Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1530930
T H E H I G H E S T P O L I C Y - M A K I N G body in our union, CTA State Council of Education, celebrates 120 years in 2025. Initially founded as the California Educational Society in 1863 and then later becoming the State Teachers Association, our union incorporated as California Teachers Association in 1905. Leaders including CTA founder and former Superintendent of Public Instruc- tion John Swett established the State Council of Education "which would meet periodically to set organizational policy, collect dues, adopt a budget, recommend expenditures and elect officers." Under the organization's new democratic structure, California's classroom teachers — now speaking with one increasingly powerful voice — began assuming leadership roles, as more were elected to State Council. These Council members led our union to some massive victories early on — lobbying to establish a statewide community college system in 1911 and persuading the Legislature to print free school textbooks for all public school students in first through eighth grade. Our union's trailblazing leaders also won the state's first "continuing contract" law, providing for educators to be automatically reemployed every school year unless notified otherwise, as well as the establishment of a state teachers' retirement system, which became CalSTRS, in 1913 — pro- viding retirement security to educators who dedicated their lives to educating generations. Today, CalSTRS is the largest educators-only pension in the world. Happy anniversary, State Council! — Julian Peeples Golden Anniversary for Collective Bargaining The CTA-sponsored Rodda Act gave educators the right to negotiate contracts. In 2025, collective bargaining for public school educators and community college faculty celebrates 50 years, marking the golden anniversary for Senate Bill 160, the Rodda Act. Authored by State Sen. Albert Rodda, the bill was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown on Sept. 22, 1975, granting edu- cators and faculty the right to form unions and collectively negotiate wages, benefits and working conditions. This marked a significant shift in how labor relations were han- dled in California's public schools. The Rodda Act was a response to growing demands from educators for better working conditions and professional recognition. It replaced the previous "meet and confer " sys- tem, which was more informal and often left teachers with little negotiating power. The Rodda Act allowed public school employees to choose a union as their exclusive representative in negoti- ations with school districts, ensuring that the union speaks for all employees in the bargaining unit. The new law defined negotiable topics, including salary, working hours, class sizes and grievance procedures, while leaving broader education policy decisions to local school boards. SB 160 also created the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), which was tasked with overseeing and enforcing the new law, handling disputes and complaints of unfair labor practices and ensuring compliance (see story on page 29 to see more on PERB). The adoption of the Rodda Act also marked the end of school administrators being members of CTA, and in 1976, our union hired the first executive director who was not also a state superintendent of public education. — Julian Peeples Delegates vote at a recent State Council. Sen. Albert Rodda, far right, celebrates passage of SB 160 with colleagues. State Council Celebrates 120 Years 42 cta.org Our Union