IFT represents educators in more than 200 districts across Illinois. But teachers’ zip codes dictate how much support they actually get from the union.

The Chicago Teachers Union endorsed and financially backed candidates for federal, state and local elections in the March 17 primary.

The Chicago Teachers Union shared its 2026 state primary election candidate endorsements.

Chicago Teachers Union members were encouraged to skip class to lobby state lawmakers during the veto session. Politics over student learning, at taxpayers’ expense.

The Chicago Teachers Union spent millions on failed school board candidates in its 2025 fiscal year. Not even 18% of its spending was on representing teachers.

There is one time a year for most public education employees to opt out of their teachers union. That time is now. Here’s why it might make sense for you.

Just 15% to 26% of Illinois teachers union spending was on representing teachers in 2024. But public education employees can opt out of union membership and keep their hard-earned money.

Not even 20% of CTU’s spending went to representing its members during its 2023-2024 fiscal year, according to its own federal reporting.

The federal filings of the Illinois Federation of Teachers and its national affiliate, the American Federation of Teachers, reveal questionable spending, with little spent on representing teachers, millions spent on politics and deficit spending while the big boss got $500K.