The Oregon Education Association (OEA), which represents almost 41,000 educators and education support staff, is seeking to become the state’s largest political action committee (PAC) by 2026, according to internal documents. The OEA is an affiliate of the National Education Association and has been facing budget deficits since the 2018-19 school year.

Political Ambitions

The OEA’s strategic planning documents outline its goals, including increasing engagement and success of endorsed candidates. The organization has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to political organizations, ballot measure campaigns, and candidates, including Legislative Accountability 1 and Transparent Elections for Grassroots Engagement.

State campaign finance records show that the OEA donated to campaigns for John Wasielewski, Michael Sugar, and Lesly Muñoz, among others. The OEA’s strategic planning documents also outline racial and social justice goals, including improving funding for schools to build racially and culturally responsive schools.

Financial Challenges

Despite its political ambitions, the OEA is facing financial challenges. The organization has been projecting budget deficits since 2018 and is proposing a $20 annual assessment per member for a “Public School Funding Campaign” for a period of three years. The assessment could generate roughly $820,000 if approved.

The OEA projects that personnel spending will surpass $23.8 million in the 2026-27 fiscal year, according to budget documents. Salaries and benefits account for roughly 79.3% of projected expenditures.

Rhyen Staley, Director of Research at Defending Education, argues that the OEA’s political goals, spending priorities, and policy agenda show an increasing focus on activism. Staley notes that Oregon students struggle to keep up in crucial subjects, scoring significantly below the national average in fourth-grade math, fourth-grade reading, and eighth-grade math.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.