Make Your Voices Heard! March 19 The Ohio General Assembly is currently debating many critical issues that impact OEA members and Ohio's public schools. These issues include efforts to improve Ohio's system for evaluating teachers (SB 229), and making sure our voices are heard in the development and implementation of a protocol for the designation of school employees who may carry concealed weapons (HB 8). Now more than ever you must make sure your voice is heard! Member Lobby Days provide an opportunity to meet with state legislators to discuss key issues that impact you directly. Join your colleagues at the OEA Headquarters' Media Center, located at 225 E. Broad Street in Columbus, Ohio at 9:00 a.m. for an hour-long briefing. Keep in mind that you need to contact your legislators to schedule meetings prior to the lobby day you plan to attend. To find your legislators' contact information, please go to www.legislature.state.oh.us. Parking is available at nearby surface lots, in the parking garage just south of the OEA building or on the street at parking meters. For more information, contact OEA Government Relations at 1-800-282-1500. Download Flyer                                Sign up to go to OEA Member Lobby Day

WOEA Women's Caucus - Save the Date! NEA Human and Civil Rights Women's Leadership Training Program  June 20-22, 2014 Crowne Plaza in Columbus-Dublin, OH 600 Metro Place North, Dublin 43017  Developing Your Leadership Skills for Experienced Leaders REGISTRATION FORM

ESP Training Opportunities NEA Leaders for Tomorrow NEA Leaders for Tomorrow program is an exciting and comprehensive three-session training process held over an eight-month period that is open to dues paying NEA ESP members who meet the program's eligibility requirements. The program is open to any NEA ESP member K-12 through higher education - who is currently categorized as an ESP member and has been a member in good standing for at least the last three years.   The first session will be held July 18-22 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The second session will be held November 14-17 in Washington, D.C. The third session (which includes attendance to the 2015 NEA ESP National Conference) will be held March 3-8, 2015, at a location to be determined. The application for the program can be found at the following link by clicking http://www.nea.org/home/37956.htm.  This link also includes a detailed overview of Leaders for Tomorrow as well as qualifications for potential applicants. Applications may also be downloaded at NEA.org. Candidates must have a letter of acknowledgement signed by the state affiliate president or executive director.  This letter is not an endorsement of the candidate, but rather an acknowledgement by state affiliate leaders that they are aware of who is applying.  Applications will not be accepted without this acknowledgement letter.  Please contact Jerrilyn Volz-Costell at volzcost@ohea.org  or at 614-277-3088 to obtain this acknowledgment letter. The deadline for applications received at NEA is April 1, 2014.  Please allow sufficient time to complete your application and obtain the endorsement letter from OEA to meet the deadline. Please feel free to contact the NEA program coordinator Lisa Connor (Lconnor@nea.org) with any questions about the program.

What's it like to be an educator in a so-called Right to Work state? WOEA Past President, Dawn Wojcik, offers insight about why these laws are harmful and what to expect if they are enacted in Ohio. Read more.