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You need a strong partner

TCTA is there for you

"I just want to focus on teaching."

That's a statement the Texas Classroom Teachers Association hears from teachers at every grade level, in every subject, throughout the state. TCTA understands how you want to spend your time and money, and why you became a teacher. Here's how being a TCTA member can help you focus on teaching:

Professional liability insurance of up to $7 million, with $2 million for civil rights coverage so you don't have to worry about employment-related lawsuits. Read more about it on our professional liability insurance page.

Access to eight experienced attorneys when you need answers or help, by toll-free telephone call, or for more general queries, through an online Ask-A-Lawyer connection to the TCTA Legal Department (members only).

Strong advocacy on your behalf, working for you in Austin and Washington. When the influential political publication Capitol Inside named the top 10 public sector lobby groups in its Texas Lobby Power Rankings 2004, not all teacher associations made the list—TCTA was in the top five.

During the 2003 regular session of the Texas Legislature, TCTA was the ONLY teacher association to initiate successful bills, including those ensuring:

  • authorization for less frequent appraisals
  • teacher grading authority
  • lost textbooks and educational technology are not the teacher’s responsibility
  • restoration of the paperwork reduction act
  • improved pay/leave benefit options for active military personnel
  • disciplinary action notice for transfer students

Visit our advocacy section for more information on how TCTA represents you.

Information resources that can help you answer virtually any employment-related question, from certification issues to the requirements for being a master teacher. Your TCTA membership includes subscriptions to our award-winning materials, including the quarterly magazine, The Classroom Teacher; mailed Legislation or Education Updates and special e-mailed updates; and access to the members-only sections of this Web site, where you'll find answers to legal queries, the latest details on education issues that affect you and your job, today's headline posts and more.

Reasonable annual dues of just $110 per year for active membership, and this INCLUDES professional liability insurance of up to $7 million, with $2 million for civil rights coverage. TCTA has other membership categories that also include this incredibly high level of liability insurance: First-year Texas teacher, annual dues of $75 and Associate membership, annual dues of $60. We also have a membership category for retired teachers, annual dues of just $15. Visit our TCTA membership requirements page to determine if you're eligible to join TCTA.

TCTA also offers FREE membership to college students seeking certification as Texas teachers! This free membership provides all benefits available to other members, and gives students FREE liability insurance coverage for the semester in which they'll be student teaching; additional coverage is available for $10 per semester. Click here for more information and access the online student membership application.

We also give you...

A dependable, independent source of information whenever you need it. Are you wondering what your rights are? Have you received a directive that doesn't sound quite right? Have you been contacted by a member of the media and you're not sure what to say? If you're a TCTA member, you have experts to call for the answers. Visit our general information page for additional information on key staff contacts.

Discount programs and services that can save you a lot more than you spend on dues! You can save time and money on a VISA credit card, a cell phone, car rentals, hotels, bookstores, dental services, insurance and more. Check out our many money-saving programs are available to members.

TCTA gives you quality and value
How can we do this?

  • We do not accept administrators as members, so you don't subsidize their higher legal and insurance costs. TCTA doesn’t accept administrators for the same reason their associations don’t take teachers: to ensure there is no conflict of interest and enable your professional organization to focus on YOU and YOUR needs.
  • We don't have to support a national union so not one dime of your money is used for union interests in other states.
  • We only spend your money in areas that benefit you.

Several ways to join

TCTA is an independent association for Texas teaching professionals, which was founded in 1927 and now has 50,000 members across the state. We offer many ways for you to join, including payroll deduction; providing a check or credit card information with your mailed form; and joining online with your credit card using our secure, fully encrypted system!

Need an application?

If you are eligible for membership and would like to join TCTA, we invite you to fill out an online TCTA membership application or contact TCTA headquarters at 1-888-879-8282 (a toll-free call in Texas).