Message from IEA President Kathi Griffin
IEA Member Colleagues, I hope this message continues to find you and your loved ones in good health. I wrote to you last week to tell you about our three goals for last week’s legislative session: Protecting and maintaining state support for public education at all levels so our students…
Mission & History
The Illinois Education Association-NEA’s mission is to effect excellence and equity in public education and to be THE advocacy organization for all public education employees.
Retired
IEA Retired has nearly 10,000 members and represents ALL education retirees: Certified Educators, ESPs, Higher Education and their interests and retirement issues.
Privatization/Subcontracting and the Law
One of the greatest issues facing ESPs today is privatization. A wide variety of companies and corporations are attempting to take over virtually all of the work traditionally performed by school district employees, from teaching to providing student transportation to cooking meals to cleaning and maintaining school buildings and grounds,…
Student Mentoring
Just 15 Minutes a Month Can Make a Difference Retired educator? Still have some great ideas and tips in your “bag of tricks?” Have time for a call or e-mail now and then? Then you need to consider signing up to be a mentor to a college education major. The…
About IEA Aspiring Educators
Student IEA is a preprofessional organization of undergraduate and graduate students preparing for careers in education.
Teacher who stopped shooter, saved students speaks for first time about her experience
MATTOON – Math teacher Angela McQueen said she was focused on saving students’ lives when she subdued a student shooter inside the Mattoon High School cafeteria on Sept. 20. Today, the Illinois Education Association (IEA) member will be honored for her heroic efforts during an afternoon reception at the school.…
Statement from IEA President Kathi Griffin on President Trump’s push to arm teachers
SPRINGFIELD – Today President Donald Trump continued his calls for teachers to carry guns, going so far as to suggest armed teachers be given bonuses. The following is a statement from the Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Kathi Griffin: “We need to stop repeating history and tackle the school shooting…
Don’t Outsource Drivers Ed
In August 2017, Gov. Rauner signed legislation that will severely impact public school driver education programs throughout Illinois. The legislation eliminates the district waiver process for driver education. This means that school districts can outsource driver education programs to for-profit companies. The new law also eliminates a requirement that privately-owned…
Illinois Education Association recommends Sean Casten for 6th Congressional seat
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Education Association (IEA) is the first union to recommend Democrat Sean Casten for the 6th Congressional seat. Today’s announcement comes after a Casten recommendation from the IEA Illinois Political Action Committee for Education (IPACE) Committee. That recommendation was confirmed by the National Education Association Political Action…
Statement on Gov. Pritzker’s proposed budget
SPRINGFIELD – The following statement is attributable to Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin. “Today marks a new day and a new focus for education in Illinois. It’s refreshing to have a governor not only focused on what is best for students and Illinois’ future, but who is willing to…
IEA-backed legislation to ease teacher shortage crisis unanimously passes committee, heads to Senate floor
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Education Association (IEA)-initiated bill to repeal the 3 percent salary limit law passed out of the Senate Education Committee with a 13-0 vote this afternoon. Senate Bill 1952 (SB 1952) is now on its way to the Senate floor for a vote. The bill would repeal…
Three District 62 teacher and staff unions announce recommendations for District 62 school board race
DES PLAINES – Des Plaines Education Association (DPEA), Des Plaines Educational Support Personnel Association (DPESPA) and Des Plaines Custodial Maintenance Association (DPCMA) today announced their joint recommendations for the upcoming District 62 Board of Education election. Ahead of the April 2 municipal elections, the three unions representing 650 teachers, education…
IEA passes legislation that changes the course of school safety in Illinois
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Education Association initiated a bill that will allow school districts to develop threat assessment protocols, threat assessment teams and access money to hire personnel and implement procedures to keep students safe. House Bill 1561 allows for districts to do several things: Develop a threat assessment team…
$40,000 minimum teacher salary bill passes
SPRINGFIELD – Today, the state legislature passed the $40,000 minimum teacher salary, ensuring no teacher in Illinois will be able to make less than that amount by 2025 and helping to strengthen the future of the profession. Currently, the state school code sets the minimum salary for teachers in Illinois…
The Long Shadow
The 87 minute documentary by journalist Frances Causey (“cause ee”) investigates some roots of our current racial conflicts. The movie recounts untold stories and hidden histories of how sins of yesterday feed today’s prejudices. Even as slavery ended, Jim Crow laws were banned, and Civil Rights laws were enacted, racism…
College of DuPage Faculty Association releases statement after board of trustees rejects contract proposal outright
GLEN ELLYN – Today the College of DuPage Faculty Association (CODFA) released a statement in response to the College of DuPage (COD) Board of Trustees (BOT) outright rejection of CODFA’s latest contract proposal. Instead of offering proposed changes to the CODFA contract, the BOT then issued its own contract proposal. In…
Carbondale teachers and support staff file public posting after contract negotiations stall, take initial step toward strike
CARBONDALE – Today, the Carbondale Education Association (CEA) and the Carbondale Educational Support Professional Association (CESPA) individually submitted the organizations’ last best contractual offers to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB) for public posting. Once the IELRB posts the last best offers from CEA, CESPA and the Carbondale School…
College of DuPage Faculty Association votes to authorize strike
GLEN ELLYN – Today, the College of DuPage Faculty Association (CODFA) voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. CODFA held an all day, campus wide vote and tallied the count this evening. This is the first strike vote in nearly 25 years for CODFA. The vote gives the CODFA bargaining team the…
North Shore Education Association votes to authorize strike
HIGHLAND PARK – Today, the North Shore Education Association (NSEA) voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. The NSEA held a district wide vote and tallied the count this evening. The vote gives the NSEA bargaining team the authority to call a strike. “This vote protects our right to use our collective…