WEST VIRGINIA (LOOTORESS) – The American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia (AFT-WV) and the West Virginia Education Association (WVEA) are excited to announce the merger of their two organizations. The merger becomes official on September 1, 2025 when Education West Virginia formally begins operations. AFT-WV and WVEA have long shared the same values and mission- to advocate for WV’s public schools and the dedicated professionals who serve our students. Until the merger is official, the organizations will be working together to continue to advance those goals.
The historic merger was approved by delegates from both organizations during their respective assemblies on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at the Embassy Suites in Charleston, WV. In addition to state delegates of each organization, guests in attendance included State AFL-CIO President Josh Sword, AFT President Randi Weingarten, NEA President Becky Pringle, and NEA Executive Director Kim Anderson. Through Education West Virginia education employees will work together to improve working condition and students’ learning conditions.
“We are ushering in a new era for West Virginia educators,” stated current AFT-WV President Kristie Skidmore. “While the challenges facing education have not changed since Saturday, our collective power has doubled, and we will now face the headwinds together.”
Current WVEA President Dale Lee commented, “We have been having discussions regarding the merger for a while now. Public education is at a crossroads, and we believe as a unified voice we are better equipped to represent the interests of our members and public schools.”
“Education West Virginia is committed to advocating for education professionals working to ensure they have the resources, support, and conditions necessary for providing a high-quality education for West Virginia’s students. The organization aims to drive the changes needed to strengthen public schools and improve educational outcomes in every community across West Virginia. We couldn’t agree more that it was time for this merger, as it will allow us to expand our efforts and make an even greater impact on the future of education,” said Education West Virginia Co-Presidents Kristie Skidmore and Dale Lee.
