Missouri State Teachers Association

Educator Services: MSTA provides the knowledge, expertise, technical assistance, research and professional consultation educators need in order to enhance their job-related skills, grow professionally and better serve Missouri students. To this end, MSTA staff works directly with education professionals in all 518 Missouri public school districts; works directly with education students in more than 40 colleges and universities, and promotes the teaching profession to 1164 high school students in 44 high schools across Missouri. Specific accomplishments included comprehensive research on teacher salaries and benefits in Missouri; in-person professional development programs on topics including, Beginning Teacher Assistance, School Finance, Mentor Training, Classroom Management and Preventing School Violence. Many of these programs were also made available as distance or virtual programs. Nearly 1,000 educators participated in the various onsite and online professional development options provided by MSTA. In addition, MSTA staff responded to thousands of inquiries from individual teachers by telephone, email and with in-person meetings.

Education Policy: MSTA's education policy program works to promote and protect the broader interests of both the teaching profession and the public schools in which those teachers work through direct lobbying, grassroots lobbying and disseminating information about existing and proposed education policies. MSTA activities are non-partisan and focused on legislation and regulations that impact educators and education in Missouri. MSTA's efforts begin with active teachers crafting education policy resolutions that set the direction and priority of MSTA's activities. MSTA staff and volunteers meet frequently with representatives of the executive branch, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, legislative leaders in the Missouri House and Senate and other stakeholders; testify for and against legislative proposals; participate on taskforces; serve on committees, such as the Missouri Advisory Council of Certification for Educators; and prepare policy proposals that further the common interests of Missouri educators.

Education Media: MSTA is a trusted source of information of professional interest to teachers including topics such as classroom management, working with parents, education technology, testing and more. To this end MSTA published education-related information and research as well as updates on current issues of interest and concern to Missouri teachers and other education personnel. Communication and marketing strategies include: printed magazines and newsletters, a comprehensive and informative website, e-newsletters, media outreach, blogs, podcasts, video and direct mail. Specific accomplishments using print media include publishing a total of 160,000 copies of the 48-page quarterly magazine School & Community, and a number of annual publications such as New Books for Missouri Students, Teacher Success Guide, and School Finance Guides. These strategies are augmented by 2 million total copies of MSTA Update, a bi-weekly general interest e-newsletter, a legislative update billed Action, Twitter, three different Facebook pages and a number of news releases.

Conferences & Events: MSTA provided a number conferences and events for prospective teachers, beginning teachers, and experienced teachers that promoted the interests of the teaching profession and provided practical input and resources designed to improve the skills of individual teachers. The most significant of these events is the annual convention attended by about 740 educators. This two-day event features more than approximately 25 separate workshops addressing a range of instructional topics; a keynote address by a well-known education speaker; an exhibit hall with more than 30 vendors of instructional and education interest; and, general discussion of education policy issues at the annual membership meeting. Other events include an annual meeting of the student group with nearly 100 participants and an annual leadership conference serving nearly 400 educators. MSTA's conferences and events provide a valuable opportunity for practicing teachers in Missouri to network with other professionals, learn from experts in the field and share ideas and techniques across broad geographic areas.