Publish Date: May 5, 2025 4:33 pm Author: Texas AFT
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Friday, May 2, 2025
An Educator’s Bill of Rights Win
There is no shortage of bad news for public schools and educators, at the local, state, and national levels. But there is also reason to hope and to stay locked in the fight for schools that help our kids thrive.
This week, House Bill 3326 by Rep. Alma Allen became the first bill supporting our Educator’s Bill of Rights to pass out of the full Texas House. HB 3326 is an important glimmer of good news for higher education employees this session; the bill extends eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness to adjunct faculty in Texas colleges and universities.
As our national union has documented for years, adjunct faculty struggle in Texas and across the country with chronically low pay, little to no job security, inadequate access to benefits, and a general lack of professional respect.
This bill is a small but important step forward for these essential employees. We urge all members, higher ed or otherwise, to contact your state senator and urge them to support HB 3326 as it makes its way to that chamber.
Texas Senate Stalls Public School Funding While Fast-Tracking Vouchers
Despite overwhelming bipartisan support in the Texas House for House Bill 2 — a comprehensive, if flawed, $7.7 billion investment in public education — the Texas Senate has yet to act on this critical legislation. Meanwhile, the Senate swiftly passed the House’s version of Senate Bill 2, establishing a $1 billion private school voucher program, which Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign into law this weekend.
On Tuesday, the House Public Education Committee advanced HB 4, which would overhaul Texas’s current standardized testing and accountability system. Texas AFT members had grave concerns about the originalbill, which put more power over assessments in the hands of the education commissioner. We’re pleased to report the substitute version of the bill reflects bipartisan concerns about over-testing and aims to restore trust and transparency in the state’s accountability system.
“None of us have the power to defeat oligarchy alone, but we’re so lucky because we already have a structure in place to unite us. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We need to get involved with the labor movement that’s already doing this work.”
It’s been a roller coaster for higher education this week. We had a major win, but unfortunately the fight against bad bills persists. For most of this legislative session, the House Higher Education Committee’s focus has been on addressing workforce shortages, expanding research funding, and improving access to higher education. However, now that we’re at the tail-end of the session, the committee is starting to shift gears. Here’s our roundup of bills moving through the committee: all the good, the ugly, and the uglier.
Texas in recent years has faced a crisis of teacher vacancies. Forced to replace educators who left in response to the 2020 pandemic, low pay, and a tense political climate, Texas schools relied on uncertified teachers to fill vacancies. But new research suggests those teachers are disproportionately unprepared, and the impact on student learning has been severe.
Money-starved schools. School employee layoffs. Student program cuts. Educators heading for the exits.
That’s the reality right now for Texas public schools and the 5 million+ kids they serve. And that’s the backdrop for the 89th Legislature.
Join Texas AFT for a special May Day edition of our livestream legislative updates as we report back to you what’s happening at the Capitol, what it means for your school, and what you can do to advocate for yourself, your kids, and your community.
How can Texas recruit more highly trained teachers — and keep the ones it already has? What’s contributing to high turnover? And how do we define what makes an effective teacher?Join the discussion in person or virtually.
San Antonio Alliance members have been block-walking in support of endorsed candidates for school board and city council, including incumbent Teri Castillo.
Texas voters: tomorrow (Saturday, May 4) is your last chance to make your voice heard in crucial local elections across the state. From school board races to city council seats, what happens at the local level directly shapes the future of our public schools, neighborhoods, and communities.
This year, Texas AFT local unions and their regional AFL-CIO councils have proudly endorsed strong pro-public education candidates in several key districts, including Northside ISD in San Antonio, Dallas ISD, Socorro ISD, and San Antonio ISD. These candidates are committed to fully funding our schools, protecting educator voices, and rejecting dangerous privatization schemes.
The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) met in Austin on April 25. After a year of hefty agendas filled with rulemaking on a variety of topics affecting the teaching profession, this was a comparatively light that laid a foundation for the work to come..
The meeting began with a presentation update on the status of the teacher workforce. While attrition is down somewhat, Texas is still seeing increasing rates of new hires (now ~55%) who do not hold a teacher certification. On its face, this is alarming, but this report also shows a strong correlation between higher rates of uncertified teachers and lower state accountability scores, higher rates of disciplinary infractions, and lower rates of dyslexia and other special needs identification.
Get ready for an unforgettable educator experience
Long-time corporate supporter Horace Mann is beyond grateful for educators like you every day. And while Teacher Appreciation Week is one of their favorite times to show thanks, they think you deserve more than just a week! That’s why they’ve planned over a month of free virtual events and exciting giveaways to help you really soak up the appreciation.
Join now through May 28 for exclusive entertainment and weekly prizes to help you unwind, relax and kick off a great summer.
Don’t miss the first events
On Wednesday, April 30, they’re kicking things off with a pair of comedians followed by a magician on May 1. Reserve your spot and check out what else they have planned!
Exciting giveaways
Enter for your chance to win one of two $2,500 travel vouchers or any of their other amazing prizes like YETI coolers, Nespresso, gift cards and more!
This celebration is available to anyone in the field of education, so feel free to share with your colleagues!
No policy purchase, renewal or quote is necessary to enter or win. Void where prohibited. See Official Rules for full details.
Horace Mann Service Corporation and certain of its affiliates (Horace Mann) enter into agreements with educational associations where Horace Mann pays the association to provide services aimed at familiarizing association members with the Horace Mann brand, products or services. For more information, email your inquiry to association.relations@horacemann.com.
EMI-00419 (Apr. 25)
Recommended Reading
Education news from around the state and nation that’s worth your time.
🎧 Texas invests $1 billion in private school vouchers program. While some public school educators worry about vouchers driving down enrollment and funding, Aldine ISD teacher Michelle Palmer said her bigger concern is the state spending $1 billion on private schools, when public schools are struggling with issues like high student-teacher ratios.(NPR Marketplace, May 1)
📖 HISD replaced wraparound services with Sunrise Centers. Some fear students may slip through the cracks. After slashing more than 200 wraparound specialists ahead of the 2024-25 school year, HISD announced its plans to eliminate the remaining Wraparound Services Department April 16. While district leaders said the move will help maximize its scarce resources and provide more comprehensive care at its newer off-campus Sunrise Centers, some worry they won’t replace wraparound specialists’ indelible impact. (Houston Chronicle, April 28)
📖 The Lege’s ‘Big Government Intrusion’ into University Academics. Expanding on last session’s anti-DEI campus crackdown, some Republicans in the Legislature are now going after gender and ethnic studies programs and faculty independence. (Texas Observer, April 24)
🎧 The Shocking Billionaire Plot to Dismantle Public Education. Texas is on the verge of passing a law that could defund public education. Vouchers send public taxpayer dollars to private schools. It could cost taxpayers $10 billion by 2030. And it could destroy Friday Night Lights. (More Perfect Union, April 22)
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