On this episode, CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey are joined by a special guest, Dr. Miguel Cardona. The former U.S. Secretary of Education and Connecticut Commissioner of Education was recently named by Governor Lamont as chair of the Connecticut Career Pathways Commission, which is tasked with helping create a system to connect students to jobs in high-demand fields.

Listen to learn what career pathways can provide for Connecticut as well as Cardona's thoughts on the need for investments in public schools, the role of testing in education, and more.

Educator legislators State Reps. Patrick Biggins and Ron Napoli talk with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey about priorities this legislative session and how CEA members can best get their message across to lawmakers. CEA's Lobby Day on April 8 is the perfect opportunity to connect with your legislators. Register today.

Read Across Connecticut Week offers a great chance for educators to celebrate reading with their students—but how do we keep encouraging reading year round? In this episode, Simsbury library media specialist Jamie Sepa talks with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey about the importance of school libraries and how to sustain that joy of reading in children—and adults—the other 51 weeks of the year.

Did you celebrate Read Across Connecticut with your class? A contest is currently being held, open to all Connecticut public school classrooms, offering a chance to win one of four $500 classroom libraries. Submit photos of your class showing how they made reading a llama fun during Read Across Connecticut week now through March 20 for a chance to win. To enter visit readacrossct.org.

Every teacher deserves to be treated with fairness and respect. On this episode of CEA's podcast Glastonbury Education Association President Kristen Basiaga and 2020 CT Teacher of the Year and Woodland Regional High teacher Meghan Hatch-Geary talk with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey about proposals before the legislature that would ensure a fair process for educators.

Per Connecticut statute, teachers who are facing termination are entitled to a hearing before a neutral hearing officer, but this officer’s decision is only a recommendation to the local board of education. Unlike for other school employees, it is the board of education, not a neutral third party, who makes the final decision in the event of an appeal. For educators, the threat of arbitrary treatment creates a climate of fear that Basiaga and Hatch-Geary say colors the entire teaching environment.

Listen to this episode to find out more about why teachers are pushing for legislation that would ensure a fair process and binding arbitration, and join us Saturday, February 28, to share your education priorities with legislators.

In this special year-in-review episode, CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey reflect on the highs, challenges, and hard-earned lessons of 2025—and look ahead to a packed calendar of opportunities for educators in the year to come. Check out CEA's upcoming 2026 events at https://cea.org/master-calendar/.

Meet the Connecticut educators who serve on the NEA Board of Directors and help shape national education policy. On this episode CEA's NEA Directors, Katy Gale and Tanya Kores, join CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey to share how they advocate for students, collaborate with union leaders across the country, and take Connecticut’s voice all the way to Capitol Hill.

As we celebrate Education Support Professionals Day during American Education Week, it’s the perfect moment to spotlight the paraeducators and other school staff whose dedication makes an enormous difference in students’ lives.

This episode features special education teacher and Killingly Education Association Vice President Lisa Higgins, her partner in running their district's transition program paraeducator and AFSCME Council 4 Local 3698 president Michelle Pion, as well as Tricia Santos, a staff representative for AFSCME Council 4.

Listen to their conversation with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey about their work in Killingly as well as how certified staff and paras can best work together to help students thrive.

CEA Aspiring Educators Program Chair Hannah Spinner, a UConn master's degree student, and Cole Brown, a sophomore at Southern and president of his university's AEP chapter, join CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey on this episode. They talk about the AEP's recent fall kickoff event and other community service, advocacy, and professional learning opportunities planned for the upcoming year.

Find out more about the CEA Aspiring Educators Program, including how to join.