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NEA Degrees Not Debt Toolkit

The National Education Association (NEA) is the nation’slargest professional employee organization, representing 3million elementary and secondary teachers, higher educationfaculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to becometeachers.NEA Executive Committee MembersLily Eskelsen García, PresidentBecky Pringle, Vice PresidentPrincess R. Moss, Secretary-TreasurerEric BrownKevin F. GilbertMaury KoffmanShelly Moore KrajacicGeorge SheridanEarl WimanJohn C. Stocks, Executive Director

Table of ContentsNEA Degrees Not Debt ToolkitIntroduction: Why NEA Degrees Not Debt? 1Purpose of NEA Degrees Not Debt 2Preparing for your NEA Degrees Not Debt Workshop 4Sample Agenda 6Following Up 7Resources for Trainers 8Attachment List 9

Introduction:Why NEA Degrees Not Debt?StudentDebt Facts 50,000 30,000average debt foreducator with agraduate degreeaverage debt foreducator with abachelor’s degreeDebt & Educators 1.3 Trillion 36,141total student debtaverage incomingteacher salary42 MillionThe NEA Degrees Not Debt campaign seeks to educate associationmembers on federal student loan repayment programs, and workswith NEA members and student chapters across the country topromote equitable access to affordable higher education.The NEA Degrees Not Debt campaign is an important organizingtool for state and local affiliate leaders and staff to apply in thefield. 58% of surveyed NEA members responded that they wantedmore information on federal student loan repayment programs.Student debt is at a crisis point, and we’re beginning to see amajor impact on early career educators who are concerned aboutmanaging their student loan debt.The NEA Degrees Not Debt campaign and toolkit providesUniServ Directors and local affiliate staff the necessary materials toconduct their own NEA Degrees Not Debt workshops for members. After participating in the NEA Degrees Not Debt training andby using the NEA Degrees Not Debt toolkit, local staff should feelcomfortable: Presenting a NEA Degrees Not Debt workshop.Answering technical questions on federal student loanrepayment and forgiveness programs.student loan borrowersNEA Degrees Not Debt Toolkit 1

Purposeof NEA Degrees Not DebtDND GoalsGrowmembershipSavemembers moneyOrganizemembers to support localcampaigns and communitiesEngageearly career educatorsAdvocateAdvocate for student debtcrisis and college affordabilitysolutionsThe NEA Degrees Not Debt (DnD) campaign’s purpose is to growmembership, develop member activists, and recruit leaders forour Local and State Associations through NEA-branded promotionand support of federal student loan repayment programs.Successful DnD implementation may increase Associationmembership by making dues affordable for early career educatorsburdened by student debt, and demonstrating the value of unionmembership to incoming educators.We can also use the DnD campaign to advance policies throughmember-driven advocacy at the local, state and federal levelsthat increases Income-Driven Repayment and Public Service LoanForgiveness program enrollment, establishes accountability mechanisms for the private sector loan industry, and promotes collegeaffordability.Grow MembershipRecruit non-members into the Association.Convert agency fee payers into full share members.Save Members MoneyThe Association can save its members money by educating themon federal student loan repayment programs that can reducemonthly debt payments.Organize MembersMembership support for local association priorities is critical, butobtaining that support can be challenging. Attract membershipsupport by using NEA Degrees Not Debt as an organizing tool,particularly as 58% of NEA members surveyed indicated an interestin learning more about student debt repayment programs.“The thought of my student debt was always on the back of mymind during undergraduate and graduate school. When I foundout about NEA’s Degrees Not Debt, I did not hesitate to jump onboard. Through the campaign, I learned about the many options that are available to me, particularly as an educator. NEADegrees Not Debt didn’t erase my debt, but at least I know nowthat there is help. I am extremely confident that NEA we will continue to push for college affordability so future generations willnot be forced to acquire burdensome student debt to obtain ahigher education, and ultimately, have a chance to achieve theAmerican Dream.”Jess A. Sanchez, CTA Member & former StudentCTA Chapter officerNEA Degrees Not Debt Toolkit 2

Purpose of NEA Degrees Not Debt (continued)Use DnD to not only educate members on cost savingmeasurements, but to increase interest in their local unionand to support its goals.State locals and Affiliates can use NEA Degrees Not Debt inresponse to anticipated unfavorable Supreme Court ruling inFriedrichs v. CTA that may overturn agency fee payer laws.Organize CommunitiesWe often overlook the need to organize our communities andexternal stakeholders that influence and shape schools andeducation policy. Locals and affiliates can use DnD to demonstrateleadership on student debt issues and to build progressivecoalitions to support educators, public schools and other goals.Engage Early Career EducatorsEarly career educators face a litany of firsts when they enter theclassroom: first class, first job, and oftentimes, first student loan bill.We can use NEA Degrees Not Debt to ensure that their firstinteraction with the union is positive and motivates early careereducators to join their local, rather than become agency fee payers.Advocate for Student Debt Crisis and College AffordabilitySolutionsFacing declining student enrollment in teacher credentialingprograms may weaken the union in the future. DnD can be used tonot only inform students about repayment programs in colleges ofeducation, but can be used to introduce dialogue on collegeaffordability on campuses and reposition the NEA as a leadingvoice on supporting students’ equitable access to affordablehigher education.Organizing Members and Communities in Howard County, MDHoward County Education Association (HCEA) integrates NEADegrees Not Debt (DnD) into its ongoing organizing efforts. HCEAwas already active in affordable housing, and in organizing parentsand educators around their shared concerns. Student debt concernsfit right into that work. For example, nearly 50% of HCEA memberscannot afford to live within Howard County. Those are also the samemembers struggling with their student debt obligations.Rather than exclusively using DnD to educate members on student debtreduction programs, HCEA also identifies DnD attendees interested inbecoming involved in its community organizing campaign. Followingthe DnD workshop, HCEA follows up with these individuals. HCEAalso intends to host an open enrollment DnD workshop to strengthenits relationships with affordable housing coalition partners and thecommunity. By hosting this workshop, HCEA can demonstrate its value to coalition partners and promote its affordable housing campaignto the broader community.NEA Degrees Not Debt Toolkit 3

4 Steps for Preparing for YourNEA Degrees Not Debt WorkshopDid YouKnow?70%of borrowers in defaultare eligible to enrollin an income-drivenrepayment programs.Hosting workshops can be a lot of work! This section provides astep-by-step guide for preparing to host your own NEA DegreesNot Debt workshop.We advise that you complete the “Train the Trainer” NEA DegreesNot Debt session before presenting your NEA Degrees Not Debtworkshop. The “Train the Trainer” session offers participants anopportunity to learn the technical aspects of federal student loanrepayment programs and to ask questions from NEA Degrees NotDebt staff.123Use Action Network to create and promote Degrees NotDebt workshopToolkit includes step-by-step instructions.Send instruction & reminder email to individuals thatregisterToolkit includes sample e-mail to send to members.Recruit and advertise for your Degrees Not Debt workshopPotential recruitment sites include but are not limited to thefollowing: Back to School events for K-12 educators Local union voter registration drives Community forums Local membership drive Education Career fairs at local Colleges andUniversities School District sponsored hiring fairs Teacher Induction ProgramsNEA Degrees Not Debt Toolkit 4

4 Steps for Preparing for Your NEA Degrees Not Debt Workshop (continued)4Make sure to have all the Degrees Not Debt workshopmaterialsWorkshop Materials Checklist:Sign-In Sheet: Collect workshop attendees’ names andcontact information. You may want this information whenlocating member support for ongoing or future organizingcampaigns.Degrees Not Debt Pledge: Ask members to sign thepledge to demonstrate member support for continuedexistence of federal student loan repayment programs.5 Step Brochure: Provides members a step-by-stepoverview of how to enroll in Income-Driven Repaymentand Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs.NEA Degrees Not Debt Handouts Teacher Loan Forgiveness and CancellationFactsheets Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Factsheet Public Service Loan Forgiveness Factsheet Public Service Employment Certification FormHigher Education Act Postcard: This can be used togenerate member driven advocacy for solutions to thestudent debt crisis and college affordability.5Degrees Not Debt Power PointThis will be the Power Point that you use to conduct theworkshop. It comes with a script/talking points.Saving Members Money in Missouri“As a single mother of two I was feeling hopeless, likeI would never be able to pay off my student loan debt.Thankfully, through my involvement with NEA, I learnedabout Degrees Not Debt and was able to get over 9,000of my loans forgiven!”Dana AlvarezNorth Kansas City School DistrictNEA Degrees Not Debt Toolkit 5