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Making public schools great for every child

Kansas National Education Association

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who may join the Kansas National Education Association?
2. What is the mission of KNEA?
3. What services does KNEA provide members?
4. How does KNEA assist members in their classrooms?
5. How does KNEA's member assistance program work?
6. What is UniServ and where are the UniServ Offices located?
7. Can I just join KNEA and not belong to my local association/affiliate or the NEA?
8. What is the date for the annual KNEA Representative Assembly?
9. Does my dues money go to political candidates?
10. Why are KNEA members involved in the political process?
11. How do I send address changes to KNEA? How can I prevent duplicate mailings to my spouse and me?
12. What is the deadline for my school district to inform me if I am being non-renewed? When do I have to tell my district I plan to resign?

1. Who may join KNEA?

KNEA members are teachers from every level of public education, including preschool through higher education; prospective educators in teacher preparation programs; administrators; and retired educators. KNEA members are educational support personnel such as school secretaries, paraprofessionals and custodians. Public school teachers interested in KNEA membership may contact their KNEA Building Representative, their area UniServ Office, or KNEA Headquarters.

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2. What is the mission of KNEA?

The Kansas National Education Association's mission is to empower its members to promote quality public schools, strengthen the profession of teaching, and improve the well-being of members.

In making public schools great for every child, KNEA's strategic priorities are:

Promote Quality Public Schools

• Kansas public schools are physically, emotionally and psychologically safe for students and staff.
• All Kansas public schools meet QPA standards while striving to meet KNEA Quality Public School standards.
• The achievement gaps between students of high and low socioeconomic status will be narrowed.
• Every Kansas public school is adequately and equitably funded to achieve KNEA's Quality Public Schools standards.
• KNEA is developing and implementing programs to assist and support members in meeting KNEA standards and state standards as well as addressing federal mandates for schools and students.

Strengthen the Teaching Profession

• All teachers new to the profession will participate in an induction program that meets KNEA standards.
• There will be a peer assistance program in operation that meets KNEA standards in at least four school districts.
• Every school district will have a Professional Development Council that meets the KNEA Professional Development standards.
• The pool of teaching candidates in Kansas will reflect the racial and ethnic demographics of the state and be adequate to cover all teaching positions in Kansas public schools.
• Teacher salaries in Kansas will be sufficient to attract and retain a highly skilled, competent and diverse teaching force.

Improve the Well Being of Members

• Every public school employer will have access to a comprehensive affordable group health insurance plan to all of its employees.
• Teacher salaries in Kansas will be sufficient to attract and retain a highly skilled, competent and diverse teaching force.
• Seventy-five percent (75%) of teachers in Kansas will be working at school sites that meet the KNEA standards for professional working conditions.

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3. What services does KNEA provide members?

NEA provides professional development, legal assistance, advocacy, special services, and communications. For more information, check out our Membership section.

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4. How does KNEA assist members in their classrooms?

A major focus of KNEA is strengthening the teaching profession, helping teachers teach and children learn. This is accomplished through:

• Classroom management
• Mentoring and networking
• Licensure redesign
• Professional development opportunities
• Professional resources
• Teacher networking programs
• Safe schools
• Committees, work groups, and task forces
• Involvement with state agencies and boards

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5. How does KNEA's member assistance program work?

KNEA's legal assistance program assists members with employment-related situations. Staff is available locally to answer members' questions and address their concerns. A member needing legal assistance should first call his/her UniServ office. Members also may call KNEA Headquarters in Topeka at 785-232-8271 or 800-432-3573 for information.

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6. What is UniServ and where are the UniServ Offices located?

To contact your UniServ check out the KNEA UniServ Map . Kansas had one of the first UniServ units in the country when the program began in the early 1970's by NEA. UniServ, then and now, provides staff assistance to improve the delivery of services directly to members in their local associations. The word UniServ stands for Unified Staff Services.

Check out the UniServ page for more about the various locations.

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7. Can I just join KNEA and not belong to my local association/affiliate or the NEA?

No. Unified Membership requires members to join their local, state and national affiliates.

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8. What is the date for the annual KNEA Representative Assembly?

The KNEA Rep Assembly is April 13-15, 2007.

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9. Does my dues money go to political candidates?

No. No dues dollars are spent on political campaigns. Only voluntary contributions designated for KPAC (Kansas Political Action Committee) or NEA's Fund for Children and Public Education are contributed to candidates who support public schools and the protection of children.

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10. Why are KNEA members involved in the political process?

KNEA members are Democrats, Republicans and Independents. Regardless of their political affiliation, KNEA's members are involved in the political process because they care about educating and protecting children and strengthening American public education.

The issues that unite us are protecting children, improving public schools and strengthening the teaching profession. These issues drive our involvement in the political process. They are the ruler by which we measure all political hopefuls and lobby our elected leaders.

Because all education decisions - from the statehouse to the White House - are political decisions, we need to ensure that our elected leaders measure up on important issues involving children and public education. KNEA members are involved in the political process for many reasons. Among them:

• To speak out in support of quality public schools and the rights of teaching professionals.
• To make the case that society must make a greater financial commitment to public education.
• To use the professional knowledge and skills educators possess to teach people of all ages.

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11. How do I send address changes to KNEA? How can I prevent duplicate mailings to my spouse and me?

KNEA members may use the Membership Mailings Update Form to change their mailing information and remove duplicate mailings. They may also contact the Membership Records office directly by e-mail (mbrecord@knea.org) or by phone (785) 232-8271 ext. 123 or 117.

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12. What is the deadline for my school district to inform me if I am being non-renewed? When do I have to tell my district I plan to resign?

You will continue in the school district's employ unless you receive a written notice by May 1. In turn, teachers must give written notice of their resignation by May 15.

The following is the main section of the Continuing Contract Law, K.S.A. 72-5411:

"All contracts of employment of teachers in the public schools in the state shall continue in full force and effect during good behavior and efficient and competent service rendered by the teacher, and all contracts of employment shall be deemed to continue for the next succeeding school year unless written notice of intention to terminate a contract of employment is served by a board of education upon any teacher on or before May 1. A teacher shall give written notice to the board of education of a school district that the teacher does not desire continuation of a contract of employment on or before May 15 or, if applicable, not later than 15 days after final action is taken by the board of education upon termination of professional negotiation absent a binding agreement under article 54 of chapter 72 of Kansas Statutes Annotated, whichever is the later date."

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