When CTA was founded in 1863, only a few hundred students attended public schools and teachers were poorly prepared and seriously underpaid. Within three years, we persuaded the state legislature to establish free public schools for all children. We’ve had many victories since then, from preventing the firing of a female teacher because she was married, to sponsoring and campaigning for Proposition 98, the landmark state constitutional amendment that guarantees a certain amount of the state’s budget for K-14 schools. Together, we have raised the stature and salaries of teachers and expanded the opportunity for California’s 9 million students to receive a quality education. Today, we’re still going strong.

Read more of CTA’s proud history

Watch our Digital Timeline highlighting CTA's accomplishments through the years