The Georgia Association of Educators is the most experienced and effective professional organization for teachers, administrators, and educational support professionals within Georgia's public schools. GAE represents members within the state legislature and state agencies on educational issues, convenes coalitions to support public education, supports the rights of educators, and provides an extensive benefits package for its membership.
Although it is an affiliate of the National Education Association, GAE always has been controlled by its own diverse statewide membership—making it an organization of the members and for the members. The Association represents teachers, counselors, media specialists, school psychologists and social workers, principals, superintendents, bus drivers, custodians, secretaries, paraprofessionals, cafeteria personnel, higher education faculty, retired educators, and students. From this varied membership comes the Representative Assembly, the highest governing body within the organization. Delegates elected to the Representative Assembly are based on one delegate for every 35 members from each of the 200-plus local GAE affiliated associations. The chosen delegates convene to adopt GAE's policies and resolutions and to finalize GAE's priorities and budget for the following year.
Every other month the GAE Board of Directors meets to act on concerns when the Representative Assembly is not in session. This board is comprised of 32 elected members from each of the four governing districts; representatives from the ranks of administrators, students, educational support personnel, and retired members; the president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer; and two NEA Directors. With a membership of tens of thousands, GAE continues to work to improve the educational climate in Georgia by utilizing the expertise and influence of its members to address issues affecting public education.
