Education Newsfeed

Texas received an F from the Network for Public Education for its commitment to public schools. Here's why.

The House Public Education committee will meet in Austin Monday, May 11 for the first of at least a few hearings to discuss their interim charges for the 89th Legislature.

We make our SXSW debut during the EDU conference this week with a panel featuring Zeph Capo, Rep. Gina Hinojosa, Texas AFT member Megan Vasquez, and SEAT leader Ayaan Moledina.

New data from the early application period for Texas’s voucher program is raising serious questions about who will actually benefit from the program and whether it is doing anything to support students currently enrolled in public schools. The short answer: the voucher program is functioning exactly as it was intended.

When the voucher scheme was signed into law last year, Governor Greg Abbott proclaimed he had delivered “education freedom to every Texas family.” But this billion-dollar giveaway, which opens to parents on February 4, has already enrolled dozens of private schools that openly discriminate against Texas families.

Texas AFT’s Committee on Political Education (COPE) is proud to endorse Gina Hinojosa for Texas Governor and Montserrat Garibay to take Hinojosa’s state House seat in Austin (HD-49).

Even though Gov. Greg Abbott’s long-sought private school voucher law has been passed and enacted, the fight to support Texas public schools is far from over. Public education advocates across the state are mobilizing for transparency and accountability in what will be one of the largest voucher programs in the nation. Our Schools Our Democracy… [ more ]

Despite Gov. Greg Abbott and billionaire donor Jeff Yass pouring millions into pro-voucher campaigns, the public remains firmly against privatizing our schools. Texas AFT President Zeph Capo brought the receipts this week to a press conference with Local Progress Texas, a coalition of local government officials and community partners working to advance racial and economic… [ more ]

Following an aggressive campaign to reshape the Texas Legislature by supporting primary challenges against Republican state representatives who voted against taxpayer-funded private school vouchers in the last legislative session, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have both designated the passage of universal voucher legislation as their top priority next year and expressed confidence that they finally have the votes necessary to do so.

Despite a resounding defeat in the 88th Legislature, private school vouchers will return as a major issue in the 89th Legislature, which begins Jan. 14. After pouring money into Republican primary races to defeat anti-voucher incumbents, Gov. Greg Abbott claims he has the votes he needs to pass a voucher program; meanwhile, both he and… [ more ]