Texas AFT Hosts Capitol Listening Session on Teacher Shortage Research

In support of our recent report, Texas Needs Teachers (released with Battelle for Kids), Texas AFT hosted a virtual informational session this past Tuesday. We were joined by Rep. Art Fierro, Rep. Donna Howard, Rep. Rhetta Bowers, Rep. Terry Meza, and Rep. Penny Morales Shaw, as well as dozens of Capitol staff, district staff, and public education allies. 

This report details the recommendations of educator focus groups to help solve the teacher exodus and provides further support for the conclusions in the AFT national report, Here Today, Gone Tomorrow. Texas AFT’s Patty Quinzi led the discussion on ways to revitalize the educator and staff pipeline, create positive working conditions and learning environments, and craft sustainable compensation solutions. 
This event was the second in a series of spotlights on our research to understand and begin to address the school staffing crisis in Texas. The Lost Decade, a report released in conjunction with Every Texan about the long-term relative decline in teacher and support staff wages, was presented at an in-person lunch-and-learn in August 2022.