T
he 2026 MTA Annual Meeting of Delegates returns to Boston this year, on May 8 and 9, at the Hynes Convention Center. The meeting will feature virtual as well as in-person participation.
The 181st meeting will include elections of president and vice president, as well as statewide and regional seats on the Executive Committee and MTA Board of Directors.
Three people are running for president this year, and three for vice president. Candidates for president are John Sullivan, president of the Belmont Education Association; Matt Bach, president of the Andover Education Association; and Deb McCarthy, the current MTA vice president and a member of the Hull Teachers Association.
Members running for vice president are Deb Gesualdo, president of the Malden Education Association; Dean Robinson, a member of the Massachusetts Society of Professors; and Gayle Carvalho, president of the Quincy Education Association.
A complete list of MTA candidates and their statements begins on Page 30. A list of candidates who were elected by waiver is on Page 30.
The presiding officer at the Annual Meeting is MTA President Max Page, whose second term is drawing to a close.
The Annual Meeting is where all essential business of the 117,000-member union takes place, including approval of the association’s operating budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, which begins July 1. Delegates will begin the business meeting on Friday, May 8, at noon.
Delegates will act on four proposed amendments to the MTA Standing Rules, 11 proposed amendments to Bylaws, and then consider New Business Items with and without budget implications. The business agenda also includes two amendments to Resolutions.
On Saturday, the meeting will resume at 9 a.m., according to an initial schedule, and then move into distribution of MTA awards and consideration of the budget. The elections will start at 11 a.m. If deliberation and vote on the budget extends beyond 11 a.m., the elections will immediately follow.
This year’s MTA Awards include the newly created Distinguished Service in Public Higher Education Award, which honors faculty and staff who have demonstrated exceptional service, leadership and unwavering dedication to the mission of public higher education.
The inaugural award will go to Adam Brieske-Ulenski, Ed.D., a faculty member at Bridgewater State University and chair of its Elementary and Early Childhood Education program. His achievements include analyzing grade equity, persistence and retention data to establish actionable goals, and spearheading the redesign of key undergraduate and graduate programs that strengthen culturally responsive, anti-bias educator preparation, according to a nomination letter.
The 2026 MTA President’s Award will be presented to the 300,000-member California Teachers Association, in recognition of its 2026 ballot campaign to continue a tax for the state’s wealthiest residents to help fund public education, and for its decade-long effort to strengthen locals and regional collaboration.
The MTA Friend of Education Award will honor the LUCE Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts, a coalition of immigrant-led, grassroots organizations that is advancing principles of justice and equity. The organization operates a hotline and provides numerous services for communities.
The MTA Friend of Labor Award will be bestowed on Education Minnesota, recognizing its overall achievements on behalf of educators and working people. The 84,000-member union has taken a key role as a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit fighting federal immigration enforcement near schools.
Finally, the MTA delegates will recognize the 2025 Honor Our Own Award recipient, Chandler Creedon Jr., who received this honor from the Retired Members Committee last fall.
The delegates will consider a proposed MTA operating budget of $58,882,351for the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1.
The Board of Directors has proposed annual dues of $566 for full-time active members, which is a $13 increase over this year. Dues for secretaries, clerks and custodians would be $339.75 under this proposal. Dues for Education Support Professionals, including food service personnel and paraeducators, would be $170.
In addition, the proposed Public Relations/Organizing Campaign budget of $2,699,700 will be considered. The recommended general dues assessment for the PR/Organizing budget is $30. For secretaries, clerks and custodians, the assessment would be $18. Paraeducators, food service personnel and other Education Support Professionals would be assessed $9.
For additional information and updates on the Annual Meeting, visit massteacher.org/annualmeeting.
