At the heart of our mission is a dedication to Tennessee’s teachers, encompassing tens of thousands of elementary and secondary teachers, school administrators, education support professionals, higher education faculty, and students aspiring to become educators. TEA actively engages in protecting and advocating for the core values that form the foundation of our work. These values include a commitment to democracy, where all voices are heard and protected, ensuring compromise and consensus for the common good. We believe in equal opportunity as a basic civil right, emphasizing that access to a free quality public education is the gateway to equal opportunities in our society. Through advocacy and collaborative action, we view advocacy as a vehicle through which the representative voice of our members advances the interests of the profession and the students we educate. We firmly believe that working together enhances both our professional status and the quality of public education.