Membership FAQs
How do I update my address/phone/email?
Updates should be sent via email to MCEA’s Membership Coordinator, Jackie Thompson, at [email protected].
How do I join MCEA?
Click here to join us electronically or download an MCEA Membership Form. Complete and sign the form and forward it to MCEA’s Membership Coordinator, Jackie Thompson.
Are you a substitute or Home and Hospital Teacher? If so, please complete and submit the form found here.
How do I join the Sick Leave Bank?
If you were hired after July 1, 2013 you were automatically enrolled in the Sick Leave Bank, unless you specifically opted out. If you were hired prior to July 1, 2013 you needed to submit an enrollment form. To check for membership in the MCEA/MCPS Sick Leave Bank you would need to look at your e-pay stub. “MCEA” should be written in the box titled “Sick Bank Member.” If it says “Non-member,” then you are not a member. Call the MCEA Sick Leave Bank at 301-294-6232 or email at [email protected] if you have questions.
How do I apply for Sick Leave Bank benefits?
Contact MCEA’s Sick Leave Bank for a sick leave bank request form and physician’s statement form at 301-294-6232 or [email protected] More information can be found here.
How do I sign up for Long Term Disability insurance?
Contact Shelley Wroot at American Fidelity, for information on the different types of coverage available. Contact at 1-877-518-2337 or email [email protected].
How do I reserve classroom or meeting space at the MCEA Conference Center?
To make a reservation, contact MCEA Conference Center Coordinator, Mary Neal, at [email protected] or 301-294-6232.
Are my dues tax deductible?
Check with your tax advisor. Click here for more information.
Member Involvement
How do I run to be a delegate to the annual convention of the Maryland State Educators Association (MSEA)?
The statewide MSEA Convention is traditionally held in October in Ocean City. If you would like to represent MCEA at the Convention you must complete a nomination form during the nomination window and return it to Jackie Thompson at the MCEA office. For additional information contact the Credentials and Elections Committee at [email protected].
How do I run to be a delegate to the annual convention of the National Education Association (NEA)?
The National Education Association Representative Assembly establishes the NEA’s general objectives and legislative agenda, adopts a budget, sets annual dues, elects national officers and at-large NEA directors, and directs the national association’s activities through new business items. Delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly will be elected by the MCEA membership in an all-member vote. MCEA is entitled to approximately 80 delegates (based on membership estimates). For additional information contact the Credentials and Elections Committee at [email protected] .
How do I get discount movie tickets?
Members may purchase these tickets online through the NEA member benefits website.
What are the responsibilities of being an Elected Faculty Representative (EFR)?
The EFR position was established by the 2004 contract negotiations between MCEA and the Board of Education. It is an outgrowth of many years of work by MCEA and the Board to improve labor-management relations within local schools and provide for faculty involvement in school-level decision-making. “As a full member of the school’s leadership team (the core leadership group involved in local school decision-making), the Faculty Representative works with other leadership team members collaborating with school administrators. In this role, the Faculty Representative, along with other leadership team members, serves as a communicator and liaison with the school’s faculty. The Faculty Representative helps to facilitate and solve problems through the leadership team”.
In addition, the Faculty Representative shares responsibility for ensuring effective communication between the administration and the faculty and for increasing faculty involvement in, and ownership of, local school improvement. Faculty Representatives are selected annually by the faculty and receive a salary supplement and summer planning day(s), in accordance with the Agreement between the Montgomery County Education Association and the Board of Education.
What are the responsibilities of being a MCEA Building Representative?
MCEA Building Reps are the heart and soul of the Association. They are grassroots leaders, selected by colleagues, to represent them in the creation of an effective organization that advances the interests of educators and public education. MCEA Reps are leaders, organizers, and problem-solvers. Each school/worksite is entitled to at least one MCEA Rep, and additional Reps on the basis of 1 for every 15 MCEA members (or a major fraction thereof). The primary responsibility as a Rep is to provide union leadership for MCEA members at the school or worksite by:
- helping them solve problems arising from their work as educators in their school/worksite
- advocating for and representing their collective interests and needs as education employees
- mobilizing collective action when necessary, and
- getting other members involved in the work of the union
The most effective Reps develop a core of colleagues to share in the many tasks involved. The ability to recruit volunteers can be the most valuable skill for a Rep to develop. There are many tasks involved in developing an effective building-level organization. No one person can do it all. That’s why developing a core of volunteers is essential. A well-functioning team of Union Reps shares the responsibility for:
- Ensuring that their school/worksite is represented at every Rep Assembly
- Promoting communication about issues
- Helping members solve individual and school-wide problems
- Organizing MCEA membership meetings in your building as needed
- Promoting involvement in decision-making at your school
- Distributing MCEA materials
- Conducting MCEA elections
- Involving members in Association activities
- Recruiting new members to the Association
- Promoting involvement in political action
How do I make a political contribution to the Fund for Children and Public Education?
The Fund for Children and Public Education is MCEA’s political action fund. Contributions are used to educate the public about pro-education candidates who have been recommended by the MCEA Representative Assembly after a detailed screening process. Contributions may be made through payroll deduction. One-time donations by check may also be made. Send the form, or contribution, to MCEA, 12 Taft Ct. Rockville MD 20850.
Contract FAQ’s
How do I determine my hours and planning time as a part-time employee?
See the attached chart which delineates the duty hours and minimum planning time guaranteed for Part-time employees.
Do I have to sign an observation report that I don’t think is accurate?
You should sign the report, as signing it only means you have seen the document and have been given a copy. You should submit a written response to the document. Call MCEA if you would like assistance writing your response.
How do I know what’s in my file?
You have a right to view your school or Human Resource file. Make an appointment with the principal’s secretary in order to view your school file. Call the file room in MCPS at 301-279-3344 in order to make an appointment to view your HR file. You may have a representative present.
Why don’t we get snow days back if we don’t use them?
There is a lot of misunderstanding and confusion out there about snow days. We are paid to work 195 days (Article 16 Section H of the Contract). Two of those days are “unscheduled professional time” – the 16 hours of flexible time – so the scheduled work year is 193 days. This includes 184 student instructional days. If we have (up to 4) snow days, they are essentially paid days off. The state sets a minimum number of student instructional days – currently 180. Since we have 184 days in the calendar, we can absorb 4 snow days without reaching the point that we have to make them up in order to meet the state minimum. So, there are two fundamental problems with advocating that we should “get the snow days back” if they aren’t used. The first is that we would essentially be arguing that we should be paid for days that we don’t work, since our pay is based on the full 184 instructional days (plus 9 professional days plus the 16 hours of unscheduled time). The second problem is that we would be advocating that MCPS should only provide the minimum number of instructional days required by the state. As educators, it would be problematic to be arguing that our students need less instructional time, rather than more. To argue that we should only provide the minimum of 180 days would look to the public as if we were not interested in the needs of our students. There are other school districts in Maryland that only schedule 180 student instructional days. But it is important to remember 1) those districts pay their teachers less than MCPS does, in part because they work fewer days and 2) those districts have to schedule make-up days for every single snow day of missed instruction. That also raises the bar on the district when it is making a decision on whether to call a snow day or not. It is much easier for a school district to err on the side of caution and call a snow day when it doesn’t automatically mean they have to schedule a make-up day.