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We want to hear from you! Whether you've got a question/concern or simply want to comment on a current issue, just complete the form below and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

I. Introduction

The Iowa State Education Association ("ISEA") values the trust and privacy of its members and other supporters. This Privacy Policy sets forth ISEA's practices regarding: (1) what personal information we collect about you — both online via the ISEA website and ISEA Intranet and offline via traditional, hard copy forms; (2) how we use that information; (3) under what circumstances we disclose it; (4) what choices are available to you regarding such information collection; and, (5) what security we use to protect such information. This Privacy Policy also provides some additional information for users of the ISEA website and ISEA Intranet.

II. Definitions

As used in this Privacy Policy, the following terms have the meanings indicated below:

1. The term "we" or "us" means ISEA.
    
2. The term "you" means a current or former ISEA member or other person who has provided personal information to us in connection with obtaining an ISEA product or service (e.g. a person who has purchased a book from the NEA Professional Library or a person who subscribes to an ISEA-produced electronic newsletter).
    
3. The term "personal information" means any piece of information that on its own can specifically identify a current or former ISEA member or other person who has provided personal information to us in connection with obtaining an ISEA product or service. This would include, but is not limited to, full name, postal address, e-mail address, social security number, or financial information.
    
4. The term "ISEA website" means ISEA's external website located at: ISEA.org and any future websites that we may develop.
    
5. The term "ISEA Intranet" means ISEA's internal, private, and secured website for local leaders and staff.
    
6. The term "ISEA-related organizations" means ISEA's Member Benefits Corporation, ISEA Member Insurance Trust, ISEA Foundation, ISEA Health Information Network, and any other entity created by ISEA.
    
7. The term "third party" means a legal entity that is separate and independent from ISEA, its state and local affiliates, or any ISEA-related organization.
    
8. The term "cookie" means a small file that is placed on your computer that allows a website to store, and sometimes track, information about how you use that website.
    
9. The term "discussion forum" means an asynchronous website component that enables users to exchange ideas by posting questions and answers on relevant subjects. Discussion forums are also commonly referred to as "discussion groups," "discussion boards," "message boards," "bulletin boards," and "online forums."

III. Personal Information Collected

We may collect personal information about you from the following sources:

1. Personal Information that you voluntarily provide to us on your membership application and other ISEA forms — whether online via the ISEA website or ISEA Intranet or offline via traditional, hard copy forms (such as your name, postal address, telephone number, e-mail address, social security number, etc.).
    
2. Other Personal Information that you voluntarily provide to us via the ISEA website or ISEA Intranet (such as an e-mail address if you subscribe to an ISEA-produced electronic newsletter or other personal information contained in an e-mail that you send to us via the feedback feature of the ISEA website).
    
3. Personal Information that we receive from our state and local affiliates or other ISEA-related organizations (such as your name, postal address, telephone number, e-mail address, social security number, etc.).
    
4. Personal Information that we receive from third parties (such as insurance claim information in connection with the ISEA Educators Employment Liability Program and publicly available voter registration information).

IV. How We Use That Information

The personal information that ISEA collects about you helps us and our state and local affiliates and ISEA-related organizations to efficiently and effectively represent you and provide you with valuable member benefits.

V. Information Sharing

In order to provide you with efficient and effective representation and member benefits, we routinely share all of the personal information that we collect about you, as described in Section III above, with our state and local affiliates and ISEA-related organizations, as well as third parties that perform services on our behalf.

Additionally, we may share any of the personal information that we collect about you, as described in Section III above, with certain third parties that share our interests or as otherwise permitted by law.

VI. Available Choices

Any personal information that you provide to us is voluntary. ISEA members may update their personal information at any time. For information on how to contact us, please visit the ISEA website at: www.ISEA.org/about/contact-us.html.

If you subscribe to any ISEA-produced electronic newsletter, you may cancel your subscription at any time by following the instructions at the bottom of all such newsletters. If you have any problems canceling such a subscription, please contact us at www-registration@list.NEA.org.

VII. Your California Privacy Rights

California residents have a right under state law to ask entities with whom they have an established business relationship to provide certain information regarding the sharing of personal information for direct marketing purposes during the past year. ISEA will honor such a request coming from any current or former ISEA member or other person who has provided personal information to us in connection with obtaining an ISEA product or service — whether residing in California or not. Simply submit a request to us at one of the following addresses: www-registration@list.NEA.org or ISEA Office of General Counsel, 1201 16th Street, N.W., Washington DC 20036, and we will respond within thirty days of receiving your request.

VIII. Information Security

We maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to: (1) insure the security and confidentiality of your personal information; (2) protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such information; and (3) protect against unauthorized access to or use of such information. For more information on our information security, contact ISEA at www-registration@list.NEA.org  to request a copy of the ISEA Information Security Program.

IX. Additional Information for Users of the ISEA Web Site or ISEA Intranet

1. Collection and Use of Non-Personal Information
   If you use the ISEA website or the ISEA Intranet, you provide us with certain non-personal information in addition to any personal information that you may voluntarily provide. For example, if you browse the ISEA website or ISEA Intranet or download information, our operating system automatically records the following non-personal information:
   
   
   1. The Internet domain for your Internet service (such as "xcompany.com" or "xcompany.net" if you use a private Internet access account, or "yourcollege.edu" if you connect from a college or university domain);
       
   2. The type of browser that you use (such as "America Online version 7" or "Microsoft Internet Explorer 5");
       
   3. The type of operating system that you use (such as Windows or Macintosh);
       
   4. The date and time that you visit the ISEA website or ISEA Intranet and the webpages that you view;
       
   5. The address of the previous website that you visited if you linked to us from another website; and
       
   6. The address of the next website that you visit if you link to it from the ISEA website or ISEA Intranet.
       
   We use the above non-personal information to diagnose technical problems and track user interests so that we can provide content that interests you.
   
   We gather this non-personal information in the aggregate and we share it in the same manner that we share personal information, as described in Section V above.
    
2. Cookies
   We use cookies to track what you are viewing when you visit the ISEA website and ISEA Intranet, and to enhance your user experience. In order to provide you with customized content and an enhanced user experience, certain cookies used by ISEA identify you as an individual. If you are concerned about ISEA's use of cookies, check your Internet browser. Most have a setting that will allow you to reject cookies. However, some ISEA features and services may not function properly if your cookies are disabled.
   
   Additionally, ISEA allows third parties who advertise or provide content on the ISEA website or ISEA Intranet to use cookies. Third parties' use of cookies is subject to their own privacy policies, and is not governed by this Privacy Policy.
    
3. Discussion Forums
   If you participate in a discussion forum on the ISEA website or ISEA Intranet, your comments, along with any personal information that you voluntarily disclose, may be collected, used, and shared by anyone with access to that forum. We are not responsible for the personal information that you choose to submit in a discussion forum.
    
4. Children
   The ISEA website and ISEA Intranet are general websites, and we do not knowingly collect any personal information from children under the age of 13.
    
5. External Links
   This Privacy Policy applies only to the ISEA website and ISEA Intranet. It does not cover any websites that are linked to or from the ISEA website or ISEA Intranet for which we are not responsible ("linked-sites"). These linked-sites will have their own policies and practices which may be different from ours. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the policies and practices of the linked-sites especially if you provide personal information to them.

X. Effective Date, Amendments, and Consent to This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy is effective April 3, 2007. We retain the right to amend or otherwise update this Privacy Policy at any time for any reason. By joining ISEA or using the ISEA website or ISEA Intranet, you consent to the collection, use, and sharing of personal information as we have described herein. If we amend or update our Privacy Policy, we will post the changes online at the ISEA website and ISEA Intranet so that you are always aware of ISEA's current practices. You may also contact us at www-registration@list.NEA.org  at any time to request an up-to-date hard copy version of the Privacy Policy.

XI. Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, you can contact ISEA at www-registration@list.NEA.org.

ISEA Information Security Program

I. Introduction

The National Education Association ("ISEA") values the trust and privacy of its members and other supporters and, as a result, strives to ensure that appropriate safeguards are implemented to protect the security and confidentiality of any personal information collected. This Information Security Program ("IS Program") sets forth ISEA's administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to: (1) insure the security and confidentiality of any personal information collected; (2) protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such information; and (3) protect against unauthorized access to or use of such information.

II. Definitions

As used in this IS Program, the following terms have the meanings indicated below:

1. The term "personal information" or "PI" means any piece of information that on its own can specifically identify a current or former ISEA member or other person who has provided personal information to ISEA in connection with obtaining an ISEA product or service. This would include, but is not limited to, a member's full name, postal address, e-mail address, social security number, or financial information.
    
2. The term "Information Security Program Coordinator" or "ISP Coordinator" means the person who is responsible for effectively implementing the IS Program.
    
3. The term "Information Security Program Committee" or "ISP Committee" means the committee that is responsible for assisting the ISP Coordinator in his or her responsibilities. The ISP Committee consists of ISEA Staff from the following ISEA Departments: ISEA Enterprise Technology Services, ISEA Financial and Membership Services, ISEA Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and ISEA Office of General Counsel.
    
4. The term "Department Directors" means the directors of ISEA Departments, and the individuals who perform counterpart functions in ISEA administrative units that are not classified as ISEA Departments.
    
5. The term "ISEA website" means ISEA's external website located at: ISEA.org and any future websites that we may develop.
    
6. The term "ISEA Intranet" means ISEA's internal, private, and secured website for local leaders and staff.
    
7. The term "Membership system" means the ISEA Individuals and Affiliates database that contains the PI of former and current ISEA members.
    
8. The term "third party" means a legal entity that is separate and independent from ISEA, its state and local affiliates, or any ISEA-related organization.
    
9. The term "ISEA-related organizations" means ISEA's Member Benefits Corporation, ISEA Member Insurance Trust, ISEA Foundation, ISEA Health Information Network, and any other entity created by ISEA.
    
10. The term "strong passwords" means a sufficiently complex combination of miscellaneous characters that authenticates the identity of a user.

III. Program Elements

1. Designation and Responsibilities of the Information Security Program Coordinator and Information Security Program Committee
    

The Information Security Program Coordinator ("ISP Coordinator") is responsible for assuring that this IS Program is effectively implemented. The ISP Coordinator is Thang Nguyen, who may be contacted at one of the following addresses: ISEA Office of the Chief Financial Officer, 1201 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 or tnguyen@NEA.org . Any questions regarding the implementation of this IS Program should be directed to the ISP Coordinator.
 

1. 1. The Information Security Program Committee ("ISP Committee") is responsible for assisting the ISP Coordinator in his or her responsibilities. The ISP Committee shall consist of ISEA staff from the following Departments:
       
      1. ISEA Enterprise Technology Services
          
      2. ISEA Financial and Membership Services
          
      3. ISEA Office of the Chief Financial Officer
          
      4. ISEA Office of the General Counsel
          
   2. The ISP Coordinator shall convene meetings of the ISP Committee as appropriate and necessary.
       
   3. The ISP Coordinator, in consultation with the ISP Committee, shall be responsible for the following:
       
      1. Coordinating with the Department Directors to identify and assess risks to PI in each relevant area of ISEA's operation — including employee training and management, information systems, and detecting and managing system failures;
          
      2. Coordinating with the Department Directors on the effectiveness of the safeguards set forth in this IS Program and the design, implementation, and monitoring of any additional safeguards that are necessary to control any future identified risks to PI; and,
          
      3. Conducting periodic evaluations of and adjustments to this IS Program.
          
2. Risk Identification and Assessment
   ISEA shall, on a periodic basis, identify and assess external and internal risks to the security, confidentiality, and integrity of the PI that it collects and uses. The ISP Coordinator, in consultation with the ISP Committee, shall coordinate with the Department Directors to identify and assess such risks in each relevant area of ISEA's operation, including employee training and management, information systems, and detecting and managing system.
    
3. Design, Implementation, and Monitoring of Safeguards
    
   1. To avoid reasonably foreseeable external and internal risks to the security, confidentiality, and integrity of PI, ISEA has in place the following safeguards:
       
      1. Employee Training and Management
          
         1. ISEA uses appropriate screening before hiring ISEA staff who will have access to PI.
             
         2. ISEA limits access to PI to ISEA staff who have a legitimate business reason to see it.
             
         3. ISEA prohibits ISEA staff from sharing user ID and passwords.
             
         4. ISEA takes appropriate steps to prevent former ISEA staff from accessing PI by deactivating their passwords and user names.
             
      2. Information Systems
          
         1. ISEA employs a combination of electronic badges and intelligent keys to secure access to ISEA offices.
             
         2. ISEA restricts access to databases containing PI to authorized users at ISEA and its state and local affiliates, and those users have access only to the PI relevant to their assignments.
             
         3. ISEA shall take appropriate steps to ensure that electronic files containing PI are securely sent to and from ISEA.
             
         4. ISEA provides users of the ISEA website or ISEA Intranet with a secure connection to transmit all PI, including social security numbers.
             
         5. ISEA provides users of the Membership system at ISEA and its state and local affiliates a secure connection for Internet access to that system.
             
         6. ISEA shall not require users of the ISEA website or ISEA Intranet to log on using a social security number.
             
         7. ISEA shall not print member social security numbers on any identification cards or badges; nor shall member social security numbers appear on any documents mailed to members.
             
         8. ISEA shall take appropriate steps to destroy documents containing PI in a secure way, such as shredding, erasing, or otherwise modifying the PI in those documents to make it unreadable or undecipherable, in accordance with the ISEA Document Retention Policy.
             
      3. Detecting and Managing Systems
         ISEA shall take appropriate steps to secure its networks, including use of firewalls, virus protection, virtual private networks, intrusion detection systems, and ID and password verifications.
          
   2. In addition to the above outlined safeguards, ISEA plans to implement the following safeguards by the end of fiscal year 2006-07:
       
      1. Employee Training and Management
          
         1. ISEA shall increase ISEA staff awareness regarding security and privacy of PI by disseminating the ISEA Privacy Policy and ISEA Information Security Program and other appropriate materials on this issue.
             
         2. ISEA shall implement a policy for ISEA staff on confidentiality and security standards for handling PI.
             
         3. ISEA shall use password-activated screen-savers to lock ISEA staff computers after a period of inactivity.
             
      2. Information Systems
          
         1. ISEA shall encrypt member social security numbers in all databases.
             
         2. ISEA shall research the feasibility of encrypting all PI in portable and mobile devices.
             
         3. ISEA shall implement a strong password policy.
             
         4. ISEA shall give users of the Membership system at ISEA and its state and local affiliates the option of suppressing the display of social security numbers on user computer screens and in reports.
             
      3. Detecting and Managing Systems
         ISEA shall develop a security breach response protocol, including a sample notification letter, in the event of a potential security breach. In the interim, ISEA Staff shall notify their Department Directors or the ISP Coordinator if a security breach occurs.
          
   3. The ISP Coordinator, in consultation with the ISP Committee, shall coordinate with the Department Directors on the effectiveness of the safeguards set forth in this IS Program and the design, implementation, and monitoring of any additional safeguards that are necessary to control any future identified risks to PI.
       
4. Oversight of Third Parties
   ISEA requires that the ISEA Executive Director approve all requests to share PI with a third party. To the extent that the ISEA Executive Director approves such a request, ISEA requires that all third parties receiving PI must sign a confidentiality agreement and must be capable of maintaining appropriate safeguards for all PI received from ISEA.
    
5. Periodic Evaluation and Adjustment of Program
   The ISP Coordinator, in consultation with the ISP Committee, is responsible for periodically evaluating and adjusting the IS Program based on the risk identification and assessment activities undertaken pursuant to Section III(B) of this IS Program.

IV. Effective Date and Amendments to the Program

This IS Program is effective April 3, 2007. ISEA retains the right to amend or otherwise update this IS Program at any time for any reason.

ISEA President: Chris Bern

Veteran Knoxville High School math teacher, Chris Bern, has been elected as president of the 33,000-member Iowa State Education Association (ISEA). Click here for a more complete biographical sketch.

ISEA Vice President: Tammy Wawro

Tammy Wawro, a teacher serving as student teaching/mentor coordinator for the Cedar Rapids schools, has been elected vice president of the 33,000-member Iowa State Education Association (ISEA). Click here for a more complete biographical sketch.

Executive Director: Mary Jane Cobb

A former NEA staffer and UniServ director in Alabama, Mary Jane Cobb became ISEA Executive Director September 1, 2008. Click here for a more complete biographical sketch.

ISEA Treasurer: Kathy Haltmeyer, Muscatine

Long-time Association activist Kathy Haltmeyer is serving a one-year term as ISEA Treasurer and chair of the Budget Committee. Haltmeyer runs her own teacher training company called Management, Motivation & More. She was a member of the NEA's Elections Committee and a trainer with the NEA's Women's Leadership Program. At the ISEA she has been a State Delegate, a presenter at Summer Conference, and a member of the Central PAC and Personnel committees. She has held leadership positions on the local level.

NEA Director: Jim Young, Cedar Falls

A veteran teacher from Cedar Falls, Jim Young began his three-year term representing Iowa on the NEA Board of Directors in 2003. Young has been actively involved in all levels of the Association over the years. He's held virtually every leadership position on the local level including president, vice president, treasurer, and building representative. In addition, he's chaired a variety of committees including governmental relations, communications, IPD, and American Education Week.

NEA Director: Kathy Williams,  Davenport

A sixth grade reading and language arts at Wood Intermediate School, Kathy Williams has been an advocate for children and public education throughout her 33-year career. In addition to holding a wide variety of leadership positions in the Davenport Education Association and the Great River regional ISEA unit, she has also been involved in a number of school district committees and professional activities over the years. Williams began her three-year term on the NEA Board of directors in July of 2007.

ISEA Executive Board Members

Northern Pride:Geneva Grooters, Clay Central
Unit Two:Andrew Van Hooreweghe, Cedar Falls
Lincolnway:LaDona Jergenson, Audubon
Mid-Iowa:Kevin Ericson, Nevada
Southwest:Anne Travis,Shenandoah
South Central:Sue Stuchel, Winterset
Unit Nine:J Alan Fink, Oskaloosa
Unit Ten:Doris Wiener, Humboldt
East Central:Karen Hartlep Benton
Geode:LaVon Worley, Sperry
Hawkeye :Rob Hirst, AEA 267
JDC:Peggy Thein, Garnavillo
Mississippi Bend:Kathleen Haltmeyer, Muscatine
Northeast Iowa:Deborah Turnball , Waverly
Polk Suburban:Mike Beranek, West Des Moines
Great River:Daniel Brandstetter, LeClaire
Des Moines:David O'Connor, Des Moines
Cedar Wood:Gary Anhalt, Cedar Rapids
Siouxland:Donna Walsh, Sioux City
ISEA Student Program:Jenna Miller, Waldorf College
ISEA-Retired:Barb Cunningham, Shenandoah
Multicultural Representative: Flora Lee , Northwest AEA
Area Education Agency Representative:Marlin Jeffers, Western Hills AEA
Higher Education:Lee Skeens, Southeastern Community College
Educational Support Professionals:Toni Graham, Shenandoah

ISEA UniServ Unit Presidents

Northern Pride:Neil Bracker, MOC-Floyd Valley
Unit Two:Daniel Meyer, Forest City
Lincolnway:Mary Siepker, Sioux City
Mid-Iowa:Dawn Remsburg, Ames
Southwest:Tom McLaughlin, Council Bluffs
South Central:Susan Stuchel, Winterset
Unit Nine:Mary Jane Sullivan, North Mahaska
Unit Ten:Diane Blom, Estherville
Polk Suburban:Rod Hilpipre, Southeast Polk
Cedar Wood:Shawn Thomsen, Cedar Rapids
Great River: Alan Shaw, Princeton
East Central:Nancy Notton-Stumpff, Norway
JDC:Debbie Richmann, Calamus
Mississippi Bend:Zachary Day, Davenport
Hawkeye:Joel Bishop, Waterloo
Des Moines:Alan Young, Des Moines
Geode:Louis Clark, Keokuk
Northeast Iowa:Lori Lee, Nashua
Siouxland:Brenda Zahner, Sergeant Bluff

Iowa State Education Association

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who may join the Iowa State Education Association?
2. What services do ISEA and NEA provide members?
3. How does ISEA assist members in their classrooms?
4. How does ISEA's advocacy services program work? 
5. What is UniServ and where are the UniServ unit offices located?
6. Can I just join ISEA and not belong to my local association/affiliate or the NEA?
7. What is ISEA Delegate Assembly? 
8. Does my dues money go to political candidates?
9. Why is ISEA involved in politics?
10. I lost my ISEA Access Membership Card. How do I get a new one.

1. Who may join ISEA?

ISEA members are teachers from every level of public education, including preschool through higher education; prospective educators in teacher preparation programs; administrators; and retired educators. ISEA members are educational support personnel such as school secretaries, paraprofessionals and custodians. Public school teachers interested in ISEA membership may contact their Association Representative, or click here.

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2. What services do ISEA and NEA provide to members?

The ISEA and NEA provide a wide variety of programs and services to members including professional development, legal assistance, advocacy, publications, and member benefits just to name a few. For more information, check out our What we do  section.

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3. How does ISEA assist members in their classrooms?

A major focus of ISEA is strengthening the teaching profession and helping teachers teach and children learn. This is accomplished through our Professional Development Academy and other programs covering topics such as:

• Classroom management
• Mentoring and induction
• Support for National Board Certification 
• Professional development opportunities
• Professional resources
• Re-licensure and graduate credit courses 
• Safe schools 
• Involvement with state agencies and boards
• Iowa Teaching Standards
• Evaluation and career development plans 

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4. How does ISEA's advocacy services program work?

ISEA's advocacy services program assists members with employment-related issues. Our expert UniServ directors and in-house legal counsel are available to answer members' questions and address their concerns. A member needing legal assistance should first call his/her UniServ office [link]. Members also may call ISEA headquarters in Des Moines at 515-471-8000 or 1-800-445-9358.

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5. What is UniServ and where are the UniServ unit offices located?

"UniServ" is short for "Unified Service." And that's what the UniServ program is all about. While ISEA and NEA headquarters staff provide a wide range of specialized programs and services for members, our UniServ program is designed to bring those programs and services directly to the local level. We currently have 24 highly trained UniServ directors who work out of ten regional offices across the state. They are on-call to help with individual contract problems, negotiations, membership development, political action, or training activities. If you have a job-related question or feel that your rights may have been violated, help is only a phone call or e-mail away. Click here to find a map and contact information.

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6. Can I just join ISEA and not belong to my local association/affiliate or the NEA?

No. When you join the ISEA you're joining forces with the power and influence of 3.2 million members nationwide. Unified membership includes our local, state, and national affiliates.

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7. What is the ISEA Delegate Assembly?

The Delegate Assembly is the ISEA's chief policy-making body. The Assembly convenes each spring where some 500 elected delegates representing their local associations meet to chart the Association's direction, take positions on critical education-related issues, approve a budget, and elect statewide officers. The 2008 ISEA Delegate Assembly will be held April 3-4.

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8. Does my dues money go to political candidates?

No. Dues dollars cannot be spent on political campaigns. Only voluntary contributions designated for ISEA-PAC (Political Action Committee) or NEA's Fund for Children and Public Education go to candidates who support children and public education.

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9. Why is ISEA involved in politics?

ISEA members are Democrats, Republicans and Independents, but they all have one thing in common: They care about educating and protecting children and strengthening American public education. Because all education decisions - from the statehouse to the White House - are political decisions, we need to ensure that our elected leaders measure up on important issues involving children and public education. ISEA members are involved in the political process for many reasons. Among them:

• To speak out in support of quality public schools and the rights of teaching professionals.
• To make the case that society must make a greater financial commitment to public education.
• To use the professional knowledge and skills educators possess to teach people of all ages.

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10. I lost my ISEA Access membership card. How do I get a new one?

We will be happy to have a new card made for you. Just contact your UniServ Unit office or Doug Smith at ISEA headquarters.

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We value quality public education.

Democracy demands and students deserve a safe, accessible, equitable, and excellent public education.

We value professionalism in education.

An effective education system requires highly-qualified, respected educators focused on student learning and engaged in continuous improvement.

We value teamwork through membership.

Belonging to the Association demonstrates care for the collective needs of students, educators, and the community.

We value advocacy for the education profession.

Educators are most effective in a teaching and learning environment that provides them professional compensation, quality benefits, and respects the rights and responsibilities of all.

We value strong public engagement.

Effective schools require strong community support gained through sharing information, building partnerships, promoting advocacy, and influencing policy makers.

We value a proactive organization.

A vibrant organization requires visionary leaders and active members who advance shared goals.

Adopted in February, 2004, by the ISEA Executive Board

"Teachers of Iowa: The time has arrived when a State Teachers' Association should be organized, in order to advance the educational interests of Iowa. We therefore call upon the teachers throughout the length and breadth of this state, to assemble for this purpose at the courthouse, in Muscatine, on Wednesday, the 10th of May next, at 10 o'clock A.M."

From a notice in the Iowa Journal of Education, March, 1854

Happy Birthday to us!

On the appointed date, a handful of persons, mostly administrators of private schools, gathered at the Old Muscatine County Courthouse in Muscatine to form the new organization whose objectives were: "to promote the educational interests of the state, improve teachers, and elevate the profession of teaching."

They chose the name of Iowa State Teachers Association and elected John A. Parvin of Muscatine as their president.

Membership in the fledgling organization was open to any person who signed the constitution and if male, who paid one dollar.

Thus, these early pioneers -- the charter members of what would come to be called the ISEA -- began to shape the course of public education in Iowa and lay the groundwork for a system that would become the envy of the world.

A century and a half later, ISEA members are still working to shape the course of public education in this state.

Ours is a history filled with the successes, achievements, and struggles of the men and women who refused to stand by and settle for less than what they and their students deserve. Today, it is with that same spirit and determination that we work to pave the way for another 150 years of great education.

ISEA will mark our 150th anniversary on May 10, but we'll be celebrating this milestone throughout 2004. Although we've got a number of exciting events and activities planned across the state, our most important celebrations will be those that occur in local communities throughout the year. Here on this Web site, you'll find all the tips and information you'll need to plan a successful local observance.

We have much to celebrate and much to reflect upon as we ponder the challenges ahead and begin to write new chapters in our history.

Old Muscatine County Courthouse

Name and/or Address Change

Iowa State Education Association
777 Third Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
515-471-8000, 1-800-445-9358

Headquarters Staff

• Executive Staff
• Advocacy Services
• Bargaining and Research
• Business Office
• Communications
• Government Relations
• Membership
• Teaching and Learning

UniServ Unit Offices

• Northern Pride UniServ Unit
• UniServ Unit Two
• State Unit Nine
• UniServ Unit Ten
• Cedar Wood
• DMEA
• East Central
• Geode
• Great River
• Hawkeye
• JDC
• Lincolnway
• Mid-Iowa
• Mississippi Bend
• Northeast Iowa
• Polk Suburban
• Siouxland
• South Central
• Southwest

ISEA Headquarters Executive Division

Chris Bern,  ISEA President
Joann Randall, confidential secretary
Mary Jane Cobb, executive director
Janet Wilson, administrative assistant to executive director
Randy Richardson, associate executive director
Sheryl Ballard, director of affiliate services
James Smith, associate executive director for advocacy services
John Hanrahan, associate executive director
Barb Langel, director of employee benefits and facilities

Advocacy Services

Christy Hickman, staff counsel
Jay Hammond, staff counsel
Robin Burkhalter, secretary

Bargaining and Research

Gary Meyer, database/systems analyst
Jon Studer, government relations/research specialist
Joann Mackin, advocacy specialist
Ellen Stone , secretary

Business Office

Greg Bodin, custodian/office services processor
Pegi Davis-Donovan, accounting technician
Rodney Larimer, building maintenance engineer
Aubrey Atkin, Receptionist/Secretary
Khay Lo, accounting technician
Corey Marquardt, network operations manager
Craig Tingwald, offset press operator/office services processor

Communications

Tamara Kuhn, editor/communications specialist
Jean M. Hessburg, public relations/membership specialist
Cheri Swanson, secretary

Government Relations

Brad Hudson, government relations specialist
Jon Studer, government relations/research specialist

Membership

Melrita Hamilton, director of membership and support services
Doug Smith, membership technician

Teaching and Learning

David Wilkinson, teaching and learning specialist
Kathy Bosovich, secretary

ISEA UniServ Units

Northern Pride UniServ Unit-- Mora Zinn, director; Denise Cook, secretary
UniServ Unit Two-- Jane Elerding and Sandra Goveia, directors; Michele Alden, secretary
Lincolnway UniServ Unit-- Myron Halverson  and Peri Van Tassel, directors; Linda Sporrer, secretary
Mid-Iowa UniServ Unit-- Stan Burke, director; Deb Pennington, secretary
Southwest UniServ Unit-- John Phillips and Pat Shipley, directors; Marilyn Paul, secretary
South Central Unit 8-- Jim Crotty, director; Susan Harter, secretary
State Unit Nine-- Carol Haupert, director; Shelley Bettis, secretary
UniServ Unit Ten-- Steve King, director; Jodi Erpelding, secretary
Des Moines Education Association-- Greg Harris and Marinus van Kuilenburg , directors; Kathleen Crouse and Maria Howlett, secretaries
Polk Suburban UniServ Unit-- Wayne Bauman , and Peri Van Tassel, directors; Deb Pennington, secretary
Mississippi Bend UniServ Unit-- Lynette Claeys, director; Mary Guy, Secretary
JDC UniServ Unit-- Bob Brown, director; Lora Henkel, secretary
Geode UniServ Unit-- Suzanne Card, director; Susan Harter and Shelley Bettis, secretaries
Siouxland UniServ Unit-- Bruce Lear, director; Lori Boyd, secretary
East Central UniServ Unit-- Jeremy Kunz and Coy Marquardt, directors; Connie Esser, secretary
Hawkeye UniServ Unit--Shelly Staker, director; Mary Hoffman, secretary
Northeast Iowa Education Unit-- Bev Crumb-Gesme and Kevin McDermott, directors; Linda Alderson, secretary
Great River UniServ Unit-- Linda Schneider, director; Mary Guy, secretary
Cedarwood UniServ Unit-- Kathy Krehbiel, director; Regan Bloomquist, secretary

ISEA members in more than 400 affiliated local associations across the state can take advantage of a variety of programs and services designed to help them provide the best possible educational opportunities for Iowa's public school students. Here is a brief overview:

Educational quality

The ISEA has emerged as the state and national leader in creating a vision for the future of public education--a vision where schools are the center of the community and where educators and other school employees have all the support and resources they need. The Association also devotes financial resources and staff assistance to help local educators and their communities better meet the needs of today's and tomorrow's students.

High standards

The ISEA monitors the Department of Education and other agencies that establish rules and regulations to ensure that nothing but the highest professional standards are maintained. The ISEA also works closely with the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Professional development

The ISEA provides a variety of learning opportunities and support to help educators deal with current issues and concerns.

Public relations and community support

The ISEA knows how important it is to bring public education's message before the community, businesses, and political leaders. We regularly launch major public relations campaigns, form coalitions with other education and community organizations, and work to increase parental involvement in education.

Lobbying and political action

It's a fact of life that every decision that affects education is a political decision. That's why the ISEA has developed a comprehensive program to help make public education issues an important part of the campaigns of candidates at all levels. Through our political action arm, ISEA-PAC, Association members interview candidates about their views on education-related issues, issue recommendations on which candidates are most supportive of public education, and work to help get pro-education candidates elected. Once the elections are over, however, the ISEA goes to work as one of the most influential lobbying groups at the state Capitol.

Contract bargaining and maintenance

Local association bargaining teams have made significant strides toward making teaching salaries competitive and improving working conditions for educators. With the help and support they get from the ISEA headquarters and UniServ field staff, Association members are able to clearly define the procedures and policies that govern job transfers, leaves, schedules, supplemental pay, and staff reduction. And when disputes arise over how contracts are interpreted, members use their negotiated grievance procedure, including binding arbitration, to resolve their problems.

Rights protection

The ISEA Advocacy Services division employs three full-time in-house attorneys who are experts in school law and employment-related issues. They, along with the 27 UniServ directors in 10 regional offices across the state, protect members' rights in cases ranging from threatened contract terminations to Board of Educational Examiners complaints. Association members also receive a $1 million liability insurance policy to protect them against job-related legal action.

150th Anniversary
Celebrating 150 years of Excellence

• In search of a profession • 1854-1915
• The evolution of an organization • 1915-1954
• An organization comes of age • 1960-1970
• A major lobbying force emerges • 1970-1980
• A profession under siege • 1980-1990
• A new movement is born • 1990-2000
• The dawn of a new century • 2000 and beyond

ISEA History

Here's a brief look at the events that have shaped the ISEA and public education over the years:

1854

The first meeting of the Iowa State Teachers Association is held at the Muscatine County Courthouse in Muscatine on May 10. John. A Parvin is elected the organization's first chairman.

1863

For the first time, women are admitted as full members of the ISTA.

1876

Years of work by the ISTA pays off with the founding of the first teacher training institution, the Iowa State Normal School at Cedar Falls.

1882

ISTA successfully lobbies the Legislature to create an Educational Board of Examiners to govern teacher certification.

1911

The ISTA-backed Better Iowa Schools Commission recommends education improvements to the 35th Iowa General Assembly which ultimately approves measures to strengthen teacher certification requirements and establish minimum teacher salaries based on preparation and experience.

1917

The ISTA undergoes remarkable growth with the hiring of Charles F. Pye as the first full-time "executive secretary." He and his staff of three move into the Association's first office at the Youngerman Building in downtown Des Moines.

1918

The ISTA acquires Midland Schools magazine which serves as a popular and award-winning voice of the Association for more than 50 years.

1926

As its staff and programs continue to expand, the ISTA moves to a suite of offices at the Shops Building in downtown Des Moines.

1939

Agnes Samuelson, former state superintendent and NEA president, becomes ISTA executive secretary. Over the course of her six-year tenure, she lays the foundation for the ISEA to emerge as the true advocacy organization it is today.

1943

ISTA issues its most ambitious and progressive program for growth yet, "The Blueprint for the Future," which provides for the expansion of staff in the areas of research, publicity, public relations, teacher welfare, and the field service operation.

1948

The ISEA, as it is now called, joins with the Iowa Farm Bureau, The Iowa Congress of Parents and Teachers, and a number of other state organizations to elect people to office who are friendly to education. Those efforts pay off over the next few years with the passage of legislation creating sick leave for teachers, increasing state aid to schools, and establishing the state Board of Public Instruction.

1953

After years of work, the ISEA at long last wins the establishment of a sound retirement program for teachers and other public employees -- the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System (IPERS).

1954

ISEA members raise the $300,000 necessary to purchase Salisbury House, a 41-room mansion fashioned after a Tudor castle in Salisbury, England. Called a "living memorial to teachers," Salisbury House serves as the Association's headquarters until 1999.

1963

A new publication, the ISEA Communique, debuts in September as a supplement to the popular Midland Schools magazine. Later that year, the ISEA Delegate Assembly calls for improvements in the continuing contract law requiring school districts to provide a written statement of reasons when terminating a teacher's contract.

1967

The ISEA's field staff grows to five and the Association wins significant legislation including the creation of a Professional Practices Commission, improvements in the continuing contract law, and an increase in the salary figure used to calculate IPERS benefits.

1970

In this milestone year, the ISEA receives funding for a new program called "UniServ," the Iowa Political Action Committee for Education (IPACE) is born, and Keokuk teachers stage the first teacher strike because of the school board's refusal to accept a compromise salary proposal made by an impartial third party.

1971

The ISEA censures the State Legislature for its lack of support for school funding. That action results in the creation of a landmark school aid formula. Later that year, ISEA challenges the Nixon administration's wageprice freeze and convinces school districts to pay teachers based on their 1971-72 contracted salaries.

1972

The ISEA wins a court ruling clarifying that pregnant teachers cannot be forced to resign, that they can use their accumulated sick leave for maternity purposes, and that they have the right to return to work following their maternity leave. After more than three years of litigation, that decision is upheld in the Iowa Supreme Court in 1975.

1974

After ten long years of lobbying, ISEA members at last witness the historic passage of the collective bargaining bill for public employees. Also in that year, ISEA secures passage of legislation to create 15 area education agencies.

1976

The Iowa Legislature passes landmark legislation to protect teachers against arbitrary and capricious firings, capping a 13-year Association battle.

1978

Following a massive ISEA media campaign, the Iowa Legislature provides funding to help districts cope with the effects of declining enrollment.

1980

The ISEA launches its "Take Pride in Iowa Schools" media campaign to create an awareness of Iowa's high quality educational system and to fight back against the growing anti-public education sentiment of the conservative right wing movement. At the same time, the Association launches an all-out effort to defeat a proposed Constitutional Convention to limit taxes and government spending on education and other vital services.

1983

Following the release of the infamous "A Nation at Risk" report warning of the "rising tide of mediocrity" in public education, the ISEA becomes the first organization in the state and in the nation to issue a comprehensive proposal for improving Iowa schools. The report, "Achieving Excellence in Our Schools: Major Areas for Renewal," sets the tone for the school reform movement that follows.

1987

The Iowa Legislature approves the historic three-phased Educational Excellence Act which pumps more than $100 million into teachers' pockets.

1990

The ISEA convenes the first in a series of conferences featuring labor-management consultant Pat Dolan in which teachers and administrators explore site-based decision making and how schools can restructure to better meet student needs. That work leads to the creation of the New Iowa Schools Development Corporation in 1991, the nation's first organization dedicated to encouraging and supporting local school transformation efforts.

1991

After more than a year of research and information gathering, the ISEA releases Time for a Change, the nation's first report on the future of education from the classroom teacher's perspective.

1993

With the advent of the Iowa Communications Network (ICN), the nation's first state-run fiber optic network, Iowa educators enter a new age of distance learning and the ISEA works to help shape the system into a positive teaching and learning tool.

1995

The ISEA launches its "Kids 1st" campaign, an ambitious legislative plan to restore funding cuts to schools. It is met with moderate success.

1996

The ISEA becomes one of the first state associations to have a presence in cyberspace with the launch of its Web site. ISEA also pioneers a non-adversarial approach to negotiations, called "interest-based bargaining," and wins significant improvements in IPERS, including the "Rule of 88."

1999

After a constitutional amendment to limit government spending on schools and other public services (the Stanley Amendment) is pushed through the Legislature, the ISEA leads a 28-member coalition to defeat the measure at the ballot box. The amendment is soundly defeated in a June 29 special election. The ISEA moves into its new headquarters building in downtown Des Moines.

2000

As a new millennium begins, the ISEA sounds the warning that Iowa is on the brink of a critical teacher shortage which threatens the quality of education. That effort pays off in the following year when the Legislature approves a landmark teacher compensation law which promises to significantly raise salaries over the next few years.

2004

The ambitious goals outlined in the so-called teacher compensation law are still not realized as a faltering economy results in the loss of more than $250 million in promised funding for K-12 schools, area education agencies, and community colleges. As the ISEA begins its sesquicentennial year, we join with the Iowa Association of School Boards, School Administrators of Iowa, and the Iowa PTA in an unprecedented campaign to convince lawmakers to "Fund Our Future."