Oregon teachers union aims to become state's largest PAC by 2026

The Oregon Education Association plans to become the state's largest political action committee by fall 2026.

The union, which represents nearly 41,000 educators and support staff, laid out the goal in its 2026 Representative Assembly Handbook under a section labeled "strategic metrics." The document lists the target in a category called "Transforming Politics: Creating a pro-public school environment." It also states the group wants to increase engagement and success of endorsed candidates.

The OEA is an affiliate of the National Education Association. Watchdog group Defending Education obtained the handbook and other internal documents and shared them with Fox News Digital. The group reviewed the materials along with state campaign finance records and tax filings.

State records show the OEA has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to political organizations, ballot measure campaigns and candidates. Recipients include Legislative Accountability 1 and Transparent Elections for Grassroots Engagement. The union also contributed to campaigns for John Wasielewski, Michael Sugar and Lesly Muñoz.

The documents outline additional goals for 2026-27 under a Racial & Social Justice category. One goal calls for improved pre-kindergarten through community college funding to build racially and culturally responsive schools that attract and retain historically marginalized students and educators.

The handbook also includes proposed resolutions. One calls for heavy taxation on billionaires and top income earners. Another opposes AI-powered weapons. A third seeks limits on the use of artificial intelligence to reduce school staffing.

The OEA has run budget deficits since the 2018-19 school year. The documents say expected deficits have fallen by $2.1 million from 2021 to 2026, while reserve strengthening has risen to 1 percent of membership dues in the past two years.

Union leaders are proposing a bylaw that would add a $20 annual assessment per member for three years to fund a Public School Funding Campaign. With nearly 41,000 members, the fee could raise about $820,000 if approved.

Personnel costs are projected to exceed $23.8 million in the 2026-27 fiscal year. Salaries and benefits would account for roughly 79.3 percent of expenditures.

Rhyen Staley, director of research at Defending Education, said the documents show another example of teachers unions using member dues for left-wing political campaigns and far-left activism. He noted that Oregon students scored below the national average in fourth-grade math, fourth-grade reading and eighth-grade math on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Fox News Digital reached out to the OEA for comment.