The Association of American Educators serves educators in all fifty states.

Founded in 1994 the Association of American Educators (AAE) serves more than 30,000 educators, retired educators, and pre-service educators throughout the country. For 30 years AAE has been a leader in individual educator rights and teacher advocacy.

AAE is committed to a teaching profession that is student oriented, well respected, and personally fulfilling. AAE is dedicated to restoring the true teacher voice to policy debates and implementation.

FAQs

Who is eligible for membership?

AAE has membership levels for educators at all stages of their career, including:

• professional membership ($19.50/month) that includes liability insurance, job protection coverage, teacher license protection, discounts, newsletters, and more;

• student membership ($49/year) that includes liability insurance;

• retired membership ($39/year) that includes discounts and newsletters; and

• associate membership ($39/year) for private practice educators, supporters, and others that includes discounts and newsletters.

Anyone who receives a W-2 from an educational entity (e.g. public, public charter, parochial, or private school, university, or college) is eligible for the liability insurance and legal protection included in professional membership.

When can I join?

Anytime. Unlike other associations AAE does not have narrow opt-out or opt-in windows. Start your membership today. End your membership at any time.

The liability insurance policy purchased for you as part of your professional membership will not cover incidents that occur prior to your joining the association. Sort of how you can’t buy car insurance after the accident.

How does Job Protection Coverage work?

If you are threatened with a job action (termination, suspension, demotion, or involuntary transfer) contact the AAE office to start working with our legal team. A claim will be filed to activate job protection benefits, which provide up to $1,500 to consult with an attorney of your choice (or AAE will help you find one) and an additional $2,500 to work with an attorney if a hearing is requested. That means if you use legal services even one time, and it provides $4,000 in attorney’s fees, that is the equivalent of more than 17 years of dues!

If the hearing still ends in your termination, suspension, demotion, or involuntary transfer and you decide to file suit and you win or settle favorably, the policy covers up to $8,000 for attorney’s services (after $100 deductible).

Throughout the process you work with our legal services department, led by Sharon Nelson, AAE’s Director of Legal Services, who has more than two decades of experience protecting employees.

Job Protection Coverage is an endorsement included in the liability insurance policy that is purchased on your behalf when you become a Professional Member.

How does Teacher License Protection work?

Similar to Job Protection Coverage, Teacher License Protection is an endorsement included in the liability insurance policy that is purchased on your behalf when you become a Professional Member.

If you are named in a lawsuit seeking non-monetary relief (i.e. non-pecuniary relief), the policy will cover up to 90% of the reasonable and necessary attorney’s fees that you are legally obligated to pay, subject to a maximum payment by the insurance company of $35,000.

What is covered by the liability insurance policy?

You will be protected against a broad range of exposures, including the following allegations (whether those allegations are true or false):

• Injuries to students under your supervision

• Failure to educate

• Violation of students' civil rights

• Hiring unqualified persons

• Failure to promote students or grant credit

• Improper methods of instruction

Each policy is an individual policy, which means there is no group aggregate. Defense costs are paid in addition to the liability limit.

Read a copy of the policy.

Don’t I have liability insurance through my school?

While most likely your district will have liability insurance, this policy must protect the district, schools board members, trustees, administrators and teachers and must defend everything from their student admission policies to their employment practices. Institutions can end up spending millions of dollars to defend a case against them and the related damages or settlement amounts. If the district's policy is not broad enough — or exhausts its liability limits — you may find yourself personally and financially liable for alleged action or inaction.

I have more questions, who can I talk to?

Contact our membership team today! 1-800-704-7799

Join AAE today.