Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1543424
Congress Renews Critical Funding for Rural Schools As a result of an organizing effort by educators, Congress passed the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Reauthorization Act in December. This renews critical funding to support rural counties with school resources, road maintenance, wildfire mitigation, public safety and other community needs. Rural schools educate one in five public school students — more than 7 million students, plus another 2.5 million attending rural schools in districts not designated "rural" by the Census Bureau. An NEA story reported that for some communities, the lack of sustained SRS funding has taken a devastating toll. Educator shortages are especially acute in rural communities, where salaries and working conditions make it difficult to recruit and retain. Rural school districts are often communities' largest employers, so educator and funding shortages disproportionately impact local economies. NEA President Becky Pringle noted that SRS funds directly support students' curricular needs. "Our kids deserve rich and varied curricula. They need science labs and music. They need sports and art." Grow Your Leadership Skills With EMEID Applications for CTA's 2026 Ethnic Member Early Identification and Development (EMEID) program open on Feb 20. The deadline to apply is April 8, 2026. EMEID identifies BIPOC CTA members who are interested in expanding their roles in our union. EMEID's goal is to increase the number of CTA leaders of color in roles such as local president, bargaining chair, State Council rep and more. EMEID builds on existing CTA/NEA programs, trainings, conferences and events and incorporates interaction and coaching from participants' chapters, CTA and NEA leadership and CTA staff. Accepted participants must attend the orientation on July 14 and the Emerging Leaders Program at CTA's Summer Institute, July 15–19. Visit cta.org/emeid for details and to apply. The 2025-26 EMEID cohort pictured at January State Council with CTA officers and executive director. CTA Institute for Teaching Grants Don't miss this opportunity to bring your ideas to life! The Institute for Teaching grant program puts resources directly into your hands, helping you create learning experiences that truly serve your students and schools. Applications are now open for Educator Grants, awarded to PK-12 teachers and certificated support staff, ESP members and college instructors. Deadline to apply is April 2, 2026. Here's what's available: • Individual Grant: Up to $5,000 for individual educators to impact a classroom or group of students • Team Grant: Up to $20,000 for teams of two or more educators to make an impact across multiple classrooms or school sites within the same CTA local chapter. For more information, examples of previous grant projects, and to apply, visit instituteforteaching.org. 11 W I N T E R 2 0 26