DivertED: State and local teachers unions spending

Executive Summary

This report is intended to highlight selected state and local teachers unions’ funding of leftwing groups and far-left political organizations through contributions and Political Action Committees (PACs).

Since 2015, state and local affiliates of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) and their PACs have given out a combined $376,723,003.84 in funding to leftwing and far-left groups. To gather this data, we utilized Federal reporting forms, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Campaign finance site, and state campaign finance sites.

Every effort has been made to ensure that dollars are not duplicated in the data collection process. For those unions that moved funds from the union to its PAC or PACs, dollars are noted in documentation but are not included in the totals (see example below from the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU)).

Because the teachers unions collect COPE and PAC dollars separately from their dues and fees, it is highly likely there is no duplication. However, if numbers are discovered to be duplicated, the totals will be adjusted accordingly.

Key Takeaways

• The California Federation of Teachers (CFT) gave Planned Parenthood $102,500 (2024) and funneled $9M+ into its CFT Committee on Political Education (COPE) Candidate Political Fund since 2016.
• In 2020, the California Teachers Association Political Action Committees (PACs), spent $20M+ in support of “Yes on 15,” a ballot measure to change the tax assessment on commercial and industrial property to raise more funds for public schools, community colleges, and other government services.
• The CTA PACs spent $1.8M to stop the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom in 2021, and also committed $3.9M to promote “Yes on 50, The Election Rigging Response Act” (2025).
• Since 2018, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) contributed $10.9M into Political Action Committees including the CTU PAC, CTU COPE fund, and Illinois Federation of Teachers COPE fund. The (CTU) operates two Political Action Committees (PAC), the Chicago Teachers Union PAC and the Chicago Teachers Union Local 1 PAC.
• Education Minnesota donated $155,000 to Take Action Minnesota, which has helped organize anti-ICE actions and trainings. Since 2016, Education Minnesota has contributed $9.8M to its Political Action Committee.
• From 2016 to the present, Michigan Education Association’s PAC (MEA-PAC) contributed $4.7M to PACs, political campaigns , and other political entities. The PAC gave $154,500 in direct contributions to the Gretchen Whitmer for Governor fund from 2018-2021.
• Ohio Education Association’s OEA Political Contributing Entity gave over $4.9M to two Super PACs – Educators for Ohio and Ohioans for a Better Future. During that same time period, the PAC contributed $2.9M to the Ohio Democratic Party and $23,249 to the Ohio House Republican Alliance.
• The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) operates two Political Action Committees (PACs) – the NJEA PAC and the Super PAC Garden State Forward which gave $40M to the super PAC Working New Jersey in 2025. It also co-founded Protecting Our Democracy.
• Since 2016, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), or New York City Teachers, has directed $8.1M+ in members dues to the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Advocacy Fund.

Teachers Unions Spending

Teachers Union Spending – Political Action Committees