online courses.
AAE members also recognize the need to attract new and effective teachers to the classroom:
  • 71% agree that in order to attract new teachers, alternative certification methods must be expanded, allowing degreed professionals an easier path to the classroom.
  • 85% of AAE members support Teach for America and its mission to place recent top-tier college graduates into high-need classrooms after intense training.
In the wake of 48 states considering labor reform legislation in 2011:
  • 78% of survey respondents assert that collective bargaining has little to no effect on their ability to teach effectively and just 28% of teachers believe collective bargaining equates to a better compensated workforce.
  • 63% agree with a policy that would allow teachers to negotiate their own contracts based on their individual needs.
  • 84% of those surveyed believe that teacher unions are hurting the teaching profession.
  • 74% of AAE members disagree with "LIFO" or "last in, first out," jumping nearly four points from last year's survey.
As the profession evolves and the cry for reform grows louder, it is clear that AAE members embrace commonsense solutions that focus on successful student outcomes. As a national association of professional educators, we hope these findings will be a tool for policymakers and stakeholders on all levels as they consider policies that affect the classroom.

Complete results of the survey can be found at www.aaeteachers.org/2011surveypdf.

What do about the survey results? Do they reflect your views?
Comment below.

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Comments (3)Add Comment
...
written by Michael K. Lisi, December 09, 2012

I am glad to be a member of a professional teacher organization that doesn't need to rely on compulsory dues to build its membership with a focus on increased learning and student achievement as opposed to political involvement. I am am a public school teacher and choose to be a member of our union because it is not an adversarial organization like most, but enjoy the alternatives memberhip in AAE provides.
Having read your information,
written by Teacher, Madison, WI, September 22, 2012

I see that you are NOT "non" union, as your describe yourselves, but rather ANTI-union. Not political? Your reactions to political issues certainly are political: activist judges, supporters of the Heritage Foundation, Board members who aren't teachers but insurance agents/lobbyists...any teacher joining this organization definitely has a political agenda. It's a RW propaganda device, nothing more.
Teacher
written by Orrville, OH, September 17, 2012

I am excited to finally find an alternative to the NEA and OEA. Thank you for providing such an option.

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