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PreK-12 Teachers

More than 1 million members strong, the AFT's Public Education unit has become a major force for preserving and strengthening a national commitment to reclaiming the promise of American education. It all began more than 100 years ago: A group of Chicago teachers, reasoning that theirs was a noble profession, organized themselves to share resources and build respect for the invaluable work they were doing. Those early efforts led to the birth of a national teachers union in 1916 that has been in the vanguard of every major advancement in American public education ever since.
Higher Ed

Higher Education

The AFT represents higher education faculty (including both full- and part-time), professional staff and graduate employees, in all sectors of higher education—public and private, two-year and four-year institutions of higher education. The AFT Higher Education division's mission is to help our affiliates and their members prosper in the face of political, economic and technological forces challenging the most basic assumptions about the union's role on campus.
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Public Employees

As a union of professionals, AFT Public Employees division is committed to improving the quality of government services we provide to our communities. Reclaiming the promise of high-quality public services is about fighting for first-rate public services that our support communities and keep them safe, healthy and vibrant. It’s about fighting to ensure that our communities’ tax dollars are properly invested back into the community, and that those resources are used responsibly and safely. Finally, it’s fighting to make sure public employees are well-prepared and supported so they can provide our communities with the high-quality services the public needs and deserves.
AFT PSRPs

Paraprofessionals & School-Related Personnel

The AFT has organized paraprofessionals and school-related personnel since the early 1930s, when the first PSRP affiliate, the Education Secretaries of Chicago, was founded. Today, the AFT PSRP division sets a foundation for high-quality education by supporting meaningful professional development, promoting health and safety in the workplace, and demonstrating the importance of a strong and just work ethic in a bully-free environment. Most important is its commitment to safe and welcoming schools and colleges for students who deserve high-quality food programs; reliable school buses; clean, secure buildings; efficiently run offices; and well-trained staff.

2024 AFT Massachusetts Convention

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This year, AFT Massachusetts members are celebrating…The Power of We at the 2024 Annual AFT Massachusetts Convention!

When we are united as union members, we can accomplish enormous things. Over the past few years, we’ve seen the impact of our collective power as we worked to pass and implement the Student Opportunity Act, state legislation that is delivering transformative investments in our public schools. We helped build a statewide grassroots campaign to win the Fair Share Amendment, which is now funding education improvements statewide: from providing free school meals for all students and building green schools, to making public college more affordable and rebuilding our transportation infrastructure.

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Nashoba Valley Career Technical Education Students Getting a Leg Up with Middlesex Community College Partnership

Celebrating CTE

A new partnership between Nashoba Valley Technical High School and Middlesex Community College (MCC) will allow students in the high school’s Design and Visual Communications Program to graduate with a full Associate's Degree from MCC. Development of this new Early College learning pathway was spearheaded by members of the Nashoba Valley Federation of Teachers, the union representing the educators and school support staff at the high school.

“This pathway will allow our high school students to gain the equivalent college education that will leapfrog them to the next steps on their path forward,” says Derik Rochon, a Design and Visual Communications Instructor at Nashoba Valley Technical High School, and President of the Nashoba Valley Federation of Teachers. “This advantage can mean more opportunities to enter the workforce, or remove two years off the time it takes to complete a Bachelor’s degree program.”

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Weingarten launches new campaign: ‘Real Solutions for Kids and Communities’

Photo of AFT President Randi Weingarten addressing TEACH 2023

The AFT has always been a solutions-driven union, and our new campaign, launched during TEACH on July 21, proves it once again with a fresh, practical approach to strengthening public education. As AFT President Randi Weingarten pointed out during her keynote speech, the $5 million, yearlong campaign, “Real Solutions for Kids and Communities,” stands up against attacks on public schools and offers real-world solutions to build up, rather than break down, our communities.

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