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Action Needed: Special SBOE Meeting Dec. 13 on Instructional Materials, Library Books
The State Board of Education (SBOE) is holding a special called meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 13, to take action on a few issues before the end of 2023. First, the board intends to review and approve the rubrics for the new Instructional Materials Review and Adoption Process (IMRA) required by House Bill 1605. The public comment portal is open through...
Read More4th Special Session Winding Down
The fourth special session has been an exercise in persistence. This special session started slowly, but, over the course of several weeks, picked up pace and then reached a climax on Friday, Nov. 17, a milestone for nearly a year’s worth of advocacy against vouchers. Chairman Brad Buckley (R-Killeen) crafted...
Read MoreCongressional Subcommittee Takes Up Social Security Fairness
Last week, the U.S. House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee convened at a unionized firehouse in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to discuss Social Security fairness for the more than 100,000 public employees negatively affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). The primary bill discussed at...
Read MoreCall to Action: Submit Comments on Rule That Would Close Firearms Loopholes
The Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) took a significant step forward in the fight against gun violence last week. Acting on President Joe Biden's executive order, the agencies introduced a crucial new proposed rule to expand background checks on firearms purchases. This...
Read MoreSBEC Preview: Educator Preparation and Assessment Changes
The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) will meet in Austin next week on Dec. 7-8. This will be a highly consequential meeting as the board will be taking up major changes to both how educators are trained and certified in Texas. SBEC has rulemaking authority over how educators are...
Read MoreImportant PSLF Deadline Approaching Dec. 31
What is PSLF? The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program is a way for student loan borrowers who are employed in the public service field — including public education — to have their student loans forgiven. To qualify for this, “borrowers must make 120 payments on Direct Loans while working...
Read MoreNov. 17, 2023: We won’t take the bait
Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 Houston ISD parents, educators, and community members speak to the press at the Texas Capitol after their testimony at the State Board of Education. Is this parental empowerment? Vouchers are dead in Texas. Again. (More on that in a second.) While their proponents claim vouchers are...
Read MoreVoucher Are Dead in the 4th Special Session
Despite the addition of popular policy “carrots” to HB 1 and enormous pressure from Gov. Greg Abbott, we stopped vouchers in their tracks yet again today (Friday, Nov. 17). This victory was won on an 84-63 bipartisan vote in support of an amendment by state Rep. John Raney (R-College Station),...
Read MoreSBOE Recap: Instructional Materials Work Continues Apace
Science Textbooks The State Board of Education (SBOE) meeting began this week with the adoption of science instructional materials. There was a steady drumbeat of proposed textbooks removed from the recommended list. Some were removed for valid reasons like lack of standards coverage, but far more were removed because they...
Read MoreKaty ISD Gender Policy Has Led to Outing 19 Students Since August
A little over two months ago, Katy ISD passed one of the most extreme gender policies we’ve seen in Texas, effectively requiring campus personnel to “out” students. At the time, it raised eyebrows, and now we are beginning to see the ramifications for students and educators. According to reports from...
Read MoreParaprofessionals & Education Support Staff Bill of Rights Introduced in U.S. Senate
Sen. Ed Markey with paraprofessionals and support staff at the announcement of the PSRP Bill of Rights. Photo courtesy of AFT. On Monday, Nov. 6, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) joined Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) & Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in introducing a Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights. The...
Read More2024 Social Security COLA set at 3.2%
Last month, the Social Security Administration announced that Social Security benefits will increase by 3.2% in 2024. This cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will affect over 71 million Social Security beneficiaries. This COLA is significantly smaller than last year’s Social Security COLA, which was 8.7%. Annual Social Security COLAs are intended to...
Read MoreNov. 9, 2023: What a Week
Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023 Voucher bill HB 1 died with the third special session of the Legislature this week. It was reborn — and made even more expensive — with the fourth. Illustration by Sierra Wiggers. On voters & vouchers On the same day Gov. Greg Abbott called a fourth...
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