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Teaching isn't just a job.
It's a life.
That's why Montana teachers need MEA-MFT
If you're like most teachers, you teach because you love children and you want to make a positive difference in their lives.
MEA-MFT cares about children too. Nearly 12,000 Montana teachers strong, we are proud of our reputation as Montana's leading advocate for children, public schools, and school employees.
What has MEA-MFT done for Montana's teachers lately?
MEA-MFT has won major victories for Montana's public schools, children, and teachers.
Click here to see some of our most recent accomplishments in:
- Professional development
- School funding
- Protecting your retirement
- Teacher salaries
- Protecting you, your job, your family
Professional development: Montana's children deserve great teaching. That's why MEA-MFT helps members expand their skills and knowledge by offering top-quality professional development opportunities. Thousands of teachers took part in MEA-MFT's many professional opportunities in the 1999-2000 school year, returning to the classroom with fresh ideas, enthusiasm, and new skills.
Our professional development programs include:
- our annual MEA-MFT Educators' Conference, the largest professional conference for teachers in the Northwest, with over 600 workshops and keynotes on every imaginable teaching topic;
- local and regional MEA-MFT training in dozens of professional issues, from special education inclusion, to classroom management, to Montana's new academic standards;
- research and publications on issues such as gifted education, survival skills for new teachers, safe schools, and much more;
- our annual Montana Teacher Forum that brings teachers and others together to address some of the hottest topics in education, including peer assistance, academic standards, and teacher professionalism.
MEA-MFT leads the way in working for quality teacher preparation, certification, and high academic standards. We created the Montana Professional Teaching Foundation to sponsor professionalism through the Montana Teacher of the Year Program, Montana Teacher Forum, and National Board Certification scholarships. It's all part of our effort to promote quality teaching and honor the expertise of classroom teachers.
School funding: MEA-MFT won a much-needed increase in state funding for public schools (1999 Legislature). This money will help save important school programs from the chopping block and give our local affiliates a chance to bargain for better salaries and working conditions. MEA-MFT will continue to fight for adequate school funding in the 2001 Legislature.
Protecting your retirement: MEA-MFT won a significant cost of living increase (Guaranteed Annual Benefit Adjustment) for retired teachers in the 1999 Legislature. We're working to improve your retirement even more in the 2001 Legislature.
Teacher salaries: MEA-MFT has put Montana's low teacher salaries on the front burner. As a result, Montana leaders from the governor's office to newspaper editorial pages are now calling for better teacher salaries. Raising teacher salaries to competitive levels will continue to be a top priority for MEA-MFT.
Protecting you, your job, your family: To teach your best, you need decent working conditions, a livable salary, and some peace of mind. MEA-MFT protects you and your job in several ways. Our highly skilled, professional staff provides direct service to our members and local affiliates. They help members resolve all kinds of work-related problems, from protecting academic freedom to safeguarding health benefits. These professionals are only a phone call away, and their help is free to members.
MEA-MFT staff also help local affiliates negotiate and maintain contracts that protect members' rights, working conditions, and salaries.
Today's teachers are increasingly at risk of frivolous charges and lawsuits. Your MEA-MFT membership protects you with a $1 million professional liability policy for defense against criminal charges or civil lawsuits. Obtaining this kind of defense could cost non-members many thousands of dollars.
MEA-MFT's special member benefits programs offer low-cost, high-quality insurance to help you protect yourself, your family, home, and valuables. Click here for more information on member benefits (LINK).
Your voice in issues that affect you
Politicians affect what you teach, how you teach, and what you're paid for teaching. MEA-MFT stays involved in the political process to give you a strong voice in policies that affect you and your students.
MEA-MFT works closely with the Montana Legislature, Board of Public Education, and others whose decisions impact you and your students. This means you can focus on your students, knowing that Montana's largest and most effective education organization is representing your concerns.
MEA-MFT also works to help elect friends of children and public schools. We fight for policies that move education forward, and we fight against radical measures such as vouchers that would paralyze public schools.
Through radio ads, video programs, presentations, and news articles, MEA-MFT showcases our members' classroom success stories and explains the challenges today's teachers face. It's all part of building public support for public schools and school employees.
Special benefits: members only
We know teachers live on tight budgets. Along with NEA and AFT, we seek out special discounts designed to save members hundreds of dollars on services such as home financing, no-fee, low-rate credit cards, financial planning assistance, low-cost car and home insurance, and much more. Click here to learn more about these special benefits.
Hot links:
NEA web site
AFT web site
AFT's Educational Issues Department
Your voice in MEA-MFT: K-12 teacher/members are well represented on the MEA-MFT Board of Directors. Click here to see MEA-MFT board members.
Join us! For information on joining MEA-MFT, click here.
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