Lexington Education Association

A strong voice for outstanding public schools

 

Welcome
to the LEA!

 

Who We Are

The LEA is the sole collective bargaining representative and the professional association of 789 Lexington educators. All LEA members are also members of the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association (97,000 members) and the National Education Association (2.7 million members). 

  • Unit A of the LEA is comprised of 650 professional, certified staff: regular and special education teachers, nurses, counselors, librarians, technology integration specialists, social workers, psychologists, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, and curriculum leaders.
  • Unit C of the LEA is comprised of 133 Instructional Assistants (IAs) and Student Support Instructors (SSIs) who work with teachers at all levels to provide ESL and special education services.
  • Unit D of the LEA is comprised of administrative assistants, secretaries, clerks, student support personnel, and registrars.
  • The Technology Unit of the LEA is comprised of 13 highly skilled hardware, software, and networking specialists.

Together, WE are the LEA.

 

What We Do

What are the BENEFITS of being a member of the LEA?  

  • A way to support our colleagues when they need it
  • Having a voice in collective bargaining, salary and working conditions
  • Having a clear understanding of what is expected for my job
  • Being part of a group that works to build morale and ensures equity and job parity 
  • Job security
  • Meeting people from around the district 
  • Legal representation when needed
  • Someone to turn to when things go wrong 

What are the RESOURCES that the LEA offers its members?

  • Access to legal representation and licensure help when needed
  • Access to professional development opportunities with others from across the state and country
  • Building reps help to answer questions and ensure member rights are being enforced
  • Access to MTA benefits (including discounts and insurance)
  • Avenues to assure that the district is following the contract


What are the recent ACHIEVEMENTS of the LEA?

  • Current contracts for Units A (licensed educators), C (Aides) and Technology workers
  • Competitive pay raises
  • A decrease in observations and evidence for Unit A Supervision and Evaluation
  • Negotiating for greater equity in workload in all units
  • A reduction in the mandatory meetings for Unit A
  • Building reps and others work out problems before they get bigger
  • More voices in long-term planning (ex: joint labor management committees)
  • Equalized paychecks for Unit C
  • A more consistent scheme for Unit C job classifications.  
  • Weather-related paid time off for “10 month” employees
  • Getting kindergarten aides getting representation and fair pay (in progress!) 
  • Being a part of a statewide effort to increase Chapter 70 School funding for schools across the state! 
  • “Good cause” clauses in the contract for Units C, D and Techs 
  • Advocating for high quality and appropriate training for all employees


What are the GOALS of our members? What are the GOALS of the association?

  • Better medical insurance
  • Provide and ensure a safe and productive work environment
  • Make our schools safe for students and staff
  • Members: focus on the students, focus on the job, professional treatment
  • LEA: unite for common purpose
  • Fair and equitable pay and treatment for members