The 2011 NEA Convention: A Preview Edition
Delegates to the National Education Association's annual convention will decide whether to revamp the union's teacher-evaluation policies, among other things, beginning Saturday in Chicago.
For our fourth year running, Education Week brings you live coverage of the NEA RA. I'll be in town a bit earlier this year to catch a few pre-RA events, so start checking back with us later today.
Here's a rundown of what's likely to be of most interest at this year's event. Review this list, print it out, mark it up, and follow along with us.
• In what's probably going to be the most closely watched development, the RA will deliberate on, probably amend, and vote to accept or reject an outline on teacher-evaluation practices and reforms to due process. This is potentially a big deal. Whatever the RA approves would supersede all the union's existing policy resolutions on these sensitive topics. Read the background story here.
• Separately, the union's Commission on Effective Teachers and Teaching will release its findings to the delegates. Keep in mind that despite its billing as an independent body, a lot of the teachers on this commissionare or were high-level NEA leaders. On the other hand, a separate advisory body for the commission includes a
