Every week, Texas AFT compiles important news, updates, and information on public education policy in Texas. The Hotline covers a wide range of topics, including statewide education news, updates from the legislative session, and our current union campaigns.
Friday, December 5, 2025 A Great IDEA turns 50 IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, celebrated its 50th anniversary this November. The act, signed into law by President Gerald Ford as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (renamed in 1990), transformed the educational experiences of millions of children with disabilities in this country, and it remains an indispensable part of equity and justice in our schools. Historically, children with...
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Friday, May 31, 2024 On Friday, May 24, the Houston Federation of Teachers worked with the Houston Food Bank (left) to distribute food and supplies to community members in need after the derecho. Houston Educational Support Personnel (right), meanwhile, delivered food, water, and disaster relief items to the Fifth Ward...
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Friday, May 24, 2024 Houston Federation of Teachers President Jackie Anderson, AFT Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus, and Texas AFT President Zeph Capo at a fundraiser for the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) at HFT’s office on Wednesday. Never Back, Always Forward It was a remarkable week for...
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Friday, May 17, 2024 Vote to Thrive It has been a wild week in Texas education news, and we have lots of vital updates in this week’s Hotline. But before we dive in, a reminder: Early voting in primary election runoffs starts this coming Monday, May 20, and runs through...
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Friday, May 10, 2024 Now is as good a time as any to remind you that you can find this meme and more by following Texas AFT on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or X/Twitter. 'Teacher Appreciation’ In theory, this week is Teacher Appreciation Week. But you wouldn’t have guessed it from...
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Friday, May 3, 2024 This week, Houston ISD educators and UT Austin faculty both circulated resolutions of no confidence in their district and university administrators. Across the state and across the full spectrum of public education, Texas educators demand better for their students. No Confidence “The takeover of Houston ISD,...
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Friday, April 26, 2024 A post on X (formerly Twitter) from Lily Kepner, the higher education reporter for the Austin American-Statesman, shows UT AAUP President Polly Strong addressing students, faculty, and community members at a Thursday protest, one day after local and state law enforcement agents violently responded to a...
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