Your UD supports your local representatives as they negotiate contracts representing your and ultimately your students best interests.

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1 YOUR IEA FOR YOUR RIGHTS IEA HAS YOUR BACK Your IEA membership guarantees representation at the bargaining table and ensures you have access to free legal services should the need ever arise. UNISERV DIRECTORS IEA S FRONT LINE UniServ Directors (UDs), located at 22 offices statewide, are IEA s front-line support for your local association. UDs advocate for your best professional interests and support your efforts to provide high-quality education. Your working conditions are your students learning conditions. Like you, IEA wants both to be the best they can be. Contract negotiations As a public education employee, your union, as your exclusive bargaining representative, has the legal right to negotiate the terms of your employment. Your contract is the basis for most of your employee rights. It spells out your working hours, evaluation process, work/life benefits, job responsibilities, use of social media and school safety. Your UD supports your local representatives as they negotiate contracts representing your and ultimately your students best interests. Other areas of expertise UDs also help your local association, at no additional cost, with: Contract interpretation Bargaining crisis preparation Grievance processing Retirement concerns Job security protection Public relations programs development Training programs to meet local needs Governance matters assistance Employee counseling for work-related Civil rights violations process problems Arbitration case presentations IEA-NEA benefits access Unemployment information Bargaining crisis preparation LEGAL SERVICES PROTECTS MEMBERS Protecting your rights as a public school employee is at the core of IEA s mission. IEA employs nine in-house attorneys and legal support staff, and when needed, calls on highly skilled outside legal expertise all available to you at no additional cost. Legal Services staff are experts in education law who work directly with your UD and local leadership on issues such as: Wage and hour laws Education funding Unfair labor practices Negotiations Layoff and recall Discrimination Retirement Health and safety Fringe benefits Civil rights Unemployment compensation Contract enforcement cont.

2 Financial safeguard Educators Employment Liability (EEL) program Working with children is one of life s greatest privileges and riskiest propositions. Education environments can expose even the best teachers and staff to situations that may give rise to legal actions. Your IEA membership automatically provides you $1 million professional liability insurance coverage through the Educators Employment Liability program. This coverage includes attorneys fees, so you won t have to pay out of your own pocket to defend yourself from employment-related civil lawsuits. It could happen to anyone Legal actions can happen to anyone, even the best employees and staff, through no fault of their own. Here are true stories of how IEA Legal Services has protected IEA members. Threatened teacher is protected Administrators determined that a high school student s online threat to kill his teacher wasn t serious, opting (without informing the teacher of the threat) to give the student a one-day, in-school suspension. IEA Legal Services, acting on the teacher s behalf, obtained an order of protection against the student and convinced the court to direct the district to present a plan explaining how the student would be escorted on school property to ensure no contact with the threatened teacher. Training Legal Services provides extensive training to your local representatives and you. We ensure teachers understand laws governing their employment and how to steer clear of potential legal situations. When you know your rights and responsibilities, we can often locally resolve, and even entirely avoid, costly and timeconsuming legal action. Classroom aide gets her job back A guest in an early childhood classroom falsely accused a classroom aide of slapping a child. The child had spit on the aide who, in response, raised her hand to block herself and to signal the child to stop. The aide wiped the child s chin and then took his hand to walk to the sink. The classroom teacher and another aide did not witness the event. The school s special education director and principal interviewed the accuser and the aide, who stated she did not slap the child. Still the school board voted to dismiss the aide. IEA Legal Services arbitrated the case and won an award reinstating the aide to her job with full back pay and benefits. We also provide extensive training to UDs on recent education laws and how to identify potential legal issues. Your UD is prepared to evaluate any legal aspect of your work and provide guidance on your options. Get to know your legal rights. IEA offers live training sessions and education-specific legal video courses through the online learning portal, accessible through the members only link at

3 130,000+ MEMBERS, SPEAKING WITH ONE VOICE YOUR IEA The Illinois Education Association (IEA), is the state s largest public education association, harnessing the collective power of more than 130,000 teachers, education support professionals, higher education faculty and staff, students and retirees. Together, we are leading educational reform in Illinois, fighting for excellent and equitable schools, working toward improved student outcomes and providing a community for all involved in education. But that s just the tip of the iceberg. Find out how IEA is representing YOUR voice, fighting for YOUR rights, supporting YOUR career and life, and protecting YOUR future. Your IEA FOR YOUR RIGHTS Local UniServ Directors provide expertise in negotiating your contract, grievance processing, arbitrations and unemployment hearings. Legal Services has your back, protecting your employment rights and providing you $1 million of professional liability insurance. Your IEA FOR YOUR WALLET Special member benefits offset the cost of your IEA dues by providing steep group discounts on products you need, including car, home and life insurance, and up to 50 percent off of products you want, such as restaurants and clothing. Your IEA FOR YOUR CAREER The Center for Educational Innovation supports your professional development needs and empowers your local association to be a driving force in school transformation. Your IEA FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION Government relations professionals advocate for students, teachers and education support professionals, and help you elect friends of public education. Member-only communications keep you informed about the latest education reforms and initiatives. How your IEA works for you Through IEA, 130,000 Illinois school employees speak with one powerful voice to advocate for the best teaching and learning conditions in our schools. Here are some examples of how IEA works for you. Looks out for your quality of life, ensuring your contract provides for work/ life balance. Defends your profession by partnering with other education stakeholders and policymakers to ensure educational reforms are in the best interests of students and their teachers. Fights for your future income by legally challenging SB1, which is designed to reduce your retirement pension. Protects the jobs of education support professionals, such as bus drivers and cafeteria staff, from outsourcing. Created the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) and State Universities Retirement System (SURS), driven and managed by teachers to ensure your income in retirement. Opened doors to retiree knowledge and experience, putting retirees back in the classrooms as substitutes for up to 120 days per year. Your IEA FOR YOUR FUTURE IEA leaders and staff are vigilant in protecting your pension and retiree health care benefits.

4 YOUR IEA FOR YOUR CAREER YOUR SUCCESS EQUALS YOUR STUDENTS SUCCESS IEA is your gateway to becoming the best teacher you can be and your ally in Illinois educational reform. Together, we are building the best learning environments for Illinois students. Here s how IEA is making that happen. CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION (CEI) IEA s Center for Educational Innovation (CEI) is at the center of IEA s mission to effect excellence and equity in Illinois public education. From individual professional development opportunities to empowering your local association to become a driving force in school transformation, the CEI is here for YOU. Professional learning communities guidance on forming school and district teams using real-time data to drive student achievement and other School Improvement Program (SIP) initiatives. District strategy coordination consultation with local associations to ensure information and professional development opportunities align with and support District strategies and goals. Online learning portal access to, through the members only link at classroom-related, legal, technology and other courses, and soon-to-be available qualifying Continuing Professional Development Unit (CPDU) credit courses. Professional development training Teacher quality is a crucial factor in determining what children learn. Continually sharpening your skills is just as important to building a successful career as it is to creating a successful learning environment for your students. Your IEA dues provide you many free, custom-designed resources to enable your success within our state s current public education climate. Here is just a sampling: CONSORTIUM FOR EDUCATIONAL CHANGE (CEC) Skills-based training on topics such as instructional preparation; classroom management; effective discipline; professional responsibilities, goal-setting and growth plans; job interviewing; and how to succeed in public education. Educational training on topics such as the Danielson Framework for Teaching; gathering evaluation data. Induction and Mentoring access to best-practice mentoring and coaching techniques, and vetted mentors across all Illinois school districts. The CEI is a founding partner of the Consortium for Educational Change (CEC), a research-based, not-for-profit organization focused on improving student learning and achievement. Specifically, CEC is a consortium of 80 statewide districts and their unions committed to creating high performing systems that support successful students. The CEC accomplishes this goal by helping school boards, administration and local education associations like yours coordinate their school improvement efforts based on nationwide best practices. As an IEA member, your local association can access CEC services online at cont.

5 SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND EDUCATION REFORM INITIATIVES Illinois public education is in the midst of unprecedented change. Your ability to be successful is directly connected to successful negotiation and implementation of educational reforms. IEA stands up for the interests of teachers and students by putting CEI staff at the center of every major reform discussion. We hold seats on the: State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to ensure requirements are appropriate and fair to teachers, and in the best interests of students. Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC), which makes recommendations for state rules and regulations related to the Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) of When it s time to implement reform, your CEI staff provide training and support resources on all education reform initiatives, including: PERA design and implementation of standardized performance evaluation systems and tools that incorporate student achievement measures, including the Illinois Teacher Evaluation Development (ITED) materials. Common Core State Standards implementation strategies on new Illinois Learning Standards. School Improvement resources and supports for increasing student achievement by increasing teacher effectiveness. EARLY CAREER AND STUDENT PROGRAM This program addresses the unique needs and issues of teachers with 10 years of classroom experience or less. CEI staff organize the collective voice of college students and new teachers statewide, working with local associations to provide support to ensure their career success, such as training on: Leadership, Classroom management and resources, Instructional strategies, Curriculum development, and Professional responsibilities. IEA Student Advisory Board provides a path to education leadership and informs IEA on up and coming educational issues. OTHER RESOURCES No one teacher can be an expert on everything. That s why your IEA membership connects you to many other external resources to help you be effective and successful in your career, including: NEA Academy Your IEA membership includes National Education Association (NEA) membership. The NEA Academy partners with several universities to offer you nearly 50 masters degree programs with discounts of 5-20 percent on courses, fee waivers and member-only scholarships. The academy, at also offers numerous continuing education credit programs and leadership development courses. BetterLesson In partnership with the NEA, BetterLesson has created the Master Teacher Project, which provides 3,000 common core-aligned and classroom-ready lessons, created by 130 Master Teachers nationwide. Go to cc.betterlesson.com to get started.

6 YOUR IEA FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION EVERY CHILD DESERVES A GOOD EDUCATION AND EVERY TEACHER DESERVES THE SUPPORT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN By sticking together, we can make both a reality. The teachers, education support professionals, higher education staff, students and retirees who make up the IEA form a massive and powerful alliance of professionals with one common goal: to provide the best education possible to all Illinois students. GOVERNMENT RELATIONS IEA s legislative and political efforts give you a voice in determining what your school looks like and what public education in Illinois looks like. After all, you know your students best. Illinois Public Action Committee for Education (IPACE) The voice of 130,000 IEA members rings clear in the halls of the Illinois State Capitol, where major decisions affecting your profession are made. IEA s political action committee IPACE ensures that when education issues are discussed at the state or local level, the voices of IEA members are heard and taken seriously. IPACE works to elect friends of public education at all levels of government. IPACE identifies legislators, statewide candidates and local school board members who share IEA s vision for public education. Policymakers play a key role in deciding school employees salaries, health benefits and working conditions, as well as the amount of money allocated to public schools, colleges and universities. IEA s Government Relations team works closely with state legislators, the executive branch, Illinois State Board of Education and other education advocacy organizations to influence public policy on behalf of IEA members and the students they serve. For more information on IEA s legislative and political work, visit the Political Action tab at Public education is not a Republican or Democrat issue; it s our issue. We believe that having relationships on both sides of the political aisle and working through differences gives us the best chance to have your concerns heard by legislators.

7 YOUR IEA FOR YOUR WALLET TURN YOUR DUES INTO SAVINGS As a member of IEA, you also are a member of the National Education Association (NEA). Those memberships give you buying power. The combined strength of 130,000 IEA members and NEA s 3 million education professionals make available unbeatable savings on goods and services wherever you happen to be. By taking advantage of countless discounts, you can save more money in one year than the cost of your annual IEA dues. MEMBER BENEFITS SAMPLING Insurance NEA complimentary life insurance no-cost life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage. Additional insurance supplemental life, disability, long-term care, pet, home, auto and other policies at specially negotiated rates. Discounts NEA Click & Save online savings at thousands of stores. NEA auto buying program low-and-no-haggle prices on new and used cars from certified dealers. NEA car rental program preferred rates from major rental companies. IEA Access savers program up to 50 percent off on purchases when you use your IEA membership card at more than 100,000 retail locations (go to the IEA web site at scroll for the membership card icon, enter your 10-digit member number and search for participating stores and products). My Deals app a free app (for Apple and Android) that locates deals and coupons (because My Deals is available only to IEA/NEA members, first register your membership on IEA s website to receive your required mobile access code). NEA financing Low-interest and reward credit cards four options available. Home financing mortgages, equity loans and lines of credit. Other loans education and personal. Visit the IEA website, or NEA member benefits at to take advantage of all of these discounts and more. cont.

8 How you can save The exact dollar value of your many IEA resources and supports including career development, legal coverage or public advocacy may not be quantifiable but the money you save using your member benefits IS. Take a look at how two IEA members, Tim and Jessica, make up the cost of their IEA dues and much more by taking advantage of discount programs and purchases, and credit card rewards. Tim teaches fifth grade. Jessica is a bus driver. They each drive American-made cars, insured at IEA preferred rates. Jessica owns a modest home, also insured at a preferred rate. They receive discounts on most of their everyday purchases and earn cash back on those purchases by using NEA Cash Rewards credit cards. Tim and Jessica turn their IEA-NEA dues into real savings! Here s how it all stacks up: Amount saved per year Tim Jessica Insurance coverage $250 (auto) $400 (home & auto) Purchases Food, including grocery store and restaurant $500 $720 Everyday needs & services, such as clothing, home improvement and auto oil changes $200 $360 Entertainment $300 $190 Travel $400 $330 Cash back from Cash Rewards credit card $350 $300 TOTAL SAVINGS PER YEAR $2,000 $2,300 IEA-NEA dues cost $611 $ In-pocket savings (total savings in one year minus dues cost) $1,389 $1, To access your IEA discounts, visit or NEA member benefits at

9 YOUR IEA FOR YOUR FUTURE IEA PROTECTS YOUR FUTURE IEA looks out for your future while you focus on giving your best to students. When it s time to retire, you have a right to expect that your years of public education service are secure. IEA leaders and staff work hard to ensure your pension and health care benefits are there when you need them. FIGHTING FOR YOUR PENSION The Illinois General Assembly passed and Governor Quinn signed SB1, a bill designed to reduce pension benefits despite protections contained in the Illinois Constitution. IEA is fighting back for you. Through We Are One Illinois, a coalition of public sector labor partners representing more than 1 million statewide public employees, IEA filed a lawsuit against the state charging that SB1 is unconstitutional. For more information about the lawsuit and We Are One Illinois, go to YOUR RETIREMENT SECURITY GET INFORMED From each paycheck, you pay a portion of your hardearned income to your defined benefit pension plan. The state also pays into your plan, as required by law. Your monthly pension benefit, likely your primary source of income during retirement, is based on a complex formula determined by law. To learn more about your pension benefits, go to IEA lobbyists are working to help legislators understand the real-life impact of cost shifting on public schools and, most importantly, on students who deserve an equitable and quality education. PROTECTING YOUR HEALTH CARE COVERAGE Your health care benefits are under attack, too, and IEA is standing guard. Some legislators want the state to reduce its portion of the cost of providing health care coverage to public employees, which means your costs for coverage are at constant risk of increasing. IEA lobbyists and leaders are working to hold down your costs and keep health care coverage intact for IEA members and retirees. SCHOOL FUNDING THREAT - COST SHIFTING IEA is fighting a cost shift legislative proposal that would force local property taxpayers to pay the state s share of its contribution to your pension benefits. This proposal would diminish your school s resources for such things as salaries, benefits, hiring and extracurricular activities.

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