1. Size and Membership:
* NEA: Significantly larger, boasting over 3 million members, including teachers, school staff, higher education faculty, and retired educators. It has a broader reach across various educational sectors.
* AFT: Smaller than the NEA, with around 1.7 million members. It also represents educators but has a stronger concentration in urban areas and a greater focus on public schools (though it also represents higher education faculty and other professionals).
2. Structure and Organization:
* NEA: More decentralized structure, with state and local affiliates holding considerable autonomy. This can lead to more diverse approaches and priorities across different regions.
* AFT: More centralized structure, with stronger national leadership and a more unified approach to national-level policy advocacy.
3. Political and Policy Focus:
While both are politically active, their focuses sometimes differ in nuance:
* NEA: Generally considered to have a broader political agenda encompassing various social justice issues beyond education, such as healthcare, environmental protection, and civil rights.
* AFT: Often focuses more directly on issues related to education funding, teacher salaries, working conditions, and educational reforms, though they also engage in broader social justice initiatives.
4. Emphasis on Collective Bargaining:
* Both NEA and AFT are heavily involved in collective bargaining, advocating for better wages, benefits, and working conditions for their members. However, their approaches and success rates may vary depending on local contexts and state laws.
5. Approaches to Teacher Training and Professional Development:
* Both organizations offer professional development opportunities for their members. However, the specific programs and focuses might vary in their approach and emphasis.
In short: Both unions strive to improve the lives of educators and advocate for better public education, but they differ in size, organizational structure, specific political priorities, and sometimes, in their approaches to achieving their goals. The choice to join one over the other often depends on local chapter strengths, specific member needs, and individual priorities.