What Ohio Education Association does

The Ohio Education Association (OEA) is a private, nonprofit professional association and labor union founded in 1847 as the Ohio State Teachers' Association and representing approximately 120,000 teachers, faculty members, and education support professionals working in Ohio's public schools, colleges, and universities. The organization is the largest state affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA) and operates through a multi-tiered structure comprising a Columbus headquarters, four regional field offices, ten district associations, and 744 local affiliates as of January 2024. OEA's core offering is annual membership, which bundles advocacy (collective bargaining, legislative lobbying, and political action), professional development (Summer Leadership Academy, Bargaining Bootcamps, Advocacy and Organizing Institute, Minority Leadership Training Program, and 175+ micro-credentials), legal services ($1 million Educators Employment Liability insurance plus paid employment-law representation and attorney referrals), and member benefits (insurance, discounts, graduate coursework access via VESi/Ursuline at $250/year, and wellness programming).

OEA generates revenue primarily through annual membership dues on a recurring subscription basis, with specific rates not publicly disclosed. Distribution combines direct enrollment via the website and 4 regional offices with a grassroots channel of 744 local affiliates. The organization has no proprietary technology platform of note beyond a mobile app and digital content channels (podcast, magazine, docuseries, blog) and is governed by a 54-member Board of Directors and elected officers, with new leadership installed across all top elected and executive positions in 2025. The customer base is a long-tail of individual educator members concentrated in a single state and sector (Ohio public education), making revenue predictable but vertically concentrated. Recent strategic activity centers on expanding member value (micro-credentials, partnerships) and defending regulatory/pension interests (STRS Board litigation) rather than on geographic or vertical expansion.

Name

Ohio Education Association

Legal name

Ohio Education Association

Website

https://ohea.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1847

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The Ohio Education Association is a nonprofit labor union and professional association, founded in 1847, representing approximately 120,000 teachers, faculty, and education support professionals in Ohio through 744 local affiliates, 10 district associations, and 4 regional offices. It delivers advocacy, collective bargaining, professional development, legal services, and member benefits funded primarily by annual membership dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Labor Union and Education Advocacy Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Teacher Professional Development & In-Service Training Institutes (EDAHAFAM)

Keywords

• Labor union services
• Professional development programs
• Educator advocacy services
• Collective bargaining representation
• Legal services education

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: OEA generates revenue through annual membership dues from approximately 120,000 teachers, faculty members, and support professionals. Members pay dues which fund the association's operations, advocacy efforts, professional development, legal services, and member benefits programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Ohio Education Association is a membership-based labor union that represents approximately 120,000 teachers, faculty members, and education support professionals across Ohio. It delivers collective bargaining representation, legislative advocacy, professional development programs, legal services including liability insurance (up to $1 million in EEL coverage), attorney referrals, member discounts, and specialized support divisions for active educators, retirees, aspiring educators, and education support professionals.

Product overview

Ohio Education Association (OEA) is a membership-based labor union and professional organization representing approximately 120,000 educators and support professionals in Ohio's public schools, colleges, and universities. The organization operates as a unified membership platform offering advocacy services, professional development programs, legal protection, and member benefits. The core offering is OEA Membership, supported by professional development programs including the Summer Leadership Academy, Bargaining Bootcamp, Advocacy and Organizing Institute (AOI), Minority Leadership Training Program, and the NEA/OEA Micro-Credentials library. Legal services include the Educators Employment Liability (EEL) Program, Legal Services Program, and Attorney Referral Program. Specialized divisions serve Education Support Professionals (ESP), retired educators (OEA-R), aspiring educators (OEA-AE), and new educators (ONE), while advocacy initiatives like Public Education Matters and Degrees Not Debt mobilize members on key issues. The organization also produces media content including the Public Education Matters Podcast, Ohio School Spotlight documentary series, and Ohio Schools Magazine publication. The network comprises 744 local affiliates across Ohio's 10 district associations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ohio Education Association Membership Core membership in OEA providing approximately 120,000 teachers, faculty members, and support professionals with collective bargaining representation, legislative advocacy, professional development access, legal services, liability insurance, and member benefits.
• My OEA App Mobile application providing OEA members access to association resources, news, events, and member services on-the-go.
• OEA Summer Leadership Academy Annual leadership development conference helping OEA members at all levels develop skills as leaders of their profession and association.
• OEA Bargaining Bootcamp Intensive team-based training program that helps bargaining teams learn essential organizing and bargaining concepts for successful contract campaigns.
• Advocacy and Organizing Institute (AOI) Flagship winter training event where attendees acquire new skills and resources in advocating, organizing, and leadership.
• OEA Minority Leadership Training Program (MLTP) Leadership development program providing OEA members of color with knowledge and skills to serve as leaders at all levels of the Association.
• OEA/NEA Micro-Credentials Competency-based digital professional learning program with over 175 micro-credentials organized into 27 topic area stacks, available free to OEA members for professional growth and licensure renewal.
• Online Graduate Courses (VESi) Subscription partnership with Ursuline College and VESi giving OEA members access to up to nine graduate credit hours (three courses) for $250 per year.
• Educators Employment Liability (EEL) Program Professional liability insurance automatically included with membership, providing $1 million in coverage for civil claims and up to $35,000 for criminal defense attorney fees.
• OEA/NEA Legal Services Program Paid legal representation for members relating to employment issues including contract termination, suspension, demotion, salary disputes, and certification matters.
• NEA/OEA Attorney Referral Program Network of attorneys providing two free 30-minute consultation sessions per year and 30% discounted rates for further legal services in real estate, wills, domestic relations, consumer protection, and traffic violations.
• Local Affiliates Network Network of 744 local affiliates across Ohio that advocate for OEA members and public education at the local school district level.

Quantifiable outcome

• Represents approximately 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Education Association (NEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEA is OEA's parent organization at the national level. OEA is the largest state affiliate of NEA. The partnership provides OEA members with access to NEA Member Benefits programs, professional development resources, national advocacy representation, and liability insurance coverage.
• Virtual Education Software, Inc. (VESi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOEA partnered with VESi and Ursuline College to offer members online graduate courses. Members can access up to nine graduate credit hours (three courses) for only $250 per year through this subscription program.
• Ursuline CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOEA partnered with Ursuline College and VESi to offer members online graduate courses for professional development. The subscription allows access to up to nine graduate credit hours for $250 annually.
• Columbus CrewminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for educator appreciation events. Columbus Crew expresses gratitude towards Ohio teachers through special events at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.
• Cedar PointminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCedar Point offers discounted admission tickets, parking, and other savings opportunities to all OEA members through September 7, 2026.
• OEA Education FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe OEA Educational Foundation is a bi-annual fundraiser that promotes Public Education Matters. The foundation provides grants and scholarships to OEA members.
• Ohio Leadership Advisory Council (OLAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOLAC offers free professional development resources to support teacher-based teams, building leadership teams, and district leadership teams.
• Ohio Statewide Family Engagement CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to help Ohio families and schools build effective family-school partnerships through resources including online learning, conferences, and research briefs.
• Consumer Cellular (NEA Wireless Program)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNEA Wireless Program offered in partnership with Consumer Cellular provides affordable cell phone service plans to NEA/OEA members with no contract fees.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Education Association (NEA): The largest U.S. teacher union and OEA's national parent affiliate. Directly comparable as a membership-based educator advocacy organization, but operating at national scope with broader policy and benefit programs that OEA delivers locally.
• American Federation of Teachers (AFT): The second-largest U.S. teacher union, with OFT as its Ohio state affiliate. Directly comparable business model of membership dues, collective bargaining, professional development, and legislative advocacy for educators.

Direct peers

• New York State United Teachers (NYSUT): Combined NEA/AFT statewide teacher union in New York. Directly comparable as a dues-funded educator advocacy organization with collective bargaining, PD programs, legal services, and member benefits.
• California Teachers Association (CTA): NEA-affiliated statewide teacher association in California. Closely analogous in structure, mission, and service portfolio (advocacy, PD, legal services, liability insurance) to OEA, just operating at larger scale in a different state.
• Illinois Education Association (IEA): NEA-affiliated statewide teacher association in Illinois. Directly comparable membership organization for educators offering advocacy, bargaining representation, professional development, and member benefits.
• Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC): NEA-affiliated statewide teacher association in Wisconsin. Directly comparable statewide educator membership organization with collective bargaining, PD, and member advocacy, operating under similar right-to-work-adjacent political dynamics as OEA.
• Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA): NEA-affiliated statewide teacher association in Texas. Directly comparable structure and service mix to OEA - local affiliates, professional development, legal protection, and legislative advocacy for public school employees.
• Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT): AFT-affiliated statewide teacher union operating in Ohio, representing public school employees and competing directly with OEA for the same membership base, bargaining units, and political influence in the state.
• Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA): NEA-affiliated statewide teacher association serving Pennsylvania educators. Operates with comparable structure to OEA: local affiliates, regional offices, professional development, legal services, and legislative advocacy.
• Michigan Education Association (MEA): NEA-affiliated statewide teacher association in Michigan. Closely comparable to OEA as a dues-funded educator membership organization with local affiliates, collective bargaining, PD, and political advocacy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ohioea
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCydBqO8UTkwpVIG9F3OxpIQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/OhioEA
• Instagraminstagram.com/ohioea
• Pinterestpinterest.com/ohioea
• TikToktiktok.com/@ohioea
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohio-education-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries8 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 Ohio Education Association