Education Newsfeed

Texas public education news and updates on our union's work, written and edited by Texas AFT staff.

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Three years into the HISD takeover, the costs are coming into focus.

Approximately three years after the state seized control of Houston ISD, Texas officials have increasingly held up the district as evidence that state intervention works. There’s numbers they can point to as HISD had 56 F-rated campuses before the takeover and has five this year, while many schools operating under state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles’ New Education System (NES) have posted significant gains under the state accountability system. But three years is also

Three years into the HISD takeover, the costs are coming into focus.

1 day ago

SBOE Recap: a full lid on social studies

The SBOE's most recent meeting solidifies a controversial social studies curriculum.

Sep 11

House committee discusses the state of childcare in Texas

A sprawling and inefficient state apparatus is responsible for childcare resources in Texas, which HB 4903 aims to address. The issue is of paramount importance in a cost-of-living crisis.

Sep 4

SBOE Preview: Social Studies may soon be history

The State Board of Education's agenda next week will include considerations over social studies material, but the lack of public transparency has led to confusion and unresolved questions.

Aug 28

Bluebonnet implementation leaves much to be desired

The controversial Bluebonnet Learning curriculum is off to a shaky start with printing delays and corrections amounting to increased costs and time wasted for TEA and school districts.

Aug 28

Landslide win for Coretta Mallet-Fontenot in SBOE District 4

One of Houston Federation of Teacher's very own, Dr. Coretta Mallet-Fontenot triumphed this week in a landslide win for the recently vacated spot on the State Board of Education.

Aug 21

SB 571 is in full effect. Here’s what Texas educators need to know.

SB 571 and its long tail of regulatory and accountability changes have caused some confusion about what educator misconduct means and concerns over due process.

Aug 21

A look under the hood: TEA gets an audit

A legislature-mandated audit of TEA from the Texas State Auditor's office reveals management bloat and dodgy oversight of charter schools.

Aug 21

TEA's accountability ratings release: what they are and how they might affect Austin ISD

A primer on TEA's accountability ratings: their history, why they're used, why they're not the best barometer for a school's performance and what that all means for Austin ISD.

Aug 13

Texas Classroom Commission members announced

Governor Greg Abbott announced the membership of his Texas Classroom Commission, which includes former and current teachers. But questions about the commission's efficacy are still to be answered.

Aug 7

A new chapter: TEA’s charter school rules explained

Amendments to open-enrollment charter schools will affect enrollment criteria and potentially undermine local control.

Jul 31

Agency cuts forecast a big funding fight in the 90th legislative session.

3% state agency funding cuts, despite exempting public education, will have consequences in the year to come.

Jul 24

A tale of two districts and the question of local control

Midland ISD is taking aim at recapture and Austin ISD is fighting shake off a potential TEA takeover. While their goals are different, both these challenges signal broader disgruntlement over local control and state intrusion.

Jul 24

SBOE votes to advance problematic TEKS and literary lists: recap

A calamitous week at the SBOE sees the preliminary passage of historically inaccurate and incomplete social studies TEKS.

Jun 26

One charter left standing. Questions about accountability remain.

The annual charter application process doesn’t attract much public attention, but this year’s cycle produced a result that deserves a closer look.

Jun 12

Public Comment Window for Social Studies and Literary Lists Closes June 15

The public comment window for social studies and the literary list remains open through June 15. We urge concerned parents and teachers to submit comments via the TEA website below and to contact your State Board of Education (SBOE) representative to provide direct feedback. SBOE Proposed Rules Several organizations have developed resources to assist with public comments. If this is your first time commenting on SBOE rules, they can help provide guidance. Texas Rising and

Jun 5

House Public Education Committee Interim Hearing: HB 2 Redux

The House Public Education committee met in Austin on Mon., June 1 to take up three charges all related to House Bill (HB) 2: Implementation of HB 2 Teacher Recruitment and Retention Investment in Special Education This was a 231-page bill, so the hearing to assess its impact during 2026-2026 was proportionately long. Stay with us, readers. Implementation of HB 2 The first panel represented Texas Education Agency (TEA) leadership and went through each of the articles

Jun 4

ICYMI: Public comment open window for Social Studies and literary lists until June 15

A reminder to submit public comment about changes to the social studies curriculum and literary lists.

May 29

What to expect with the House Public Education Committee interim hearing

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.

May 8