Illinois Education Association spends little on teachers

Just 17% of the union’s spending in 2025 was on representing teachers. But it spent a record-breaking amount on politics and paid many staffers over $100K.

The Illinois Education Association is the largest teachers union in Illinois, but teachers are not the union’s priority.

The union’s recent 2025 filing with the U.S. Department of Labor reveals trends that should concern members:

• Less than 17% of IEA’s spending was on representing members – what should be the union’s focus.
• IEA spent a record-breaking amount on politics, with little transparency.
• More than one-third of IEA officers and staff received six-figure salaries, while the average Illinois teacher salary was less than $79,000.

IEA membership is lagging. This recent report shows membership is down 6% from its peak in 2018.

Maybe it’s time the union started focusing more on teachers.

Less than 17% of the union’s spending was on representing members in 2024

IEA’s most recent report shows it spent little last year on “representational activities,” which should be the focus of a union. The U.S. Department of Labor defines representational activities as including the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement and the administration and enforcement of the resulting contract.

IEA spent a total of $89.8 million in 2025. Of that, just $14.9 million was on representing teachers. That’s not even 17% of its total spending.

The rest was spent on politics, administration and other union leadership priorities.

To put this in perspective, the Better Business Bureau states at least 65% of a nonprofit’s total expenses should be on program activities.

While the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance evaluates spending by charities, it stands to reason IEA’s spending of less than 17% on representation should be a cause for concern among members.

IEA spent a record amount on politics in 2025

IEA spent more than $2 million on political activities and lobbying in 2025, a nearly 6% hike from the year before. It was the union’s highest spend on politics on record.

The bulk of that money – more than $1.7 million – went toward employee salaries, according to the union’s filing.

So all members really know is union staffers were doing political activities or lobbying on the union’s dime. They have no way of knowing on what causes or candidates the vast majority of IEA’s political spending was used.

More than one-third of IEA officers and staffers make six-figure salaries

IEA’s own officers and employees are well paid. More than one-third of its employees earn over $100,000. In fact, the top 21 earners make over $200,000, with 80 making $150,000 or more.

Overall, the union spent more than $28 million on its own salaries – nearly one-third of its total spending. The average teacher in Illinois makes less than $79,000, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

It appears IEA is using teacher union dues to prop up its own expensive employees while failing to spend even 17 cents of every dollar to represent those teachers.

With membership lagging, it’s time IEA reevaluated its priorities and started putting teachers – not union bosses – first.