Taxpayers spent nearly $1 trillion on public education in 2024. Because of supporters like you, The Center Square has dedicated reporting power to track those dollars – and share with you how they were spent.
A new school year is underway. And The Center Square’s dedicated education reporter, Esther Wickham, is delivering you the facts you need to understand how the policy decisions made in state capitals across the country impact the education kids receive nationwide.
In a recent series, Esther investigated how teacher unions spend member dues, paid for through tax dollars. Reporting reveals that these dues are often used to promote agendas beyond best workplace practices for teachers or student support.
Her coverage highlighted discrepancies in salary, the disconnect between union-advocated policies and teacher values, and the one-sided political spending that impacts the decisions made in your statehouses all across the country.
Examining discrepancies in salary, she started at the top.
National Education Association (NEA) President Rebecca Pringle received $514,755 in total compensation in 2025, while American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten received $514,488.
That's nearly seven times the average public school teacher's salary. For each union.
Pringle's salary has grown by more than $80,000 in four years since she first became president in 2021.
Then Esther followed the political money.
Reporting reveals the NEA spent more than $51 million on political activities and lobbying in 2025. The AFT spent more than $41 million.
While enlightening, these numbers only tell one part of the story.
Esther also talked to the people paying for these salaries and donations through their membership dues. California teacher Todd Loeffler told her he pays $1,200 a year in union dues and objects to their use for political causes.
Reporting from nonprofits such as the Freedom Foundation outlines that few members realize the unions’ political activities, or how their dues pay for it.
Political spending alone is not surprising. What was enlightening is where that spend is going.
Federal campaign finance records showed the unions gave about $192,000 to the 16 Democratic members of the U.S. House education committee during 2025 and 2026. Investigations found no contributions from either union to Republican members of the same congressional education committee.
At the state level, Esther found millions more.
The California Teachers Association gave $4 million to support Proposition 50, the 2025 ballot measure that redrew the state's congressional districts. In Washington state, the Washington Education Association donated more than $3 million to I-645 to support the passage of the state’s income tax, which is facing a ballot challenge.
These donations lead some to question how they advance teacher welfare or improvements in academic success.
You can read more of Esther’s series on teacher unions here.
Reporting this level of detail requires intensive work, tracking campaign donations, speaking with direct sources, and filing open records requests.
This enterprise reporting only exists because of you and the donors like you who demand accountability coverage – reporting that educates and informs, rather than assumes and persuades.
Thank you for making this coverage possible.
Thank you for standing with us.