New York State Teachers' Association

The New York State Teachers Association (NYSTA) was an association of teachers in the state of New York, United States, founded in 1845. It assisted teachers in their professional career, provided a public voice for its members on subjects such as pay and tenure, and promoted improvements to the public school system in the state. In 1973 it joined with the United Teachers of New York to form the New York State United Teachers.

The New York State Teachers Association was organized at a teacher's convention on 30 July 1845 in Syracuse, New York. After the convention had resolved itself into a State Teachers' Association a committee was set up to recommend officers, which decided on Chester Dewey (1784–1869) of Rochester as President. The association was incorporated by a legislative act in 1852. It included most of the teachers in upstate New York and Long Island. This was a period when free schools were being established throughout the state, and normal schools were being established to train teachers. The objectives of the association were to support professional improvement of the member teachers and to promote a series of improvements to the public schools in the state.

Samuel Buell Woolworth, principal of the Cortland Academy in Homer, New York, was NYSTA president in 1948–49. He was a strong supporter of coeducation. At first women did not have the right to speak at NYSTA meetings, and women teachers were paid much less than men. Thanks to efforts of teachers such as Susan B. Anthony in the 1850s they were eventually admitted as full members.Elizabeth Cady Stanton drafted Anthony's speech on coeducation for the June 1856 NYSTA meeting.

In the late 19th century both state officials and the NYSTA were increasingly concerned about the tendency of local school districts to give teaching certificates to unqualified candidates. In 1887 the NYSTA members lobbied for a bill requiring a standard examination for all teachers in the state. The governor vetoed the bill, but most districts agreed voluntarily to the examination. New York City was among those who did not. Mary Evelyn Hall (1874–1956) became the first president of the NYSTA Library Section in 1910–11, and promoted school libraries in the state. She became president of the NEA Library Department Committee on High School Libraries in 1911.