The Latest from VEA

Legislators all around the General Assembly Building got the scoop firsthand Friday, as VEA members from across the state made the trek to Richmond to tell public education’s stories on VEA’s 2025 Lobby Day.

In Delegate Amy Laufer’s office, Albemarle Education Association member Julie Weed spoke of the revenue surplus Virginia has as budgets are being drawn up, urging her to support multi-year funding commitments to address issues like removing the support staff cap and raising Virginia educator salaries to “something that’s not embarrassing.”

Charlottesville Education Association member Ernest Chambers added that many of the behavior problems at his school could be handled “if we were able to have more support staff,” educators who could do a pull a child with behavior problems out of class and address his or her issues.

In Delegate Joshua Cole’s office, Matthew Lentz of the Stafford Education Association talked about the long-term impact of skimpy paychecks. “We really must raise salaries for teachers and staff,” he said. “It’s hurting our kids, the next generation. It’s sad that Virginia ranks 48^th in the nation in teacher pay when you compare it to the salaries of workers with a similar education.”

He also urged support for VEA’s proposal for $10,000 in supplemental pay for teachers in schools with the highest vacancy rates, adding that he’s a 30-year classroom veteran and he’s never seen so many of his colleagues leaving the profession.

Members also shared success stories with their elected leaders. Manassas City Education Association member Brandon Fincham told Delegate Michelle Maldonado about how well evening school was working for at-risk students there, noting “we got 12 students through to graduation this year that would have been dropouts.”

Fellow MCEA member Shaniqua Williams added that the free breakfast and lunch program was a big success. “Kids love it and use it,” she said. “State funds are being used well.”

MCEA President Anna Demeria also told Del. Maldonado that MEA will be starting the process to gain collective bargaining rights for the city’s school employees soon. The Delegate’s response? “Let me know what I can do to help.”