The Latest from VEA

On a gray February Monday, the eve of Crossover Day at the General Assembly, when House bills go to the Senate for consideration and vice versa, VEA members walked the halls of power in Richmond, telling their stories to state policymakers.

It was VEA’s 2026 Lobby Day, and in Delegate Nicole Cole’s office, Spotsylvania Education Association members Stephanie Lilly, Melissa Brace, and Fern Hales were talking about the needs of public schools with the newly-elected member of the House. It was an especially enjoyable conversation, as SEA members played an important role in helping Del. Cole, a former member of the county’s school board, win election to the General Assembly.

Elsewhere in the state’s legislative headquarters building, Fairfax Education Association members Kimberly Adams and Joanne Walton were in Del. Dan Helmer’s office, emphasizing the importance of Virginia reaching the national average salary for teachers, something the General Assembly has pledged to do, and how vital it is for educators to have strong collective bargaining rights.

In Del. Virgil Thornton’s office, York Education Association member Deb Wesley, Hampton Education Association member Andrea Lonzaga, and Williamsburg-James City member Andy Cason were pointing out funding shortfalls and disparities, as well as discussing the risks of rushing under-qualified teachers into the classroom.

Similar encounters were happening throughout the 14-story tower next to the State Capitol, as VEA members from across the Commonwealth took advantage of the opportunity to put faces to some of the education issues legislators would be voting on this session.

As lobbying efforts wrapped up, Governor Abigail Spanberger joined the VEA crowd outside the General Assembly Building to encourage their efforts and thank them for their work, getting a rousing cheer as she talked about the positive experiences her three daughters were having in Virginia public schools.