Teachers’ union shrinkage

The Education Intelligence Agency recently updated their official membership figures for the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) and other National Education Association (NEA) state affiliates.

During the 2010-2011 school year, the NCAE had 41,544 active members, a 7.6 percent decrease from the year before.  (Note: The membership decline preceded the elimination of the dues checkoff option.)  Total NEA membership dropped by 2.0 percent.

Interestingly, North Carolina had the second largest percentage decline of any statewide NEA affiliate.  Arizona’s NEA affiliate lost an astounding 10.2 percent of its members in 2011.  Georgia (down 6.9 percent) and Louisiana (down 6.4 percent) had the third and fourth highest decrease in members for the year.

Membership dropped in nearly every state in the South, but there was one notable exception.  Florida’s teachers’ union had a 6 percent increase in members.  I blame the Miami Dolphins.