2024 NAAE Annual Report

LEADING AND LEARNING TOGETHER.

2024 ANNUAL REPORT

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATORS

www.naae.org | #TeachAg

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A message

From our CEO

At NAAE, we are never content to rest on the laurels of our previous accomplishments.

As a grass-roots organization made up of agricultural educators from across the United States, we are driven to continually find new and better ways to support current and future school based agricultural educators as well as agricultural education itself.

As you look through this year’s annual report, you’ll see fresh takes on programs that have been staples of NAAE. Our first short documentary highlighting the journey of student teachers has already reached entirely new audiences who may not have even heard of agricultural education before. Our new website makes it easier for members, supporters, and the curious to find the information and resources they need. The increased number of state-level programs made it possible to reach members who may not have been able to previously travel to national events. And our revamped recognition has helped award-winning programs showcase why they are essential to the health and prosperity of their communities at home.

The agricultural educator is at the heart of everything we do at NAAE, whether it’s celebrating their achievements, creating programs to help them increase career efficacy and satisfaction, or simply reaching out to let them know they matter. Each of our programs has a purpose, and that purpose is supporting agricultural education and agricultural educators.

2024 was a great year. Whether you are a sponsor, someone who held a leadership role, or a member, we could not have done it without you. Thank you for your support, and thank you for being part of this great profession.

Alissa Smith CEO, National Association of Agricultural Educators 2

2023-2024

Board of Directors & Regional Secretaries

2023-2024 Board of Directors

President — Eric Tilleman, MT President-Elect — Bill Newsom, TN Region I VP — Kyle Stapleton, ID Region II VP — Cameron Dale, OK Region III VP —Paul Aarsvold, MN Region IV VP — Jeff Voris, MO Region V VP — Nelson McCracken, GA Region VI VP — Aaron Geiman, MD Past President — Deanna Schnuck, MO Chief Executive Officer — Alissa Smith 3

2023-2024 Regional Secretaries

Region I Secretary — Sharon Metzger, AZ Region II Secretary — Lauren Emerson, LA Region III Secretary — Desi Severance, ND Region IV Secretary — John Hammond, KY Region V Secretary — Ruby McCracken, GA Region VI Secretary — Darla Romberger, PA

9,770

Total NAAE members in 2023-2024 NAAE membership increased for the third year in a row, with an increase of 1.63% from the 2022-2023 membership year.

State Association & Regional Membership Awards Overall NAAE Membership Largest State Association Georgia Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association Overall NAAE Membership Largest Regional Membership Region IV, Jeff Voris, Regional VP NAAE Student Membership Largest State Association Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators Largest Percentage Increase in NAAE Membership - State Association Virginia Association of Agricultural Educators Largest Percentage Increase in NAAE Membership - Region Region III - Paul Aarsvold, Regional VP

2023-2024

NAAE Membership 8,021 Active Members

1,020 Student Members

331 Retired Life Members

281 Retired Life Active Members

80 Associate Members

31 Retired Members

6 Associate Life Members

10% Increase in Membership California Florida Iowa Virginia Wisconsin 4

2023 National Supply & Demand for Ag Teachers & Programs Data Driven Information: The National Supply and Demand Study is executed by AAAE (American Association of 46 respondents reported state demand data; Agricultural Educators). NAAE 99 institutions reported supply data. is a collaborative partner with the AAAE National Supply and Demand Study Highest recorded amount of agriculture teachers with Team. The 2024 National 14,756 positions and 9,212 agriculture programs.

Supply and Demand Data and Profiles will be available March 2025.

474 new positions reported for 2023, an increase of 8% from the To learn more, scan the QR code below.

year prior and the highest recorded growth in the last 10 years.

The amount of graduate completers entering the classroom remains at a high rate of 78%, only a 1% decrease from 2022.

Total post-secondary agricultural education program enrollment is trending upward by 4.3 % following the COVID pandemic.

Retention continues at a stable rate of 94%. The national retention rate is calculated minus retirements and state to state movement of agricultural educators. Individual states may have lower retention rates based on these two factors.

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Regional & State Profiles Each spring, NAAE provides state-specific Supply and Demand Profiles to highlight the capacity of teacher preparation programs to meet the growing demand for agricultural educators. As agricultural education continues to expand, these profiles offer critical insights into program growth, the addition of more teacher positions, and teacher retention trends.

This empowers grassroots efforts in teacher recruitment and retention nationwide.

These profiles are invaluable tools during legislative advocacy, allowing stakeholders to showcase the importance of agricultural education, and guiding states in addressing the evolving needs of agriculture teachers and students.

In addition to state-level data, NAAE develops regional profiles for both NAAE and AAAE regions.

These overviews help regions and states evaluate the effectiveness of efforts to recruit, retain, and recognize highly qualified, diverse educators.

NAAE works collaboratively with the AAAE Supply and Demand team to ensure accurate, comprehensive reporting of state and regional data.

Together, we use these profiles to show the limitless learning opportunities and boundless classrooms for the next generation of agricultural educators.

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Member Experience

Teacher Appreciation Week During Teacher Appreciation Week, NAAE celebrated the invaluable contributions of agricultural educators by providing 100 teachers across the nation with specially curated Teacher Appreciation Week packs.

Recipients were nominated through a social media campaign that asked for names of teachers who go above and beyond in shaping the future of agricultural education.

NAAE is proud to support and celebrate our educators, reminding them of the critical role they play in cultivating the next generation of leaders.

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The ACTE National Policy Seminar is an opportunity for members to learn the basics of influencing federal decision makers on legislation related to agricultural education.

At the 2024 NPS, NAAE hosted a special session with guest speaker Caleb Wright from Versant Strategies, a Capitol Hill lobbying firm. Wright talked about what the Farm Bill means to agricultural educators and other current policies with which educators should be familiar.

NAAE sponsored the registration for 32 educators from 21 states to attend NPS in 2024.

Advocacy in Action

National Policy Seminar NAAE partners with ACTE to provide the Legislative Action Center, an online tool that connects agriculture teachers with their legislators and helps them communicate about important policies.

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Recruitment & Retention

National #TeachAg Day National #TeachAg Day is more than a celebration, it’s a movement to inspire the next generation of educators who will cultivate knowledge, leadership, and innovation in agriculture, creating limitless learning opportunities and boundless classrooms for all.

This year’s #TeachAg Day kits ensured that no matter where the celebration took place, the message of agricultural education’s transformative power was clear and compelling.

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Each year, NAAE provides kits with everything our members need to celebrate this special day. This year we provided

100 kits

to high schools & postsecondary institutions across the United States.

These created a ripple effect of inspiration and connection for

186,968

students, administrators, community members and other stakeholders.

#TeachAg Lesson Plan-in-a-Box 199 #TeachAg Lesson Plan-in-a-Box kits were provided this year through #National Teach Ag Day celebration boxes and workshops at the NAAE and National FFA Conventions.

The Lesson Plan-in-a-Box offers engaging, ready-to-use content for educators to spotlight the impact of a career in agricultural education and encourage their students to consider careers in agricultural education.

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Recruitment & Retention

NAAE Goes to the Movies 1,939 streams of It Starts in the Classroom as of December 31, 2024.

4,514 Downloads of resources 172 Special guests at NAAE premiere in Lexington, including FFA members who received a #TeachAg Interactive notebook and other materials to encourage them to become agriculture teachers.

It Starts in the Classroom is a 22-minute documentary following two pre-service agricultural education majors from their student teaching experiences into their early days as agricultural educators.

The documentary premiered on September 19th, National #TeachAg Day, and was screened in schools, universities and theaters across the United States.

NAAE board of directors and nearby secondary and postsecondary agricultural education programs.

NAAE also developed a suite of resources for teachers to use in conjunction with the documentary.

NAAE hosted a premiere in Lexington for special guests, including the

Special thanks to members Whitney Evans and Brandon Bixler for allowing NAAE to document their journeys. Also thanks to the CHS Foundation for making this project possible through their support of the National #TeachAg campaign.

Scan to watch the documentary and access resources.

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After attendees watched the documentary at the Kentucky Theatre in Lexington, they were able to ask subjects about the career of agricultural education and what it was like to student teach or be a mentor to future agriculture teachers.

This page, clockwise from top left: Q&A session after the Lexington premiere; VIP premiere attendees; Documentary subject Whitney Evans greets one of her students from student teaching at the premiere; premiere attendees watch It Starts in the Classroom.

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NAAE at

National FFA Convention For NAAE Members & Educators 1,001 agricultural educators visited the NAAE Educators Lounge, powered by the CHS Foundation. There they received wellness kits and were able to access a number of NAAE resources. Those educators brought 12,106 FFA members with them to the National FFA convention, but they serve over 159,786 students annually.

Collectively these teachers represent more than 10,552 years of combined service to the profession.

179 agricultural educators participated in a NAAE Agriscience Learning Lab, sponsored by Corteva Agriscience, earning 224 hours of professional development.

22 Unlock Your Potential Lesson Plan-in-a-Box Kits and 38 My Local Cooperative Kits were distributed.

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NAAE has been engaged in the National FFA Convention and Expo for more than 50 years.

At this year’s convention, NAAE offered opportunities for members and educators, high school students, and preservice teachers to connect with the profession and learn about our organization.

For High School Students and Pre-Service Teachers 2,052 students from 50 states and territories signed up for the NAAE National #TeachAg Campaign, which provides them with monthly messages about becoming an agricultural educator and resources to help them navigate their career journeys.

13 NAAE National #TeachAg Ambassadors, representing 12 institutions, collectively earned 702 hours of professional development.

345 students participated in a NAAE National #TeachAg Workshop to learn more about the profession.

A two-minute highlight video of the NAAE short documentary It Starts in the Classroom was played at the fifth general session, attended by 25,000 FFA members, advisors, and guests. The video highlighted the journey of Brandon Bixler and Whitney Evans, two agricultural education majors, as they completed their student teaching experiences and began their careers in agricultural education.

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NAAE

#TeachAg Ambassadors In 2024, #TeachAg Ambassadors led 18 #TeachAg presentations in 10 different states.

These impacted...

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1,058+ students

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128 college students (non-Ag Ed majors)

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• •

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19 Ag Ed majors

59 current ag teachers 73 stakeholders

During the 2024 year, we had 13 NAAE #TeachAg Ambassadors from 11 different institutions. During their year of service, this class of ambassadors collected a total of 2,013 NAAE #TeachAg Campaign sign ups.

In October, we had 13 new NAAE #TeachAg Ambassadors from 12 institutions who have already collected 2,111 NAAE #TeachAg Campaign sign ups.

“Being an NAAE #TeachAg Ambassador has truly opened a new and exciting door for me as an aspiring educator. As a #TeachAg Ambassador, I was able to attend the National FFA Convention along with 12 other student ambassadors from across the United States. At the National FFA Convention, I was able to help with numerous teacher workshops, staff the wellness lounge, as well as work the NAAE #TeachAg booth in the convention center. At the booth, I took the role of recruiting the next generation of ag teachers. As ambassador I will continue to have opportunities within the state hosting teach ag workshops! Overall, this experience has been a once in a lifetime opportunity that I would recommend to anyone!”

— Madi Douvier, Southwest Minnesota State University 16

2024

NAAE Convention

NAAE interns at registration

It was a record-setting year in San Antonio, with 1,016 registered attendees and guests, and the largest Future Agriscience Teacher Symposium to date.

Teachers Turn the Key

Meet the candidates National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Workshop

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Outstanding Teacher Award - Region 5

Future Agriscience Teacher program

1016 registered attendees & guests 216 delegates 91 professional development workshops 2811.75 hours of professional development credits earned by attendees 42 individuals and programs recognized as award winners or with regional citations Members and Partners Reception

202 individuals participated in cohort-based programs, earning 2,202 hours of professional development. This included a record 102 preservice teachers in the FAST program 36 partners participated in the Members and Partners Reception, which as attended by more than 600 members. $15,000 worth of door prizes were given to members at the event.

61 CTE administrators attended the NAAE Administration Track, representing 35 states 27 attendees participated in the inaugural NAAE Wise Owls Round table session 52 attendees attended the State Leaders Training Session, representing 22 states $4051 raised for the Ag Ed Relief Fund 22 NAAE Sponsors and Partners made convention possible

California Agriculture Teacher’s Association

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Member Recognition

2024 NAAE Award Winners Ideas Unlimited Region I Hannah Schneider, WA Region II Jake Rutledge, KS Region III Toni Rasmussen, NE Region IV Annagrace Ligons, KY Region V Leigh Strawbridge, GA Region VI Mandy Curry, VA Lifetime Achievement Region I Elaine Lewis, WA Region II Robert Terry, OK Region III David Laatsch, WI Region IV Duane Huge, IN Region V Jim Satterfield, TN Region VI Jacques & Cynthia Roszel, NJ Outstanding Early Career Teacher Region I Teague Teece, OR Region II Tim Taylor, OK Region III Rachel Moe, MN Region IV Caseelynn Shimmin, IL Region V Brett Morris Wasden, FL Region VI Patricia Smith, NJ Outstanding Middle/Secondary Agricultural Education Program Region I Surprise Valley HS, CA Region II Junction City HS, KS Region III Muscatine Community School District, IL Region IV Blue Ridge HS, IL Region V Corinth Holders HS, NC Region VI Cumberland Valley HS, PA

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Outstanding Postsecondary Agricultural Education Region I Montana State University - Dept. of Ag & Tech Education, MT Region III Fox Valley Tech College, WI Region IV University of Illinois Ag Ed Program, IL Region V University of Georgia Dept. of Ag Leadership, Education & Communication, GA Outstanding Service Citation Region I Western National Rangeland Education Association, ID Region II John Stahley, CO Region III Bradley Schloesser, MN Region IV Heather Eberlin, MO Region V Steven Gass, TN Region VI Ronald Frederick, PA Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher Region I Kristin Sheehan, CA Region II Kimberly Clark, KS Region III Sandra Dykes, WI Region IV Trenton Taber, IL Region V Ashley Rivers, GA Region VI Matthew Nanny, VA Teacher Mentor Region I Jeff Papke, OR Region II Laura Miller, KS Region III Denise Reeser, MN Region IV Nick Nordwald, MO Region V Christopher Hicks, NC Region VI Jessica Jones, VA

2024 Professional State Association Awards Professional State Association Awards

States of Distinction

Exemplary Arizona Agriculture Teachers Association Florida Association of Agricultural Educators Georgia Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers Indiana Association of Agricultural Educators Kansas Association of Agricultural Educators Kentucky Association of Agricultural Educators Mississippi Association of Agricultural Educators Montana Association of Agricultural Educators Nebraska Agriculture Educator’s Association New York Association of Agricultural Educators North Carolina Agriculture Teachers Association Ohio Association of Agricultural Educators Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators Tennessee Association of Agriculture Educators Washington Association of Agricultural Educators

Advocacy in Agricultural Education Mississippi Association of Agricultural Educators

Visionary Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas Missouri Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association New Jersey Association of Agricultural Educators South Carolina Association of Agricultural Educators Virginia Association of Agricultural Educators Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators

Member Experience Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers

Professional Development Arizona Agriculture Teachers Association

Teacher Recruitment, Retention, & Recognition Kentucky Association of Agricultural Educators

Innovative Alabama Association of Agricultural Educators Iowa Association of Agricultural Educators Idaho Agriculture Teachers Association Oregon Agriculture Teacher’s Association

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NAAE

Cohort Programs

Connecting teachers for a better career experience.

Teachers Turn the Key 38 teachers from 38 different states who impact around 7,174 students annually in their classrooms and FFA chapters.

XLR8 14 teachers from 12 different states who impact about 3794 students annually in their classrooms and FFA chapters.

Teachers Turn the Key

National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Academy 15 teachers form 15 states who impact more than 2,028 students annually in their classrooms and FFA chapters.

FAST (Future Agriscience Teachers) 102 pre-service agricultural educators representing 16 different institutions participated in the NAAE Convention FAST Symposium.

Virtual Book Club 77 teachers from 31 different states who impact 10,994 students annually in their classrooms and FFA chapters.

Sweet Sheep Genetics

FAST

Wise & Well Programmatic touch points throughout the year to encourage teachers integrate wellbeing practices into their day-to-day.

FAST

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FAST

Ag Teacher Resiliency

NATAA

“XLR8 offered me strategies to have a more fulfilling career and personal life. I was able to make connections with teachers in similar years/ situations that I can reach out to throughout the year who can relate to me. I feel like I have a new set of tools and a team to help me through the highs and lows of teaching.”

- Brooklyn Bush, Oregon Ag Teacher Resiliency

FAST

XLR8

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How NAAE supports

State Associations

State Leader Training at NAAE convention 52 attendees from 22 states

Early Career Elements

NAAE plays a vital role in supporting state associations by facilitating high-quality professional development programs tailored to the unique needs of agricultural educators.

By collaborating with state leaders, NAAE ensures these programs address the specific challenges and opportunities educators face in their regions.

Through workshops, conferences, and online resources, NAAE provides tools and training that enhance teaching effectiveness, foster innovation, and promote career growth.

This partnership empowers state associations to equip members with skills and knowledge to advance agricultural education and inspire the next generation of leaders in the profession.

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30 teachers participated from two states, impacting more than 3,248 students

Teacher Resiliency Workshops 303 teachers participated, impacting more than 29,674 students

XLR8 State Institutes 47 teachers participated from 4 states, impacting more than 6,715 students

AgI2 214 teachers participated in nine state programs impacting over 18,308 students

“The NAAE National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Academy program is by far the best professional development program I have participated in. The Academy provided me with inquiry-based learning strategies, ready-to-use labs, and a phenomenal cohort of Ag Teachers from across the country. I came back feeling empowered and excited to tackle a new school year with all the new tools in my tool belt. My views of teaching have changed for the better, and this opportunity gave me confidence to shift how I teach to bring more rigor and science into my agriculture classroom.”

— Heather Brown, Oregon

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2024

NAAE Programs

NAAE programs are centered around our three pillars: advancement through professional development, advocacy to ensure the growth of agricultural education programs, and recruitment, retention, and recognition for agricultural educators.

NAAE Convention

State Teach Ag Results (STAR) Grant Program

By Choice Newsletter

#TeachAg Collegiate Contest

Regional Leadership Monthly Newsletters

National #TeachAg Day

State Leaders Resource Center & Quarterly Newsletters

National #Teach Ag Day Celebration Kits

Global Teach Ag Partnerships

Tagged to #TeachAg Events

Teacher Recruitment & Retention Best Practices

#TeachAg Lesson Plan-in-a-Box

NAAE Convention Internships

Future Agriscience Teacher Symposiums (FAST)

Upper Division Student Teacher Scholarship

National Supply & Demand Study — State and Regional Profiles

XLR8 2.0 Program NAAE Facilitator Program National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Academy Teachers Turn the Key Professional Development Early Career Elements State Institute Teacher Resiliency Professional Development Program State Leaders Training Program Administrator Track at NAAE Convention Outstanding Early Career Teacher Award Outstanding Middle/Secondary Agricultural Education Program Award Teacher Mentor Award Ideas Unlimited Award Lifetime Achievement Award Outstanding Service Award Regional Leadership Conferences Virtual Book Club Board & Committee Leadership

National #TeachAg Ambassador Program XLR8 - National Cohort for Experienced Teachers Regional and State XLR8 Institutes Agriscience Inquiry Learning Labs National Teacher Appreciation Week NAAE Agriscience Inquiry Institutes (Ag I2) Ag Ed Strand at National Policy Seminar Annual Symposium of the National Agriscience Teacher Ambassadors Tagged to #TeachAg Kits National #TeachAg Campaign Enrollment and Quarterly Communications Ag Teacher Wise & Well Program Professional State Association Awards #TeachAg Recruitment Booth at National FFA Convention Agricultural Education Relief Fund My Local Cooperative - Curriculum Kits and Grants Legislative Action Center

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The State Teach Ag Results (STAR) program was created

by NAAE in 2014 to increase recruitment and retention of agricultural educators at the state level.

The STAR program helps states create attainable and effective recruitment and retention plans that are ready to be implemented.

2024

STAR Program 2024 STAR Impact

41

states

59,976

high school students

118,410

postsecondary students

32,149

agriculture teachers

10,843

other stakeholders

221,378

total individuals impacted

*data includes multiple impacts to same individual

$285,946

provided in state level funding support for recruitment & retention 26

My Local Cooperative •

Instructional Modules

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Virtual Cooperative Tour

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Interactive Notebook

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Career Profiles Library

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Workshop Materials

The My Local Cooperative initiative continued in 2024 with updated workshops to help teachers implement lessons about the benefits of and opportunities within agricultural cooperatives.

Made possible by the CHS Foundation.

“I’m especially excited about implementing the interactive notebook and activities as an engagement tool for my students.”

—Cameron Dale, Oklahoma

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Scan to access My Local Cooperative resources on the NAAE website.

“As a teacher, it’s made my life easier, but my students have been able to see a lot broader realm of what agriculture really has.”

-Chad Warnick, Utah

Website Update NAAE launched its revamped merchandise ordering portal website in spring 2024. and calendar.

The re-imagined site is member-centric, making it easier for visitors to find everything they need quickly.

Features include a new state leader’s resource area as well as a ShopNAAE

The MyNAAE area has been enhanced. Members can log into this section to access and print professional development certificates and membership information.

The result is a platform that is easy to navigate with specific sections for pre-service agricultural education students, NAAE state leaders, and in-service teachers. www.naae.org 28

2024

Member Communications

Email • •

Social Media •

827 total posts across NAAE’s four platforms

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Total impressions: 1,895,631

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51,582 total followers across all platforms (+3,582 in 2024 across all platforms)

• • • • • • •

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179 total email campaigns sent 627,555 unique sends

48% average open rate (+2% from 2023) 5% Click Rate (+3% from 2023)

Total individuals subscribed to our email services: 21,341

66 regional newsletters sent out in 2024. Average open rate of 49.2%

12 monthly By Choice sent in 2024. Average open rate of 47.43%

Average of 15 email campaigns sent each month 5,931 total subscribers to the #TeachAg List

NAAE fosters relationships with agricultural education-related organizations and stakeholders to promote the profession to both pre-service and current agricultural educators. These groups provide opportunities, resources, and more for members.

Thank you to our

Partners in the Profession

THANK YOU TO THESE PARTNERS!

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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATORS 2525 Harrodsburg Rd., Suite 200 Lexington, KY 40504 (859) 967-2892 or (800) 509-0204 www.naae.org | #TeachAg

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