1. The Value of Professional Educator Membership Brought to You By: The Student Professional Association of Georgia Educators (SPAGE)

2. Benefits of Membership Membership in a professional education association can benefit a teacher in many ways. Most of these membership benefits can be grouped into three major categories.

3. Three Categories of Membership Benefits Advocacy Professional Learning Legal Protection

4. Advocacy Much of what affects a teacher’s job and profession—and a child’s education—is determined by public policy makers. Teachers need to concern themselves with legislation and policy-making.

5. Advocacy A professional association will provide an educator with a means to stay up-to-date on pertinent legislative matters. Professional membership will also give teachers a much-needed vehicle for making their voices heard on important issues.

6. Advocacy Professional organizations will… Work to establish collegial relationships with elected officials to promote positive legislation for education. Have a staff of lobbyists present at the capitol during the entire legislative session in order to provide invaluable input on education issues. Work to keep their members informed on these issues and call for action when needed.

7. Advocacy Professional organizations will also have members to serve on all major education groups such as the Professional Standards Commission, the Teachers Retirement Board of Trustees, and the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education.

8. Professional Learning How will professional learning benefit a teacher?

9. Professional learning provides information about… Current research on education reform efforts Current research on how students learn Best practices Research-based curriculum development and lesson design

10. Professional learning provides information about… Implementation of new policies Disaggregating testing data Grant-writing and additional funding opportunities for classroom projects

11. Professional learning also provides… Necessary credits for teacher certification renewal Valuable networking and support to combat teacher burn-out

12. Professional learning keeps a teacher’s tools sharp. If your doctor has been practicing since 1985, do you want her to be using only the knowledge she gained in medical school over twenty years ago? Is a teacher any different?

13. Legal Benefits A teacher must protect his or her career.

14. Legal Benefits Professional membership can provide answers to teachers’ legal questions concerning: Contracts Tenured Employees Nontenured Employees Demotion Grounds for Termination or Suspension Employee Suspension Insubordination

15. Legal Benefits Professional membership can provide a teacher with legal representation in the case of: – Being charged with a crime in relation to your duties as an educator – Employment action such as termination, salary, reassignment, certification or resignation

16. Legal Benefits There have been numerous cases where parents have sued teachers when children are injured (or worse) or when they feel their child’s legal rights have been violated. A teacher needs experienced legal protection in such circumstances.

17. Legal Benefits In addition to legal counsel, professional membership can provide valuable professional liability insurance. Liability coverage protects you from lawsuits filed by parents or students and pays for attorney fees and damage awards. This is the protection you need most as you interact daily with your students.

18. Legal Benefits One of the most common circumstances where Georgia teachers can benefit from legal counsel is in the case of investigation by the Professional Standards Commission (PSC).

19. Legal Benefits Any Georgia citizen can file a complaint with the PSC against a teacher by mailing a signed letter. In most cases, the complaint will result in the teacher being placed under investigation. In the most severe cases, the teacher is in jeopardy of losing his or her teaching certificate.

20. Legal Benefits Any teacher under investigation is best served by an attorney who is trained in Georgia education law and who has knowledge of precedence in such legal matters.

21. Legal Benefits The smart teacher will think ahead about legal pitfalls and will know the answer to the question: When the time comes for legal help… Who are you going to call?

22. In Summary A professional membership in an education association helps a teacher to: – Keep her skills sharp and up-to-date – Protect her career – Make her voice heard on important educational issues

23. This Presentation Brought to You By The Student Professional Association of Georgia Educators (SPAGE) PO Box 942270 · Atlanta, GA 31141-2270 · 770-216-8555 (Atlanta) · 1-800-334-6861 (outside Atlanta) www.pagefoundation.org/spage www.pagefoundation.org/spage