Legislation and Federal Relations, 1860-2000
Scope and Contents note
The Legislation and Federal Relations Division series contains materials created by the Division. The files include materials such as correspondence, court rulings and amici curiae, legislative bills, testimonies, publications, brochures, publicity materials, and training materials.
These records cover many of the key initiatives NEA has become famous for, such as the establishment of a Department of Education, promotion of the Equal Rights Amendment and Title IX. Other areas of possible research interest are materials relating to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, National Advisory Committee on Education, and the relationships between U.S. Presidents and the NEA.
Dates
- Creation: 1860-2000
Creator
- From the Fonds: National Education Association of the United States (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access note
Several folders in this subseries are subject to review by Special Collections staff before being made available for research. Folders including the Conflict of Interest files, Equal Rights Amendment-Idaho v. Freeman, and Equal Rights Amendment-Correspondence-Miscellaneous have been identified as containing sensitive materials. As researchers request materials, a review of the documents will take place. Staff will remove any documents with social security numbers, employee numbers or other sensitive identifying information. Any document found including this information is closed for 90 years from date of creation, or until verifiable proof of a person’s death is given. After these documents are removed the folder will be available for research. In some cases, items may be photocopied and redacted. The redacted copy will then be placed in the publicly available folder. All other materials in a folder will be freely available for immediate use and will be marked as having been reviewed by Special Collections staff. After folders have been reviewed using these procedures and the confidential materials have been removed, the restriction shall be lifted.
Biographical/Historical note
The Legislation and Federal Relations Division was introduced at the annual meeting in 1943 in Indianapolis; it officially became a division of NEA in 1944.
The Division works with the Legislative Commission, but reports to the Executive Secretary. With the Legislative Commission, it helps to create policies that are then recommended to the Representative Assembly.
Legislation and Federal Relations represents the education profession in federal legislative matters relating to the field as well as the relationships between education and federal agencies. It also serves as a liaison between such agencies and the many divisions, departments, committees and commissions of NEA.
The Division analyzes bills that affect education, as well as working with legislators before bills are introduced, so as to help determine provisions that are deemed favorable by the education profession. According to the 1953-1954 NEA Handbook, “At all times, the Division seeks to assure that federal decisions affecting education are made after full consideration of their educational implications and to bring to the attention of federal authorities the educational problems that merit federal assistance.”
Sources: 1953-1954 NEA Handbook
Extent
32.5 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement note
Arranged alphabetically by title, and chronologically within the same title.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University Repository
George Washington University Gelman Library
2130 H Street NW
Washington DC 20052 United States of America
speccoll@gwu.edu
