NCAE numbers continue downward trend

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The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), the state’s largest teacher association has been in a few political fights. However, one NCAE fight you won’t hear much about is the fight for membership.

What do I mean? Everyone knows these have not been good years for unions. Recently our friends at the Education Intelligence Agency gave us a snapshot (See: NEA Membership 2011-12) of just how bad things are for the National Education Association, NCAE’s parent organization.  Active NEA membership is down 3.6 percent over 2011 and nearly 7 percent (6.9%) since 2008-09. Total NEA membership is down 3.3 percent over the previous year and 5.3 percent since 2008-09.

If you want to know specifically what is included in “active” and “total” membership, see the bottom of the table.

Which states had the biggest losses? Arizona, Wisconsin and North Carolina. Each of these states lost more than a fifth of their active members since 2008-09.

What does this mean for NCAE?  Plenty.  NCAE members are required to join the National Education Association.

A closer look at the figures reveals the number of “active” NEA members in North Carolina declined 13.9 percent from 2010-11 to 2011-12; the fourth largest one-year decline in the country.Since 2008-09,the number of active NEA members in North Carolina has declined by 25.5 percent; the second largest percentage decline in the nation.

Changes in total NEA membership figures for North Carolina are equally significant. From 2010-11 to 2011-12, total NEA membership declined in North Carolina by 10.8 percent; the fourth largest decline in the country. Since 2008-09, total NEA membership in North Carolina declined by 19.7 percent the third largest decline in the nation.

NCAE dues (state and local) for the average teacher fall in the $500 plus range.

I guess teachers are voting with their feet.