South Carolina Labeled a State of “Extreme Need” by Nation’s Largest Teachers Union

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The National Education Association (NEA), the largest teachers union in the United States, has adopted a controversial new business item identifying South Carolina and Arkansas as states with “extreme need” due to legislative actions perceived as harmful to educators and public education.

The decision, adopted under New Business Item 44, commits NEA to using additional resources to assist its affiliates in states where lawmakers have introduced or passed policies that the union says “silence educators,” restrict collective bargaining, remove fair dismissal protections, or push voter suppression laws that ultimately threaten public education systems.

NEA’s Action Plan: Legal, Media, and Mobilization Support

The adopted resolution outlines several direct actions NEA will take in targeted states:

• Media and personnel support to highlight legislative actions

• Legal guidance for educators and affiliates

• Assistance with public messaging

• Mobilization of retired and active NEA members

• Lobbying efforts to counter state-level education policies

The document explicitly states that South Carolina and Arkansas meet multiple “risk indicators” used by the NEA to prioritize which states should receive the highest level of support.

“In-person support should be considered for states considered to be in ‘extreme need,’ such as the case in Arkansas or South Carolina,” the NEA resolution reads.

Budget Impact and Strategic Expansion

The union acknowledges that the plan cannot be completed using current staff or budget resources. According to the resolution, the initiative will require an additional $56,000 beyond what’s allocated in the 2025–2026 Modified Strategic Plan and Budget.

While modest compared to the union’s overall budget, the funding signals an expansion of the union’s political and advocacy activities in Southern states — particularly in regions with Republican-led legislatures that have passed sweeping changes to education governance, parental rights laws, and teacher employment protections.

Critics Say NEA is Politicizing Education

Corey DeAngelis, a well-known school choice advocate, criticized the move in a post on social media:

“The nation’s largest teachers union adopted a business item to support affiliates in states where legislative bodies have taken or are taking actions that silence educators.
They list Arkansas and South Carolina as states with ‘extreme need.’”

Conservatives argue that the NEA’s resolution oversteps its role by engaging in overtly political activity. Critics believe that the label of “extreme need” is more about opposing conservative education reform than protecting teachers’ rights.

What Prompted the NEA’s Focus on South Carolina?

In recent years, South Carolina lawmakers have passed legislation affecting:

• Curriculum transparency

• Restrictions on DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) programs

• Increased power for parents in education decisions

• Limitations on union activity and tenure protections for public school teachers

These actions, supporters argue, restore control to local communities and parents. But the NEA sees them as part of a broader trend of “silencing educators” and undermining classroom autonomy.

A Growing Divide in Education Policy

This latest move by the NEA highlights the growing divide between national education unions and Southern state legislatures. South Carolina’s inclusion in the “extreme need” category underscores how the education debate has become increasingly nationalized — and increasingly political.

As the 2026 election cycle approaches, expect more national organizations to ramp up support or opposition campaigns in battleground states like South Carolina where education remains a flashpoint issue.

Do you agree with the NEA’s assessment of South Carolina as a state of “extreme need”? Or do you believe the union is overreaching? Share your thoughts with us in the comments on SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.