User:Billhurley/Wisconsin Education Association Council

The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) is an association representing the public policy, labor and professional interests of its 98,000 members. It is affiliated with the National Education Association http://www.nea.org. Its headquarters are located in Madison, Wisconsin.

WEAC membership includes: * Teachers, counselors and library media specialists in Wisconsin public K-12 schools. * Education support professionals — secretaries, teacher aides, bus drivers, custodians, cooks — employed in public K-12 schools. * Faculty and support staff in the Wisconsin Technical College System. * Active retired members. * University students who are studying to be educators. * Education and information professionals who are employed by the state and work in the Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Technical College System, State Historical Society, at other state schools and libraries, and in state prisons and other institutions, including the Centers for the Developmentally Disabled.

History

WEAC began as a statewide educational organization of teachers and administrators in 1853. After passage of a collective bargaining law for public employees, it evolved into a pro-active teachers union and in 1972 changed its name to the Wisconsin Education Association Council. Later, WEAC expanded its membership to education support staff, as well as UW, technical college and State of Wisconsin education and information professionals.

WEAC represents its members in areas such as collective bargaining, legislation, professional development and support and public relations. WEAC also advocates on behalf of the 865,000 children in Wisconsin public schools.

The WEAC website is at http://www.weac.org.