The Hotline Newsletter

Every week, Texas AFT compiles important news, updates, and information on public education policy in Texas. The Hotline covers a wide range of topics, including statewide education news, updates from the legislative session, and our current union campaigns.

Featured News

March 1, 2024: Vote Vote Vote

Friday, March 1, 2024 Fund our fight for a thriving public education system at the ballot box this year. Shop new voting merch at store.texasaft.org. Every purchase is a donation to our Texas AFT COPE political fund.   Educators don’t vote? Prove them wrong Tuesday. With Election Day coming this Tuesday, and Texas voter turnout sitting under 10% statewide, we want...

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Feb. 23, 2024: Early Voting Kicks Off

Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 Could you use some good news? Because we could use some good news.  Here at Texas AFT, we bring you need-to-know information on the state of public education in Texas with every Friday’s Hotline. And we are acutely aware that, by and large, the news we...

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Feb. 16, 2024: Cut to the Bone

Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 Gov. Greg Abbott held yet another of his voucher rallies last week in San Antonio. Our members, active and retired, were there to greet him.   Cut to the Bone Fact: Texas has a significant crisis of retaining teachers and qualified school staff.   Another fact: Texas...

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Feb. 9, 2024: The Voucher Bait-and-Switch

Friday, Feb. 9, 2024 It’s fair to wonder why, after the catastrophic defeat after defeat (after defeat after defeat) of his signature policy priority last year, Gov. Greg Abbott is still pursuing a private school voucher program this election year.   Texans don’t want it. Legislators in his own party...

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Feb. 2, 2024: Kicking Off Election Season

Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 “God bless the Texas labor movement, and God help Texas.”  Last weekend, Texas AFT delegates attended the Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention, kicking off Texas labor’s political fight this election year for working Texans (more on that later).   In his speech to convention delegates, President Zeph Capo...

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Jan. 26, 2024: This is Just the Beginning

Friday, Jan. 26, 2024 Your Union, Your Voice  After a turbulent and shamefully unproductive legislative session(s) in 2023, Texas politicians are gearing up for this year's general election, and public education will be a top issue. Your voice helps your union bring facts about the state of public education to...

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Jan. 19, 2024: The Budget Surplus Remains

Friday, Jan. 19, 2024 Back to Basics Texas has the ninth-largest economy in the world and a $32.7 billion budget surplus, but our schools are starved for resources.  How did this happen? What can we do to fix it? Can it be fixed?  Educating Texas: The Levers of Power  Tuesday,...

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Jan. 12, 2024: Planning Ahead

Friday, Jan. 12, 2024 With the drop in temps, we hope you stay safe this weekend. If you’re looking for ways to bundle up, now would be a great time to pick up a new hoodie from store.texasaft.org. Every purchase is a donation to our union’s Committee on Political Education...

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Dec. 15, 2023: Looking Back, Looking Forward

Closed for the Holidays: December 21 through January 5.

Friday, Dec. 15, 2023 What a Year We are wrapping things up for 2023. Texas AFT offices will be closed from Thursday, Dec. 21 through Friday, Jan. 5. After one regular legislative session, four special sessions, and an election, we are all ready for a long winter’s nap.  This will...

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Dec. 8, 2023: COLA Controversies

Friday, Dec. 8, 2023 You tracked your working conditions. Here’s what we learned. This fall, over 600 K-12 and higher education employees participated in Texas AFT’s Strive to Thrive working conditions project. It was the largest statewide effort of public school employees in Texas to document the real issues in...

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Dec. 1, 2023: Thankful for the 84

Friday, Dec. 1, 2023 Teaching the truth On Monday, Nov. 27, Texas State University officially dedicated the Shirley R. Harris Student Lounge, honoring a civil rights trailblazer and 40-year San Antonio educator.  Shirley Harris was the first Black graduate from the university (then known as Southwest Texas State College), earning...

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Nov. 17, 2023: We won’t take the bait

Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 Houston ISD parents, educators, and community members speak to the press at the Texas Capitol after their testimony at the State Board of Education. Is this parental empowerment? Vouchers are dead in Texas. Again. (More on that in a second.) While their proponents claim vouchers are...

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Nov. 9, 2023: What a Week

Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023 Voucher bill HB 1 died with the third special session of the Legislature this week. It was reborn — and made even more expensive — with the fourth. Illustration by Sierra Wiggers.  On voters & vouchers On the same day Gov. Greg Abbott called a fourth...

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