This year’s NEA Representative Assembly ended at 7:24 p.m, and there are a few additional things worth mentioning.
• The delegation had a pair of idiosyncratic votes on two back-to-back items. The first one, New Business Item 47, which would have directed the union to publish an article in an internal newsletter promoting national-board certification, was voted down. A second one, NBI 48, directs the union to secure contract language that “maintains, establishes, and promotes” subsidies and scholarships to earn the credential. That one passed.
• With the economy struggling, delegates were generally quite concerned about the cost of new business items, voting down a number that came with higher dollar figures and altering others to lower costs. The total cost of approved items this year is just under $600,000, which still puts it slightly higher than last year’s.
• As the evening wore on, a handful of other interesting NBIs passed with very little of the debate that characterized the earlier ones. Mike Antonucci writes about two of them, on charter schools, here. Another interesting one, 95, was brought forward by Beverly Ingle, the president of the state’s Colorado affiliate. It affirms that the union will continue to offer technical support for locals implementing Race to the Top plans.
• There was a distinctly conga-line-ish moment during the beginning of the July 4 session, so I got my wish.
Now, off to the AFT. I am in transit tomorrow and will resume posting on Thursday, July 8. See you in Seattle!