Skip Navigation
Schools Students Deserve Educating with Equity Student Support
Bargaining Strong Contracts Legal Defense Educator Advocacy Rights Workforce Crisis Mediation Network Protect Public Schools & Students
Facilitators Core Programs Independent Study Eye on Equity Podcast
Action Center New from OEA
Mission, Vision, & Core Values Our Commitment to Equity Our Leadership Governance & Policies Our Members
Delegate Resources
We use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience, provide ads, analyze site traffic, and personalize content. If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies.
RA - Union Nation BannerV2

OEA's Representative Assembly Leading the Work of Our Union

Every April, hundreds of OEA members from across the state gather together to chart the business of our union for the upcoming year.

OEA RA at a Glance

Each spring, nearly 1,000 Oregon educators meet to debate the vital issues that impact public education in Oregon and create our our union's policy platform, legislative objectives, and new business items for the year ahead. These delegates represent the 42,000+ educators across the state who are proud members of the OEA.

2026 OEA-RA Dates

April 6, 2026

  • 5 pm - Parliamentary Procedure Q&A
  • 6:30 pm - Virtual OEA Candidate Forum

April 7, 2026

  • 6:30 pm - Business Session (seat late delegates, adopt agenda, adopt minutes, adopt standing rules)

April 11, 2026:

  • 9:30 am - Bylaws & Policies Hearing
  • 11 am - OEA Choice Trust (dba Oregon Well-being Trust) Presentation
  • 2 pm - Resolutions Hearing
  • 3:30 pm - Legislative Objectives Hearing
  • 5:30 pm - NBI Open House Q&A

April 13, 2026:

  • 6:30 pm - Budget Hearing

April 14, 2026:

  • 5 pm - Legal Defense Hearing
  • 6:30 pm - Special Interest Caucuses

April 15, 2026:

  • NBI Maker amendments due at noon

April 17 & April 18, 2026

In-person RA in Portland, Oregon

Holiday Inn - Columbia Riverfront

909 N Hayden Island Dr., Portland, Oregon

Pre-RA Meetings

PRAM Resources Page

OEA RA Awards Nominations

Nominations are now closed for the 2026 OEA-RA Awards Program. Thank you to those who submitted peer nominations! Please join us at the Awards Banquet on Saturday, April 18 to honor this year's recipients.

Dick Barss/Pat Wohlers Member Rights Award: The Dick Barss/Pat Wohlers Member Rights award honors an OEA member who has made a significant contribution toward protecting or furthering the rights of our members.
Noel Connall IPD Award: The Noel Connall IPD Award honors an OEA member who has been instrumental in developing or implementing instruction and professional development through programs or contract language.
Robert G. Crumpton Organizational Excellence Award: The Robert G. Crumpton Organizational Excellence Award honors an OEA member who has promoted organizational excellence through long-time service to OEA. Criteria includes: 1) at least 10 years of service to the Association, 2) service at more than one level of the Association (local/ UniServ/state/ national) and, 3) demonstration of consistent support and involvement within the Association. This award is not intended to recognize single achievement, but rather to recognize ongoing and outstanding voluntary activities which are the foundation of OEA.
Excellence in Education Award: The Excellence in education award honors an OEA member for outstanding accomplishments toward educational excellence for all students. Likely honorees have spearheaded a model program that could impact students statewide or have had a significant influence on educational policy for the improvement of education for all students.
Political Action Award: The Political Action Award honors an OEA member, local Association, or UniServ that has gone the extra-mile to provide political leadership on behalf of OEA’s political agenda. and to achieve the Association’s political action goals.
Kevin Forney Education Support Professional Award: The Kevin Forney Education Support Professional award honors an ESP member whose individual activities reflect the contribution of ESP members to public education in Oregon. The award winner is submitted to NEA for NEA’s ESP of the Year award.
Ruth E. Greiner Membership Award: The Ruth Greiner Membership Award honors the contributions of a newer member or an experienced member who has worked hard to include early career educators at the local or state level.
Deanna Conner Community College Award: The Deanna Conner Community College Award honors the contributions of an OEA community college member who has had a positive impact on the advocacy of Oregon community colleges. Nominees will be reviewed by the Community College UniServ Council Award Committee and the recipient will be reported to the OEA President.
OEA-Retired Lifetime Service Award: The OEA-Retired Lifetime Service Award honors an individual whose long-term advocacy, commitment, and service to the Oregon Education Association and OEA-Retired have grown our union. Active advocacy, commitment, and service over a lifetime will be the highest criteria to be considered. The individual’s elected service, although considered, will not be the prime factor in awarding this recognition.
Early Career Educator Award: The Early Career Educator Award honors the contribution of an OEA member in their first five (5) years in the field of education professions who has taken an active role at the local or state level to advocate and/or engage educators in union work.
Aspiring Educator Award: The Aspiring Educator Award honors an aspiring educator who has taken an active role at the chapter or state level to advocate and/or engage educators in union work.
Presidential Citations: Presidential Citations are occasionally given by the OEA President to members for special recognition.
Ed Elliott Human Rights Award: The Ed Elliott Human Rights Award honors an individual who has made a sustained contribution to human and civil rights in Oregon. The award recognizes contributions and leadership that advocated for social justice to promote quality of access, representation, and opportunity for all.
Education Citizen of the Year: The OEA’s highest award to a non-member, the Education Citizen of the Year award honors an individual outside the field of education who has made a sustained contribution to or has had a recognized impact on education in Oregon. Criteria for selection includes: 1) currently active in support of public education in Oregon, 2) service to education over a period of time, 3) someone NOT professionally active in education, and 4) a forward-looking philosophy of education in line with OEA’s objectives for the profession.
News Media Award(s): The News Media Award honors a non-member of the media. This award is intended for members of the media who have increased public understanding of education achievements, problems or programs. This category includes: 1) continuous coverage of education, 2) special news or feature stories/ programs on education, 3) editorials, 4) photography/graphic depictions of education.
Fill out my online form.

OEA RA Awards Banquet

The 2026 RA Awards Banquet is currently at capacity, with no remaining wait list spots available. If you have a ticket to the awards banquet and are no longer able to attend, please email [email protected], or return your ticket to the Information Table at OEA-RA so that it may be assigned to another delegate on our waiting list. Thank you!

 

RA Saturday Lunch Buffet

Saturday, April 18 | 12:30-2 p.m.

$28/person

Download flier for complete menu

How to Purchase:

Advance sales of 10+ tickets can be purchased via credit card
Send requests to [email protected]
Requests must be received by 04/17/25 @ 3:00 PM

Purchase tickets in-person at Jantzen Beach Bar & Grill:
Friday, April 17: 2:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Saturday, April 18: 7:00 AM – 12:00 PM
*Price will increase to $30 per person for day of ticket purchases

Digital Delegate Resources

Go to Digital Resources Page

2025 Passed New Business Items

Delegates at the 2025 Representative Assembly passed a number of New Business Items (NBIs), guiding the work of our union for 2025-2026 academic year. Learn more about them by reading the document below.

Read: 2025 Passed NBIs

2025 RA Minutes

Access the full minutes for the 2025 Representative Assembly. Note: these are draft until approved by the 2026 RA Delegation.

Read: 2024 RA Minutes

OEA Political Action Committee

OEA PAC is OEA’s political action committee (PAC) – the tool that Oregon educators can use to help financially support pro-public education candidates who earn the endorsement of OEA members. The OEA PAC only exists because OEA members like you have chosen to make voluntary contributions to help educators build power and improve public education in Oregon.

Learn more about OEA-PAC

Donate

Rally at the capitol

Donate to the OEA-PAC Today!

Together, we will claim victories for public education

Donate
Oregon Education Association logo

Keeping the Promise of Quality Public Education

The Oregon Education Association (OEA) is a union committed to the cause of providing the basic right of great public education to every student. OEA represents about 41,000 educators working in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public schools and community colleges. OEA’s membership includes licensed teachers and specialists, classified/education support professionals (ESPs), community college faculty, retired educators, and student members. OEA members also belong to the 3.2 million members of the National Education Association (NEA).
About us
Join OEA

The Oregon Education Association is a state affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.

Learn more at NEA.org