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Leader Resources is a one-stop-shop for all the training materials, documents and forms to support your students, colleagues and the profession.

Stay up-to-date with all the latest California teachers news, events, and member benefits.

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Leader Resources provides trainings, documents and forms that CTA leaders need to best serve their local chapter and members. Download, save and share.

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Instruction and Professional Development (IPD)

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Transforming Students and Communities

A community school is the heart of a community, uniting diverse and engaged stakeholders to make the school community stronger and support the Whole Child - meaning children are not just supported in academics, but are learning in environments that make them feel safe, valued, engaged, challenged, and healthy.

Community schools provide not only tremendous opportunities for learning and success for students, but also offer hope, opportunity, and transformation to entire communities.

Learn how we work together to transform the lives of our students and help them achieve their ultimate potential.

Watch This! What Are Community Schools?

Resources and Recommended Reading

Community Schools Cohort 1 and 2

Currently, school districts that have received or will receive California Community Schools Partnership Program funding fall into two cohorts - those in the 2021-22 grant cycle for Planning and Implementation grants (Cohort 1), and those in the 2022-23 grant cycle for Planning and Implementation grants. There were only two rounds for Planning Grants. There are multiple rounds for Implementation Grants.

CCSPP Extension Grants are for CCSPP Implementation grantees to extend CCSPP funding for an additional two years, beginning in the 2025-26 fiscal year. More information on all grants are available here .

CCSPP has not published the 2022-23 grantees yet.

A Community School in Full Bloom

Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 Community School in San Francisco is transforming the community through its visionary social justice lens that allows students and their families to analyze the current social reality, empowering them to change the community for the betterment of all.

Share Your Story with Us

Do you have a question, or are you currently involved with a community school and would like to share your experience?

We'd like to hear from you! Please share your story with us by filling out the form below.

When educators and allies raise our voices together, anything is possible. This is how we win the public education every student deserves.

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Check out more community schools news and resources. Learn how to create a community school that meets the specific needs of your students and community.

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Disability Rights are Human Rights

We have created resources to help you inside and outside of the classroom.

Check out our IEP Team Meeting Short Video Series!

This three part short video series is meant to inform best practices for IEP team meetings and is a great resource for new and veteran educators, alike!

Did you know that 1 in 5 Americans has a disability?

When educators and allies raise our voices together, anything is possible. This is how we win the public education every student deserves.

Stay up-to-date with all the latest California teachers news, events, and member benefits.

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Membership Matters

Together, Our Voices Create Change

Because we can accomplish more together. Because CTA provides resources and training. Because through collective action we can bring about change for our students, ourselves, and each other.

Whether you're a veteran educator, preparing to retire, or fresh on the scene, we're all in it together, united in our commitment to strengthen public education for all students.

The Power of Membership

Since 1863, CTA has been fighting for educators and the students they serve. At the local level, members bargain for fair working and learning conditions, so they can ensure that school districts provide the schools all students deserve. CTA members join a long and vibrant legacy of fighting for equity by lifting up the voices of the unheard and winning resources for schools and students. CTA members individually and collectively are the best and most important advocates for public education and the professionals that make it possible.

The combined strength of CTA's 310,000 members and NEA's 3.2 million members makes us powerful and passionate advocates for you at the state and national levels. That means that just by joining CTA, you're helping an education support professional in another district bargain a living wage right now. And another educator, just by being a member, helped get you discounts through Member Benefits and CTA Access to Savings.

Building Your Skills

CTA offers top-notch professional development opportunities designed to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Whether it's attending one of our conferences, participating in a training or workshop, or applying for a scholarship or grant, CTA can help you be the best educator you can be!

Our statewide conferences deliver knowledge and skills for CTA members on a variety of topics including teaching and learning, racial justice and equity, LGBTQ+, education advocacy, new and veteran educator issues, and regional conferences. When you attend a CTA conference, you experience engaging workshops and sessions, perspective from some of the best content experts and thought leaders in public education, and opportunities to network with colleagues.

The Benefits of Membership

There are benefits when we stand together. CTA and NEA used the purchasing power of CTA's 310,000 and NEA's 3.2 million members to negotiate favorable deals for you. A few of the more notable benefits include:

Educator Employment Liability Insurance

Group Legal Service

Everyday Savings

Disaster Relief

Travel & Entertainment Discounts

Life and Disability Insurance

Auto and Home Insurance Deals

Powerful Advocates

There is strength in numbers, like 310,000 members strong. Through collective action, we lead our profession. Monitoring the legislative process and advocating for laws that achieve gains for students, teachers and public education are cornerstones of our mission. We also advocate for you at the bargaining table, in the community, and in your schools. We advocate so all students - regardless of family circumstances, where they live, where they were born, how they look, who they love, or the language they speak - have the right to a public education that helps them reach their full potential. Members are the best advocates, and to that end we enable members like you to speak with unity and authority on the issues that matter.

Join Us

Join your fellow colleagues in union. Join California teachers, counselors, school librarians, social workers, psychologists, community college faculty, nurses and education support professionals in advocating for students and each other. Become a CTA Member today.

When educators and allies raise our voices together, anything is possible. This is how we win the public education every student deserves.

Stay up-to-date with all the latest California teachers news, events, and member benefits.

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Because we can accomplish more together. Because through collective action we can bring about change for our students, ourselves, and each other.

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6. Community Support Services

In community schools, educators recognize that students often come to school with challenges that impact their ability to learn, explore, and develop in the classroom.

Wraparound services are integrated into the fabric of the school.

Because learning does not happen in isolation, community schools provide meals, health care, mental-health counseling, and other services before, during, and after school. These wraparound services are integrated into the fabric of the school that follows the Whole Child tenets.

Connections to the community are critically important so support services and referrals are available for families and other community members.

According to the Annenberg Institute, wraparound services that support students and their families are a critical component for improving high-poverty schools.

These services address issues resulting in hunger, illness and exhaustion by bringing nutrition programs, health services and other supports into the school.

Programs assisting families in English language acquisition and job training are also provided.

Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child

The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model, developed and released by the US Centers for Disease Control and ASCD, is the next generation of coordinated school health. This model can be used to ensure that students and the school environment are healthy, safe, and supported.

Health and student services are key components of the Community Schools model. Counseling, psychological, social services, and health services are often located within the school or in nearby community service centers.

A school's food services play a distinct role in addressing student hunger and nutrition needs, which often pose challenges for low-income students and their families.

Many students needing these services are identified by the school's administrators and teachers, but often by education support professionals, including bus drivers, secretaries, cafeteria workers, and custodians.

Education Support Professionals (ESPs) are frequently the most immediate and direct conduit into the school community, for the majority not only work, but also live nearby.

Additionally, ESPs frequently serve more than one school site and may act as a liaison between schools, as well as between school staff and community agencies.

School-Based Health Centers

In 2014, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) established a School-based Health Center (SBHC) Task Force that reviewed research studies and report on outcomes.

Low-income, racial and ethnic minority students commonly experience health issues, are less likely to have a usual health care provider, and miss more days of school because of illness than do their more economically and socially advantaged peers.

They are also more likely to come to school hungry. In addition, they often have problems with vision, oral health, and hearing. SBHCs may address some of these obstacles, which can be critical to students' education and long-term health.

The DDHS study reported on major findings including: SBHCs led to improved educational outcomes including school performance, grade promotion, and high school completion.

SBHCs also led to improved health outcomes including the delivery of vaccinations and other recommended preventive services, and decreases in asthma morbidity, and emergency department and hospital admission rates.

SBHCs provide primary health services to students in grades K-12 and may be offered within the school or in school-linked centers. SBHCs are often established in schools that serve predominantly low-income communities.

SBHCs may have the following characteristics:

A single clinician providing primary care services or a multi-disciplinary team providing comprehensive services

Mental health care, social services, dentistry, and health education

Ability to extend services to school staff, student family members, and others within the surrounding community.

Adult Education Programs

Adult learners include a wide range of individuals with different motivations for continuing or restarting their schooling.

Community schools may be a hub for adult learning:

Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED) programs for students who have dropped out of school before completion;

English as a Second-Language classes;

citizenship classes for immigrant families;

literacy and numeracy programs for those with minimal skills; course completion for community college or job training program eligibility;

opportunities to learn or expand knowledge and use of various technological tools; and

personal enrichment.

The school becomes a community center by engaging the community's adults, including students' family members, in education programs that address their learning needs.

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Community Schools are public schools that provide services and support that fit each neighborhood's needs, created and run by the people who know our children best-all working together.

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REGARDING ATTACK, ASSAULT, OR PHYSICAL THREAT OF A TEACHER OR PARAPROFESSIONAL (as defined in California Education Code 44014)

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Use the form below to order printed membership materials.
Please enter the quantity of materials you would like.

When educators and allies raise our voices together, anything is possible. This is how we win the public education every student deserves.

Stay up-to-date with all the latest California teachers news, events, and member benefits.

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Use the form below to order printed membership materials. Please enter the quantity of materials you would like. When educators and allies raise our voices together, anything is possible. This is how we win the public education every student deserves. Stay up-to-date with all the latest California teachers news, events, and member benefits.

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Mental Health & Wellness

Featured mental health and wellness resources for leaders and CTA Chapters

This ten-year road map covers 10 priorities for the next 10 years to create healthier schools for students.

The Planning for the Next Normal at School playbook is an evolving collection of recommendations, co-authored by Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Action for Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools Campaign, SHAPE America, and FutureEd to address the total health needs of the school community for in-person and virtual learning environments. The playbook provides a framework to understand, assess, and implement strategies for COVID-19 prevention, social drivers of health, physical activity and physical education, staff and teacher well-being, mental health and well-being, and funding.

Stay up-to-date with all the latest California teachers news, events, and member benefits.

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It is critical to practice intentional self-care and aware of the toll of the times on our mental health. Your union is here for you.

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Social Emotional Learning is a fundamental component of education that helps build student and educator skills and emotional development.

SEL Resources

For the Classroom

The following resources may be useful to you in using SEL in your own classroom.

Additional SEL Resources

Here are some recorded trainings with an SEL focus that may interest you.

Micro-Certifications

Here is a micro-certification course on trauma-informed pedagogy that may interest you.

For more information on micro-certifications click here.

When educators and allies raise our voices together, anything is possible. This is how we win the public education every student deserves.

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Social Emotional Learning is a fundamental component of education that helps build student and educator skills and emotional development.

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Ask yourself, what do I need right now?

Mind-Body activities can help people tolerate discomfort better, help teach self-regulation, reduce meltdowns, lower stress, and create focus.

When to use: ANY TIME. Other ideas include brain breaks or transition to another activity, throughout the day, either before or after a challenging task.

Breathing techniques

Balloon breath: You can either breathe lying down in a resting position on their back, or sitting up. Practice breathing in deeply and at the same time "fill up a balloon" in their bellies. You may place one hand on your stomach to feel for the balloon. As you breathe out, "deflate the balloon".
Benefits: Relieve symptoms of stress, trigger the relaxation response
Ocean Breath: Breathe in through your nose and then exhale, opening your mouth and make a "haaaaa" sound, like an ocean wave. You can bein any seated, standing, or resting pose to do this. You may also put your palms together in front and then raise them to the sky as you breathe in and then lower them as you breathe out.
Benefits: Calms the mind, relaxes the neck and lower face
Lion's Breath: this technique can help discharge extra energy that you may have, especially if you are feeling angry or agitated.

1. Breathe in through the nose, open your mouth, stick out tongue and breathe out forcefully through mouth, making a face like a lion and aloud noise as you force the air out of your lungs.
Benefits: Relieves excess energy, relieves tension in the jaw, neck, and chest Mindfulness, Grounding, and Breathing Exercise
Close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so, or you can choose to gaze upon a non-living object. We're going to start by focusing on our feet if we are sitting in a chair, or your sitz bones if you are seated on the ground. Focus on the sensation you feel as your body connects with the ground. Let go of everything that was on your mind as you came in this morning. We are focused on being present in the moment. I want you to focus next on your breathing. Breathe in through your nose for five seconds and breathe out through your mouth, taking everything insidethat is distracting you out with your breath. As you breathe in, focus on your intention today. This time as you breathe out, breathe out through your nose, and try to breathe out for about 8 seconds. Practice at least three more breaths like this.

Components of Self-Care

Relationship with yourself: Be connected to your own body and sensations. Notice signs of stress, fatigue, and burnout.

Community: Find other teachers to connect with that are doing this work that you can connect with

Boundaries: Cultivate the courage to say no.

Downtime: Set aside time for hobbies and relaxation.

Significant relationships: Do you have relationships where you feel supported?

Self-Care and Self-Compassion
A Self-Awareness Practice to Tune-In:

Look around the room. Move your head to take in your environment, as if you have discovered a new place and you are curious about it. Track your body. Did you take a deep breath just by looking around? Tune into your body and notice what is there. You may close your eyes if you wish.

What sensations do you feel? Are there areas that feel tight? What's feeling good? Try to scan your sensations without placing judgment on them. Notice if there is a lack of sensation in any part.

What emotions do you feel? Are you eager? Are you nervous? Try to scan your emotions without placing judgment on top of them. Just observe, notice yourself.

Deliberately deepen your breath. Make a sound if you feel like it. Notice what happens as you do.

What we just practiced is called self-awareness.
Orienting and Grounding
Orienting: Sit comfortably in a chair with both feet on the ground. Slowly turn your head and look around at your environment. As you slowly check the room around you, try noticing objects that you find pleasant to look at.
Benefit: Re-orient you if you have a hypervigilant nervous system. Helps relax the body and is good to counteract anxiety, promotes mindfulness practice, and promotes self-regulation.
Grounding: You can do this either walking or sitting. If you are sitting, focus on the feeling of your feet on the floor and how your legs feel, without any judgement. If you are walking, focus on the feeling of your feet touching the ground and the feelings in your legs. This can help those who might feel dissociated to feel secure and empowered again.
Benefit: diminish states of activation in the nervous system, helps focus us back tow here we are instead of in our head space (helpful to people who are or have been impacted by trauma), helps counter dissociation. Research shows that regular grounding practice can help regulate strong emotions such as anger.

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Mind-Body activities can help people tolerate discomfort better, help teach self-regulation, reduce meltdowns, lower stress, and create focus. When to use: ANY TIME. Other ideas include brain breaks or transition to another activity, throughout the day, either before or after a challenging task.

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Mental Health & Wellness

Find mental health and wellness resources to help students address the challenges they may be facing as it relates to trauma and mental health.

Resources You Need Right Now

Educators are often the first to notice mental health problems. Here are some ways you can help students and their families.

The National Center for School Mental Health has compiled a list of web-based resources to assist school administrators, educators, health and mental health providers, parents/guardians, and other caring adults to better support students following traumatic events such as school shootings.

ED, HHS Issue Recommendations to Improve Young Children's Social-Emotional Development, Mental Health

The Departments of Education and Health and Human Services issued a Dear Colleague Letter with four recommendations to equitably support the social-emotional development and mental health of young children, on June 14, 2022.

The departments intend for the recommendations and action steps to help early childhood systems work collaboratively to ensure that young children and their caregivers have access to high-quality resources.

The Dear Colleague Letter addresses state, territorial, tribal, and local policymakers and administrators of systems, agencies, and programs responsible for young children's health and well-being, social-emotional development, and early learning.

A series of videos, to be released throughout the summer and hosted on the HHS Administration for Children and Families ' website, spotlights issues for supporting young children's mental health and well-being.

The letter, recommendations, and resources are part of ongoing work across the federal government to address mental health needs of children and their families.
Related Resources:

New Program: "Creating a Trusted Space"

The California Department of Education (CDE) and CalHope are hosting a 60-minute mini professional development program that includes a film and a research-based curriculum. The curriculum, "Creating a Trusted Space in Five Days," is designed to help teachers and other youth-serving adults work with students to create trusted atmospheres where healing and learning happen naturally.
It will be available free to all K-12 California educators, school staff, and youth-serving adults.
This program follows another critical mental health support program, "Angst: Building Resilience," which launched in October, 2021. Both programs are easy-to-use, free resources that can be implemented immediately across California schools. Register for this free program here: A Trusted Space

Stay up-to-date with all the latest California teachers news, events, and member benefits.

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Mental Health and Wellness Resources to Support Your Students

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Mental Health & Wellness Find mental health and wellness resources to help students address the challenges they may be facing as it relates to trauma and mental health. Educators are often the first to notice mental health problems. Here are some ways you can help students and their families.

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Instruction and Professional Development (IPD)

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Recently, the US Department of Education made changes to how the student loan forgiveness programs are administered. This session will explain the two loan forgiveness programs, the requirements, pitfalls to be cautious of, and ways to potentially lower monthly payments.

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Local Chapter Grant Programs - California Teachers Association

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Local Chapter Grant Programs offer financial resources to local chapters to support the development of a strategic organizing and member engagement plan as part of the CTA Organizing Plan.

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The CTA Board of Directors will award conference grants to upcoming CTA statewide conferences. These incentive grants are available to new members, BIPOC members, members from small chapters, and other categories based on the particular conference. Please see below for more details.

The grant application process is fast and easy. Even if you are interested in applying for a grant to more than one conference, you only need to fill out one application.

Follow these simple steps to apply:

1. You will need to apply online using your CTA email address where you receive CTA email. You will create a password to create your account. If you are a CTA 360 user, apply with your CTA 360 email and password.

2. Once logged in, click "CTA Statewide Conference Grant".

3. Update your contact and demographic information, select the conference(s) you wish to apply for, complete the application and submit your grant application.

You will receive an email confirmation once you submit. See below for details about each grant and what the conference grant covers. Applicants will be notified of the results of their application about 2 weeks after the cut-off date listed below.
Apply Now for a CTA Conference Grant

Available Conference Grants and Application Deadlines

Special Education Conference - October 6 - 8 , 2023 | Garden Grove, CA
Deadline to apply: August 10, 2023
LGBTQ+ Issues Conference - October 27 - 29 , 2023 | Margaritaville Resort, Palm Springs
Deadline to apply: August 10, 2023

Grant Details

The CTA Board of Directors will award incentive grants for members who qualify in the following categories:
BIPOC Grant
Grants are available to encourage BIPOC leadership within the Association, for members belonging to one of the following racial-ethnic groups:

African American

American Indian/Alaska Native

Asian

Hispanic

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

Multi-ethnic

Chapter Incentive Grant
Grants will be awarded to small chapters with a unit size of 100 or fewer active members.
New Member Grant
These grants are awarded to members in their first five years of membership with CTA.
Covered Costs for Grants

If selected for an incentive grant, the registration fee will be paid by CTA and the transportation costs will be reimbursed.

Housing costs at the conference hotel will be reimbursed based on double occupancy.

Attendance at each workshop time block will be verified by CTA before payment. Full conference participation from the start to the closing of the conference is required for transportation reimbursement. Grant recipients will be required to fill out a short questionnaire at the end of the conference.

NOTE: The applications must be completed by the applicant with the full knowledge and permission of the chapter president. Awarded grants are not transferable.

*Unit size is defined as the number of persons who are represented for purposes of collective bargaining. The chapter membership may be less than the unit size.

Travel Reimbursement
Air
Reimbursement is based on the most economical coach round-trip airfare, purchased at least 21 days in advance. United Airlines (UA) offers up to a 10% discount on Internet fares with no service fee for CTA members. To take advantage of these discounted rates for 2023, book online at united.com, enter the CTA discount code ZMGT443335 in the Offer Code box when searching for flights.

Please note that although discounts are available through UA, you may be able to find better airfares through other airline carriers.
Automobile
Mileage will be reimbursed at the current IRS rate of reimbursement per mile, not to exceed the cost of the most economical coach airfare. Currently the IRS rate is 65.5 cents per mile.

Reimbursement does not include the cost of airport or hotel parking, hotel expenses, shuttle or taxi service, or travel between home and the local airport. If the roundtrip distance between your home and nearest airport is more than 100 miles, then mileage will be reimbursed at the current IRS rate. All other transportation costs are the responsibility of the individual, the chapter, the school district, the service center council, or the UniServ unit.

When educators and allies raise our voices together, anything is possible. This is how we win the public education every student deserves.

Stay up-to-date with all the latest California teachers news, events, and member benefits.

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The CTA Board of Directors will award conference grants to upcoming CTA statewide conferences. These incentive grants are available to new members, BIPOC members, members from small chapters, and other categories based on the particular conference. Please see below for more details. The grant application process is fast and easy.

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CTA's Scholarships & Awards recognizes educators and members of the community who promote quality public education and impact their students and community.

Celebrating Educators and Quality Public Education

Have you or a member of your community made a positive impact on public education? Has your involvement (or your colleagues' involvement) in local politics or human & civil rights made a difference? CTA recognizes educators and members of the community who promote quality public education, and impact their students and community.

Awards include effective communications by and for local chapters, excellence in public education media coverage, strong social justice and human rights work and more.

Educational scholarship grants offer financial support to CTA members and their dependents throughout the academic year.

Scholarships & Grants

The CTA Institute for Teaching has established a competitive strength-based grant program for CTA members and chapters to demonstrate what teachers can do when they have the freedom to create and invent. The grant application process is open to individual CTA members, small teams of educators and affiliated local chapters. Applications can be submitted online from December through March. The awards are announced in June.

Competitive educator grants will be awarded in amounts up to $5,000.

Competitive impact grants will be awarded in amounts up to $20,000.

The LGBTQ+ Safety in Schools Grant and Scholarship Program in Honor of Guy DeRosa was created to promote human and civil rights by making our public schools safe for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning+ persons. The program was renamed in 2009 in the memory of CTA member and educator Guy DeRosa. Guy was a lifelong advocate for civil and human rights and LGBTQ+ issues.

The grant program will support groups, projects and presentations that promote understanding of and respect for LGBTQ+ persons.

The scholarship program will support self-identified LGBTQ+ members enrolled in a teacher/counseling credential or graduate program who are pursuing a career in public education and who understand the importance of LGBTQ+ educators as role models in our public schools.

The CTA Scholarship for Dependent Children offers a maximum of 35 scholarships of up to $5,000 each.

One scholarship is provided in Honor of Ralph J. Flynn and is awarded to the highest-scoring applicant.

One scholarship is provided in Honor of Ruthie Fagerstrom and is awarded to the second highest-scoring applicant.

One scholarship is provided in Honor of Susan B. Anthony and is awarded to the third highest-scoring applicant.

The CTA Scholarship in Honor of Del A. Weber offers one scholarship of up to $5,000 to a dependent child of an active member of CTA, CTA/NEA-Retired or deceased CTA member who is attending or attended a continuation high school or an alternative education program.

The CTA Scholarship for Members offers a maximum of five scholarships of up to $3,000 each.

One scholarship is designated as the American Indian/Alaska Native Memorial Scholarship in Honor of Alice Piper and is awarded to the highest-scoring member applicant.

One scholarship is designated for an ESP member who wants to transition into the teaching profession, provided an ESP member applies.

The Student CTA (SCTA) Scholarship in Honor of L. Gordon Bittle offers a maximum of three scholarships of up to $5,000 each.

One scholarship is designated as the Pacific Asian American Scholarship in Honor of Philip Vera Cruz and is awarded to the highest scoring SCTA applicant.

Each year SCTA Scholarships recognizes the contributions of our members, chapters and advisors. SCTA Awards are presented at the SCTA Representative Assembly (the annual business meeting of the association) each spring.

Awards

Each year Student CTA recognizes the contributions of our members, chapters and advisors. SCTA Awards are presented at the SCTA Representative Assembly (the annual business meeting of the association) each spring.

Individual Award Categories include the SCTA W.H.O. (We Honor Ours) Award , the Outstanding Chapter Advisor(s) , L. Gordon Bittle Memorial Scholarship for Student CTA (SCTA), and the Virginia Ann Shadwick Human Rights Award . The Chapter Award Categories include awards for Outstanding Local Chapter and Chapter Membership Recognition .

For more information, contact Annette Barroso, abarroso@cta.org .

Additional Grants and Awards

NEA Grants and Awards

The National Education Foundation awards around 200 grants to support educators' efforts to close achievement gaps, develop creative learning opportunities for students, and enhance their own professional development.

When educators and allies raise our voices together, anything is possible. This is how we win the public education every student deserves.

Urge senators to support the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

Support the Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act

Stay up-to-date with all the latest California teachers news, events, and member benefits.

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Scholarships and Awards - California Teachers Association

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CTA's Scholarships & Awards recognizes educators and members of the community who promote quality public education and impact their students and community. Have you or a member of your community made a positive impact on public education? Has your involvement (or your colleagues' involvement) in local politics or human & civil rights made a difference?

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As a Chapter Leader for CTA you play an important role in helping ensure CTA Members have the materials and information they need to help build a financially secure future. To help you, we've developed a resource center that focuses on retirement savings and financial decision-making.

To support you in your efforts we've organized important information in one location.

Engaging Educators

We know you're busy, and staying up to date with news and fresh content is challenging. We've built in some time-saving features to help make it easy to stay current with retirement planning for educators.

Strategies for connecting with new and current members.

Communications Overview helpful information and tips for communicating with members about retirement savings. RSP Member Engagement Plan

Sample communications sample and templates to help you communicate with members about important topics. Sample Email or Flyer (05012018)

Stay current Sign up for CTAInvest blog called, The Buzz. You'll receive updates on 403(b) and 457 plans, CalSTRS & CalPERS, investing and planning and other news worthy topics. You can include these news features in your chapter web site or newsletter.

Content Library

Here you'll find materials to help you engage with educators on the topic of retirement savings and the importance of saving for retirement.

Training Presentation

This simplified Powerpoint presentation will help you to inform educators about CalSTRS and CalPERS as well as highlighting the need to have a supplemental savings plan.

Includes speaker notes

30 minutes to present

Includes FAQs

CTA Trainer Presentation
Consumer Guide

This printed piece is designed to be a helpful resource that educators can keep and reference for questions about retirement savings, their pension, and other topics related to financial decision-making.

Features CTA Members and their photos

Answers a wide range of questions on retirement issues facing California educators

Glossary of terms

CTA Consumer Guide
Q & A Videos

A set of short videos that address some of the biggest challenges facing educators with their retirement savings. The question and answer format helps to generate conversation and feature real life educators.

Web-based & easy to access

Great conversation starters

Easy to share and distribute

Enrollment Materials CTA Retirement Savings Plan

A set of enrollment materials designed to make the process of enrolling in the CTA Retirement Savings Plan, easy. The materials contain simplified user-friendly information on enrollment. The enrollment materials are comprised of the following three items:

Pre-enrollment piece. This piece helps the educator understand the importance of saving for retirement. It is an "ice-breaker"

Enrollment form. Made quick & simple

Handbook. A reference booklet on important aspects of the retirement savings plan.

CTA Retirement Savings Plan Posters

Two posters that highlight key issues about retirement savings.

Poster 1: CTA wants you to have a long and happy retirement

Poster 2: Is your plan costing you? What to do if you've enrolled in a low quality plan

Legal Advisories

Important notices about vendors soliciting educators

Flyer outlining misleading tactics by 403(b) reps

Letter outlining misleading tactics by 403(b) reps

Advisory 403b and Disclosure Letter Advisory Cafeteria / Flex Plan administrators To order materials from CTA: Order

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As a Chapter Leader for CTA you play an important role in helping ensure CTA Members have the materials and information they need to help build a financially secure future. To help you, we've developed a resource center that focuses on retirement savings and financial decision-making.

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2025-2026 University Credit Program - California Teachers Association

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The CTA 2025-2026 University Credit is a benefit to members attending CTA Conferences during the 2025-2026 conference season.

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Template Letter regarding SPED/ violent students

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Template Letter regarding violent students

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Example  Letter regarding non-compliance, violation of IDEA

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Sample  template Letter regarding SPED (SDC)

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Tab 3 (1) CTA Membership-handbook 2025-26