Princess Moss Elected NEA President With Votes From 50% of Assembly Members

Princess Moss was elected president of the National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest teachers union, during the organization's annual representative assembly held on July 5, 2026. Moss secured 50.3% of votes cast by a delegate assembly comprising nearly 6,000 members, according to the union. The narrow margin meant she avoided a runoff election that would have been triggered by a sub-50% result.

Moss brings substantial experience within union leadership, having served as NEA vice president prior to her election. A music teacher from Louisa County, Virginia, she is only the second president from the Virginia Education Association (VEA) to lead the national organization, following Mary Hatwood Futrell, who served as NEA president from 1983 to 1989. She succeeds Becky Pringle, whose tenure concluded after two three-year terms; Pringle was constitutionally barred from seeking reelection due to term limits.

The presidential race included multiple candidates. Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association, finished second with 31.2% of the vote. Sean Spiller, former president of the New Jersey Education Association and a past gubernatorial candidate, received 17.4%. Tania Kappner, an Oakland Unified School District teacher, secured 0.94% of votes. In her statement following her election, Moss pledged to advocate for "resources, respect and professional voice educators deserve" and committed to building on the union's legacy while ensuring equitable access to high-quality public education across all communities.

The leadership transition also included elections for additional union positions. Noel Candelaria, a special education teacher from El Paso, Texas, was elected vice president after previously serving as the union's secretary-treasurer. Robert Varela Rodriguez was elected to the secretary-treasurer position.