The NEA Representative Assembly is the primary legislative and policymaking body of the Association. It derives its powers from and is responsible to the membership.
The NEA-RA adopts the strategic plan and budget, resolutions, legislative program, and other policies of the Association.
Delegates vote by secret ballot on proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws. Those delegates with full voting rights elect the executive officers, Executive Committee members, and at-large members of the NEA Board of Directors. Allocation of delegate credentials for the annual NEA-RA is based on Active membership in the Association as of January 15 of the calendar year in which the Representative Assembly convenes.
The following criteria are used to describe the four delegate categories:
NEA Active Member - Category 1 Delegate includes:
- NEA/PSEA Active members, including Active, Education Support Professional, and Higher Education members who are not supervisors
- NEA Active Life members who are not retired, who are not supervisors, who are members of PSEA.
NEA Active Member - Category 2 Delegate includes:
- NEA/PSEA Active members who are supervisors
- NEA Active Life members who are not retired, who are supervisors, who are members of PSEA
- NEA Active Life members who are retired, who are members of PSEA-Retired, who are not members of NEA-Retired.
NEA-Retired Delegate includes:
- PSEA-Retired/NEA-Retired members, who must be a member of both PSEA-Retired and NEA-Retired
- NEA Active Life members, who are retired, and who are members of PSEA-Retired and NEA-Retired.
Student Delegate includes:
- PSEA Student/NEA Student members.
Active Life members
An Active Life member of NEA who is eligible for NEA-Retired membership may join NEA as a Retired member while retaining his or her Active Life membership.
However, as an NEA-Retired member, he or she will be considered an NEA-Retired member for purposes of participation in NEA governance. If the member is also a member of PSEA-Retired he or she may nominate, vote for, and serve as an NEA-Retired delegate. If he or she is not a member of PSEA-Retired, he or she may nominate and vote for, but may not serve as an NEA-Retired delegate.
An Active Life member of NEA who is eligible for NEA-Retired membership who does not choose to join NEA-Retired, but who is a member of PSEA or PSEA-Retired, may nominate, vote for, and serve as a NEA Category 2 delegate. He or she may not nominate, vote for, or serve as an NEA-Retired delegate.
An NEA Active or NEA Active Life Member who is a supervisor and is a member of PSEA may nominate, vote for, and serve as an NEA category 2 delegate. An NEA-Retired Member for Life who is not — and who is not required to be — a member of PSEA-Retired (that is, who joined prior to the effective date of unification for Retired members) may nominate and vote for NEA-Retired delegates, but cannot serve as an NEA-Retired delegate.
