Education Newsfeed

Prop A would have generated $49 million for the district without raising the tax rate

Last night, Houston voters elected two new trustees to the Houston Independent School District board in another electoral defeat for state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles.

Houston Federation of Teachers President Jackie Anderson speaks at a 2024 rally against the Texas Education Agency’s takeover of Houston ISD. When the Texas Education Agency announced its takeover of Fort Worth ISD last week, it marked another flashpoint in a long-brewing conflict over who controls the future of Texas public schools: local communities or the state… [ more ]

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 ]

This November, we have the opportunity to send another union member to the Texas Senate. That’s why Texas AFT’s Committee on Political Education (COPE) is proud to endorse Taylor Rehmet in the special election for Texas Senate District 9. A veteran, union president, and working-class Texan, Rehmet will bring real-world experience and deep commitment to… [ more ]

For years, Texas AFT and our union’s members have been the lone voice at the Capitol fighting for pay raises for support staff, the indispensable employees who keep our schools running: paraprofessionals, bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers, and more. In 2025, that persistent advocacy paid off with a historic victory: the creation of the Support… [ more ]

On Tuesday, Texas AFT joined ongoing litigation against Senate Bill 12, a new state law that bans gay-straight alliance (GSA) clubs, prevents educators from using students’ chosen names and pronouns, and prohibits diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts from public and charter K-12 schools. The lawsuit, filed by GSA Network and Students Engaged in Advancing Texas… [ more ]

As quickly as our union has been responding to the events from last week, it seems like state leaders are also working overtime to make educators’ lives harder. In just one week, two faculty members have been fired, the Lieutenant Governor established a new education committee in the House and Senate, the TEA has begun… [ more ]

Today, Texas AFT joined ongoing litigation against Senate Bill 12, a new state law that bans gay-straight alliance (GSA) clubs, prevents educators from using students’ chosen names and pronouns, and prohibits diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts from public and charter K-12 schools.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 13, 2025 CONTACT: Nicole Hill, press@texasaft.org Texas formalizes online hate campaigns against individual teachers AUSTIN, Texas — In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, private citizens of all political persuasions shared their thoughts on their personal social media accounts. A number of state representatives, including state Reps. Briscoe Cain and Hillary… [ more ]

On Wednesday, the Houston Federation of Teachers (HFT) filed a lawsuit in Harris County district court against the Houston ISD Board of Managers and state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles for mismanaging state funds and denying the district’s teachers state-funded pay raises as required by law. As Hotline readers know, the Legislature passed House Bill 2 earlier… [ more ]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 31, 2025 CONTACT: Nicole Hill, press@texasaft.org Statement from Texas AFT President Zeph Capo on House Bill 4 and the proposed set of new congressional districts released this week: “We as Texans have let this state’s so-called ‘leaders’ divide us along party lines for too long. Tearing up districts on a… [ more ]

When lawmakers rolled out House Bill 2 in the 89th Legislature, they promised a historic investment in public education. As the bill worked its way through the legislative process, the contents of the bill changed repeatedly, and educators across Texas were left wondering what actually ended up in the final version. Now that HB… [ more ]

When we began our work on your 89th legislative agenda, working conditions were top of mind for members. One particular issue began to come to the forefront: the right to high-quality affordable childcare. In our 2023-2024 Texas AFT member survey, 45% of educators who needed regular childcare said they had trouble accessing or affording it,… [ more ]

While educators across Texas are making plans for the new school year, big moves in Washington, D.C., are threatening the foundation of public education — and putting our students, our profession, and our funding on the line. Let’s break it down. The “Big Beautiful Bill” — Not So Pretty for Public Schools The U.S. Congress… [ more ]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 16, 2025 CONTACT: Nicole Hill, press@texasaft.org Governor Abbott calls in President Trump to bail him out with his own caucus. AUSTIN, Texas – Today, the Texas House gave initial approval to Senate Bill 2, the private school voucher scam legislation. Never one to fight his own battles, Governor Greg Abbott relied… [ more ]