California Teachers Association

Name

California Teachers Association

Legal name

California Teachers Association

Website

https://cta.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1863

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

California Teachers Association is a non-profit labor union representing 310,000 educators across California through more than 1,100 local chapters, providing collective bargaining, legal services, professional development, advocacy, and member benefits including insurance and scholarships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlingame

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: CTA generates revenue through annual membership dues from its 310,000 educator members across California. Combined with NEA's 3.2 million members, this provides purchasing power for member benefits negotiations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The California Teachers Association (CTA) is a nonprofit labor union that provides membership-based representation for approximately 310,000 educators across California. Its core offerings include collective bargaining representation, legislative and political advocacy, professional development conferences, member benefits (legal services, liability insurance, discounts), scholarships and grants, publications, and dedicated membership programs for aspiring educators, education support professionals, higher education faculty, and retired educators.

Product overview

The California Teachers Association (CTA) operates as a professional teachers' union offering a comprehensive suite of member services and advocacy programs rather than a traditional technology product. The organization provides membership programs including CTA Aspiring Educators for pre-service teachers, professional development conferences, the California Educator Magazine publication, member benefits portals with insurance and discounts, legal services with employment liability coverage, scholarships and grants programs, student support services resources, and retired educator programs. CTA functions as a labor union representing approximately 310,000 educators across California, focusing on collective bargaining support, legislative advocacy, and educational equity initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CTA Aspiring Educators (CTA-AE) A statewide membership program for students preparing to become teachers, school librarians, social workers, psychologists, school nurses, or college faculty. Provides advocacy, professional development, scholarships, networking opportunities, and voting representation on the NEA Board of Directors.
• California Educator Magazine CTA's official professional magazine showcasing members, providing information on trainings, events, conferences, and tips for professional development and growth in education.
• Member Benefits Portal Comprehensive benefits portal offering discounts, travel savings, insurance services, legal services, disaster relief fund, and financial wellness resources for CTA members.
• Educators Employment Liability (EEL) Insurance Liability insurance coverage for CTA members providing up to $1,000,000 in damages liability protection and up to $3,000,000 in legal costs for claims arising from education employment activities.
• Scholarships and Grants Program Multiple scholarship programs including IFT Educator Grants (up to $20,000), LGBTQ+ Safety in Schools grants, CTA Scholarships for Dependent Children (up to $5,000 each), Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Scholarship, and credential candidate scholarships.
• Student Support Services Programs and resources for student support professionals including school nurses, psychologists, counselors, social workers, librarians, and speech pathologists working to address student social-emotional needs.
• CTA/NEA-Retired Membership program for retired educators providing advocacy for retiree rights, retirement security resources, travel and insurance benefits, legal consultation, and social engagement opportunities.
• Education Support Professionals (ESP) Programs Programs for education support professionals including the Paula J. Monroe ESP of the Year award, ESP Leadership Academy, and professional development conferences.
• Equity and Justice Department Programs Programs focusing on racial and social justice including community organizing, community schools, immigrant support, academic freedom, education equity, ethnic studies, professional development, and special education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 310,000 educators represented across California
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, former and minor.

• Proposition 55 ExtensioncoreOthers · 8 June 2026CTA submitted over 1.6 million signatures to place Proposition 55 extension on the November ballot. Prop. 55 extends existing wealth taxes that generate millions for education and are currently set to expire in 2030.
• Richard BarreramajorOthers · 1 May 2026CTA endorsed Richard Barrera for California Superintendent of Public Instruction. He advanced to the November General Election. CTA actively promoted his candidacy through social media and campaign materials.
• Tom SteyermajorOthers · 14 April 2026CTA endorsed billionaire Tom Steyer for California Governor in the 2026 election. Steyer spent $120 million on advertising and is positioning himself as a progressive candidate focused on corporate tax increases and education funding. CTA recommended him for the November General Election.
• Eric SwalwellformerOthers · 30 March 2026CTA initially endorsed Rep. Eric Swalwell for California Governor, along with SEIU, United Food and Commercial Workers, and the statewide firefighters union. Following sexual assault allegations in April 2026, CTA suspended its endorsement.
• Community College Association (CCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCA is a statewide affiliate of CTA, representing members working in 72 community college districts and 112 community colleges reaching 2.8 million students. CCA advocates for faculty, empowers locals, and builds coalitions for quality education.
• National Education Association (NEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCTA is affiliated with NEA, combining CTA's 310,000 members with NEA's 3.2 million members for powerful advocacy at state and national levels. CTA-AE has voting representation on the NEA Board of Directors.
• NEA Aspiring EducatorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization for aspiring educators; CTA-AE members receive NEA Today, Tomorrow's Teachers publications, and have access to NEA conferences and representation.
• SEIU-United Healthcare Workers WestminorOthersCompeting public employee union; CTA and SEIU-UHW are in an escalating rivalry over competing claims on state budget resources with billions of dollars in tax revenue at stake. SEIU backs a billionaire tax measure while CTA pushes to extend existing wealth taxes.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• United Educators of San Francisco (UESF): UESF is the CTA/NEA local that led the four-day San Francisco teachers strike yielding a $183M settlement; it is a directly comparable local affiliate demonstrating CTA's bargaining model at district scale.
• New York State United Teachers (NYSUT): NYSUT is the largest statewide teachers union outside California (an NEA state affiliate) with a near-identical mix of collective bargaining, political endorsements, and member-benefit programs; it is the most directly comparable state-level peer by structure and mission.
• National Education Association (NEA): NEA is the national parent federation to which CTA is affiliated; both are labor unions representing educators through collective bargaining, political advocacy, and member benefits, with NEA providing the federal-level complement to CTA's California state operations.
• American Federation of Teachers (AFT): AFT is the second major U.S. teachers' union and a direct competitor for membership, political influence, and affiliate representation at both state and local levels; AFT's California affiliate (CFT) competes directly with CTA for dues-paying members.
• United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA): UTLA is one of CTA's largest local affiliates and a key participant in CTA's coordinated bargaining strategy; it directly mirrors CTA's collective-bargaining and political-advocacy model for a single large urban district (Los Angeles Unified).
• California Federation of Teachers (CFT): CFT is the AFT-affiliated state teachers union in California; it competes head-to-head with CTA for membership, local chapter affiliation, collective bargaining rights, and political endorsements within California public schools and community colleges.

Emerging players

• California State Parent Teacher Association (California State PTA): California State PTA is a related but distinct education-focused membership organization in California; it overlaps with CTA on advocacy for public schools and parent/community engagement but is not a labor union and does not engage in collective bargaining.

Regional players

• Florida Education Association (FEA): FEA is the NEA state affiliate for Florida; it follows the same union/membership model as CTA but in a different state with different collective bargaining laws and political environment.
• Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA): TSTA is the NEA-affiliated state teachers association for Texas; it operates an analogous collective bargaining and political advocacy model but in a right-to-work state with no direct territorial overlap with CTA.

Broad incumbents

• Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California: SEIU (and SEIU-UHW specifically) is a much larger public-sector labor union operating broadly in California; it overlaps with CTA on state-budget advocacy and is currently an active rival over tax-measure strategy, but covers healthcare and broader public employees rather than just educators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WeAreCTA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CaliforniaTeachers
• Facebookfacebook.com/WeAreCTA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-teachers-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/WeAreCTA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California Teachers Association