Teachers Support Education and Labor Reforms

The Association of American Educators (AAE), the largest national non-union teachers' association, released its annual member survey about key education issues. Survey results show progressive stances toward education and labor reform, particularly with regard to school choice, technology, attracting new teachers to the workforce, and collective bargaining.

While policymakers champion new and innovative ideas in education, it's critical that educators' opinions are taken into account as these reforms are considered and implemented.

"AAE derives its policy positions directly from our membership survey so that we can most accurately represent their views at a time when the teaching profession is drastically changing," stated AAE Executive Director Gary Beckner. "The opinions expressed in this survey are those of real teachers, not union bosses with partisan political agendas."

With regard to increased federal spending, AAE members stress local control and are suspect of increased federal assistance with ties to the federal bureaucracy:

• 77% do not support increased federal spending on education at the expense of increased regulations in their respective states.
• 83% do not support a national curriculum.

While the union-backed establishment sees school choice as detrimental to the teaching profession, AAE members support varied policies:

• 78% agree with a law in Oklahoma providing a tax credit to individuals and corporations that donate to organizations providing "Opportunity Scholarships."
• 61% agree with an Arizona law providing tax credit scholarships to special education students in public schools, allowing them to attend a public or private school.

With regard to technology and education:

• 58% agree with a policy that would phase out textbooks with digital content.
• 75% agree with a Utah law guaranteeing high school students access to online courses.

With regard to attracting new, effective teachers to the classroom:

• 71% agree with expanded alternative certification allowing degreed professionals an easier path to teaching.
• 85% support Teach for America and its mission to place recent top-tier college graduates into high-need classrooms.

In the wake of 48 states considering labor reform legislation in 2011:

• 78% believe that collective bargaining has little to no effect on their ability to teach effectively, and just 28% of teachers equate collective bargaining with a better-compensated workforce.
• 63% agree with a policy allowing teachers to negotiate their own contracts based on their individual needs.
• 84% believe that teacher unions are hurting the teaching profession.
• 74% disagree with "last in, first out," thereby supporting tenure reform.

"As the profession evolves and the cry for reform grows louder, AAE members are embracing commonsense solutions that focus on successful student outcomes," explained Beckner. "We hope these findings will be a tool for reformers and stakeholders on all levels as they consider policies that affect the classroom."

Complete results of the survey can be found at www.aaeteachers.org/2011surveypdf.

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