Updated at 4 p.m.
MANASSAS, Va. – The Virginia Education Association (VEA) is calling for stronger financial controls at the Prince William Education Association (PWEA) following a sharp drop in the local union’s cash reserves—from $1.4 million to just $63,000 in two years.
A letter from VEA President Carol Bauer, shared anonymously with Potomac Local News, outlines concerns from a recent internal review. The report shows PWEA is spending $53,000 more each month than it brings in and has accumulated $692,000 in credit card charges over a 20-month period.
“At current rates, PWEA might not be able to meet its financial obligations by the end of 2025, jeopardizing effective member representation,” Bauer wrote.
Despite the financial concerns, VEA has not taken control of the local union. Instead, it’s pushing a corrective action plan that includes a VEA-funded audit, new spending limits, and tighter restrictions on investment account withdrawals.
A VEA spokesperson confirmed the organization’s involvement in a statement to Potomac Local News:
“The Virginia Education Association confirms that we have communicated with Prince William Education Association leadership and members regarding financial oversight matters… VEA remains committed to supporting PWEA members and the important work they do on behalf of educators and students in Prince William County.”
As of this report, PWEA has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Gainesville District School Board Member Jennifer Wall told Potomac Local News she’s troubled by the situation and believes union members deserve transparency and accountability.
“While I do not independently have knowledge on the issue, and know only what has been relayed publicly through VEA’s communications, these allegations, if true, cause me great concern as a member of the PWCS School Board,” Wall said. “Our thousands of employees have a right to know how the PWEA is using their hard-earned dollars. If there is any fraud, waste or abuse by the PWEA, our PWCS employees not only have a right to know about it, but they have a right to hold their union leadership accountable. If the investigation shows that there has been any fraud, waste or abuse of employee funds, I encourage members to take action.”
Wall has consistently voiced concerns about collective bargaining and the PWEA’s leadership.
“It’s no secret that I’ve been a vocal critic of collective bargaining in general, and the PWEA’s approach in particular,” she added. “I’m on the record time and again, consistently expressing my concerns about the PWEA’s leadership, for precisely these types of concerns that VEA has raised with regard to fiduciary and financial responsibilities.”
Big Win, But Ongoing Tensions
The financial concerns come just months after PWEA and Prince William County Public Schools finalized a landmark collective bargaining agreement. Approved in January and celebrated in May, the deal expanded bereavement and parental leave, improved support for teachers changing grade levels, and continued the push for better compensation.
“When our educators have adequate employee benefits, they can devote their time and energy to their students and families,” said PWEA President Maggie Hansford in a school division press release.
But tensions between VEA and PWEA have lingered. In May 2024, then-VEA President James Fedderman launched a formal probe into PWEA’s finances and governance. Hansford fired back in a mass email to members, calling the move “an attempt to control and defame our union.”
Fedderman’s term ended in July 2024. Bauer, his successor, is now leading the oversight effort.
Hansford became PWEA President in 2020 and led the union through a VEA-imposed trusteeship in 2021 following previous financial and workplace concerns. Since then, two efforts to recall her leadership have failed.
Potomac Local News will continue to follow this developing story.
As the Prince William Education Association celebrates its latest collective bargaining victory with Prince William County Public Schools, the state teachers' union is again looking into the local teachers' association practices and has launched an investigation.
Newly obtained documents show that on May 24, Virginia Education Association President James Fedderman sent a letter to Maggie Hansford, President of the Prince William Education Association, informing her that the VEA Executive Committee met on May 18 to discuss members' concerns. Those concerns included PWEA’s “finances, governing procedures, and operating procedures.” The VEA asked Hansford to produce documentation from meeting minutes, bank statements, bylaws, policies, and information on how the organization elects its officers by June 1.
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Prince William County Public Schools: “After eight months of negotiations as part of the collective bargaining process with the Prince William Education Association (PWEA), a three-year collective bargaining agreement on benefits and terms and conditions of employment was tentatively agreed upon by the School Board’s and PWEA’s bargaining teams. PWCS is hopeful that this agreement will be ratified by the employees in each bargaining unit.”
“The division proposed a contract including a nearly $70 million salary and benefit package of approximately $64 million in increased salary and more than $5 million increase in other wages and benefits. PWEA negotiators did not reach an agreement on the wage proposal before the December 1 deadline.”
“We are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with PWEA on significant benefits that will continue to ensure we are the best place to work,” said Prince William County School Board Chairman At-Large, Dr. Babur Lateef. “We are disappointed that we could not reach an agreement on wages. The School Board and administration are committed to ensuring competitive wages for our employees even without an agreement.”
“The School Board’s bargaining team made an aggressive proposal on wages that would have provided tremendous benefits for employees while maintaining fiscal responsibility. However, an agreement on wages was not reached with PWEA. The PWCS $64 million wage proposal includes the following terms that were not approved by the PWEA:
- A 6 percent average salary increase (in addition to the 2 percent salary increase to be provided to employees beginning in January 2024).
- A maximum 9 percent salary increase for certified staff with 12-18 years of experience as of June 30, 2024, to ensure those employees’ salaries are competitive with peer school divisions.
- For classified employees, an expansion of the salary scale from 2.89 percent to 3 percent between steps, bringing pay equity between the classified and certified pay scales.
The parties tentatively agreed to the following, pending ratification by the School Board, and ratification by employees:
- Paying teachers who teach summer school and extended school year their hourly rates.
- A new short-term disability benefit that covers employees after the first 30 days of employment at no cost to the employee.
- Continuing to pay the same proportional share of any health care premium increases.
- Increased pay for teachers who teach an extra class during the workday.
Increasing supplements teachers receive for extracurricular duties, including the addition of supplements for middle school band assistants, choral directors, choral assistants, and orchestra and drama teachers, and elementary music teachers.
“Our employees are critical as we work together with our parents and community members to launch thriving futures for our students,” said Dr. LaTanya D. McDade, Superintendent. “Our bargaining team worked diligently through this process with PWEA in good faith. We will continue our efforts to offer employees competitive salary and benefit packages.”
Prince William County Public Schools Ombudsman Monique Bookstein delivered her annual report to the School Board of the yearly report of the 2022-2023 school year. Bookstein says this year's total number of visitors was 298, a 54% increase from the prior school year.
Bookstein said the increase could have been because parents, staff, and community members feel they don’t have the means to communicate their issues properly. The organization allows visitors to voice their concerns non-biasedly and seek help in confidentiality.
Bookstein described how she works with her clients. First, there is an initial conversation between the visitor and Bookstein, and the roles are clarified on what Bookstein can and cannot do. Bookstein will then work with the visitor to understand the situation, analyze it, explore options, and discuss next steps.
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“The changes were introduced at the Tuesday, Nov. 14 school board meeting by Chair Babur Lateef (at large) and members Jen Wall (Gainesville) and Adele Jackson (Brentsville). If adopted, the changes would prevent speakers from signing up for two meetings following the meeting at which they last spoke.”
New information published by Prince William County Public Schools shows the Prince William Education Association is pushing for a 17% pay raise for teachers at $364 million, or about a third of the school division's existing salary budget.
The pay raise would cost the division more than it pays for the schools' transportation program, central office, facilities management, and capital reserves combined.
