The highest decision-making body of the CFT is its annual convention. At the convention, hundreds of delegates democratically elected in locals throughout the state come to debate and decide issues and policy questions facing the organization and its membership.

Every other year the convention elects statewide officers to embody the will of the membership. Between conventions, decisions for the organization are made by the State Council, to which all CFT locals may send delegates and which meets twice a year, and by the Executive Council, comprising the statewide officers of the CFT.

The CFT's governance structure divides the federation into five councils corresponding to the major divisions of education employees: Early Childhood/K-12, Classified, Community College, Adult Education, and University. The five division councils meet quarterly to share information relating to their constituencies and to develop policy proposals to bring before the State Council, Executive Council, and the annual convention.

Because we are a federation our locals are empowered to adapt CFT and AFT positions and policies according to local needs. We work hard to build consensus before taking positions. In these ways decision-making percolates from the bottom to the top of the Federation.