FAQs

If you’re serving young people in our public schools, chances are good that you can!

VEA stands up for public education, Virginia’s students, and for education employees, and we welcome those who work in and for public schools. Our primary categories of membership are:

• Active professional: such as classroom teacher or counselor
• Active education support professional: such as bus driver, paraprofessional, or cafeteria worker
• Student: meaning those enrolled in or preparing for a teacher education program
• Retired educator: at least 45 years of age or eligible for a pension for a public education career.

We offer flexible options and alternatives, including membership options for working part-time in our public schools, in administrative positions, or substitute teaching.

Association membership is “unified.” When you join, you automatically become a member at three levels: your local Association, the VEA, and the National Education Association. Dues vary by category. For details, contact your Local Association or VEA or join online through NEA and pay by credit card.

With more than 40,000 educator members across the state, the VEA is Virginia’s premier education organization and the commonwealth’s strongest advocate for quality public education for all children. Membership guarantees you a range of benefits:

• Professional development. VEA offers training programs in a variety of subjects, including classroom management, national board certification, the new Every Student Succeeds Act, special education, teacher licensure, conflict resolution, and time management.
• Many key education policy and funding decisions are made in Richmond by the General Assembly, where VEA serves as a strong advocate and watchdog for public education and public education employees. VEA, through its members, is your voice at the table when important decisions are made. In addition, VEA reaches out to the community each year through public relations and advertising activities to promote Association priorities.
• Member rights/legal protection.VEA members are automatically covered by a $1 million liability policy while they are performing their duties. In addition, members get discounts on other legal services. VEA helps safeguard member rights through a network of trained professionals, called UniServ directors, in offices around the state. UniServ directors stand ready to assist you if and when issues surrounding your employment and working conditions arise.
• Member communications.VEA keeps members informed and in touch through its website and social media platforms, written communications, and frequent meetings around the state where educators can voice their concerns and be kept up-to-date on Association programs and activities. All members receive the Virginia Journal of Education six times a year, a publication designed to keep them in the know.
• VEA works year-round to improve benefits for retired educators and to protect the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) from attempts to use retirement funds to balance the state budget.

Your local Association, the VEA, and the National Education Association share an integrated database to update member records. Just contact your local UniServ office to change any of your contact information. Note: After you make the change, you may receive an issue of NEA Today or the Virginia Journal of Education at your old address, because mailing lists for publications must be submitted several weeks before press dates.

The contact information for VEA headquarters is as follows:

Virginia Education Association
8001 Franklin Farms Drive; Suite 200
Richmond, VA 23229
Tel: 804-648-5801 or 800-552-9554
Fax: 804-775-8379

Switchboard hours are M-F 8:15 am to 4:30 pm.