Illinois Science Teachers Association

By joining the Illinois Science Teachers Association you will receive many professional growth opportunities and you will be able to make valuable contributions to the science teaching profession.

This is exactly the time to be active in your profession.

• ISTA members and other professionals need to play a role in how the newly adopted standards for teachers of science will be used to improve the initial and continuing education of teachers.
• New recertification requirements have been passed into state law requiring teachers to make professional development central to their vocation. What counts as professional development, how to judge whether a professional development offering is valuable, and where to find good sources for professional development are all issues that our members will have to deal with.
• There are major issues that can impact teaching in the classroom: ISAT, the new state testing system; implementation of the Illinois Learning Standards so that they are an integral part of how science is taught; and measurable improvement of student learning.

Membership form (PDF)

This membership form must be viewed using Adobe Reader which can be downloaded free by clicking on the Get Acrobat Reader icon .

Benefits and Activities for ISTA Members

• Subscription to the SPECTRUM

  Spectrum is the ISTA journal published in April, August, and December. The Spectrum provides ISTA members with association news and updates from ISTA officers, a column on state initiatives, articles, teaching techniques, exciting classroom ideas and information regarding upcoming meetings, conferences and educational opportunities, as well as listings of free or inexpensive educational materials. View an excerpt from the Spectrum.

• ISTA Annual Convention

  For over forty years this annual conference has brought together educators and administrators from throughout the state. Major speakers; over 100 group sessions, hands-on workshops, microcomputer labs; thousands of dollars of prizes; an evening gala in a museum, and more than 70 commercial and non-commercial exhibits are a few highlights of this outstanding program of renewal and professional development.

• Legislative Representation for Science

  ISTA provides a direct line of communication between science educators and state officials. Our organization voices concerns and recommends programs and funding for science education. In addition, ISTA is an active member of the Illinois Education Alliance which impacts directly state mandates concerning the quality of education.

• ISTA High School Awards

  This honor is awarded annually to high school students who excel in science. Awards are available to all high schools and can only be requested by a current ISTA member at that school. TEACHER AWARDS-ISTA sponsors a variety of awards for elementary, middle school, high school, lifelong, and to educators of preservice teachers.

• Web Site and Mailing List

  If you are reading this you are already aware of the ISTA Website. You are invited to make suggestions to increase the impact of the Site. ISTA supports a listserv to increase communication among members. A listserv makes it easier to get and receive messages and then to react to the messages in a way that all other members of the listserv conveniently receive the reply.

Membership Categories

Any person interested in science education is eligible for membership. All memberships include a subscription to the SPECTRUM. Write the number of the option for the membership category on the Membership Application. Membership year runs for the calendar year January 1 through December 31.

Option 1: Full Membership Dues—$35.00

Full Membership entitles individuals interested in Illinois science education to the following benefits: a one year subscription to the SPECTRUM, a publication of the Illinois Science Teachers Association; notification of regional conferences and meetings; invitations to science issues activities; a reduced registration fee for the Annual ISTA Conference; voting privileges; and the opportunity to hold an ISTA Officer position.

Option 2: Two Year Full Membership Dues—$60.00

Two Year Full Membership entitles member to Full Membership benefits for two years.

Option 3: Five Year Full Membership Dues—$125.00

Five Year Full Membership entitles member to Full Membership benefits for five years.

Option 4: Associate Membership Dues—$15.00

Associate Student Membership applies to full-time students who are not currently employed as professional educators (Requires the signature and institutional affiliation of the student's professor). Entitles member to Full Membership benefits, including voting privileges, but excluding the opportunity to hold an ISTA Office position. Associate Retired Membership applies to individuals who are on retirement status. Entitles member to Full Membership benefits, including voting privileges, but excluding the opportunity to hold an ISTA Office position.

Option 5: Institutional Membership—$75.00

Institutional Membership entitles the member institution, for a period of one year, to two subscriptions to the SPECTRUM; notification of regional conferences and meetings; invitations to science issues activities; and a reduced registration fee for the Annual ISTA Conference for a maximum of three members of the institution.

Fermilab Friends for Science Education (FFSE):

Thanks to an ISTA-FFSE board agreement, for Options 1, 4, and 5, teachers may receive a regular $10 membership in the FFSE for an additional $4. See http://ed.fnal.gov/ffse/ for membership details.

Membership Application

• Membership Application(PDF)