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This Week in the Legislature: The Final Stretch of the 89th Session
As we enter the final days of the 89th regular session of the Texas Legislature, the clock is ticking. Here's where the most critical education bills stand, what they do, and what needs to happen next.
Read MoreThis Week in Higher Education: Where Major Bills Stand Ahead of Sine Die
With the end of the 89th legislative session in sight, we have a good understanding of which bills are expected to make it to law, and which are dead in the water.
Read MoreFederal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Attempt to Dismantle Department of Education
In a significant legal victory for educators and public education advocates, a federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction halting the Trump Administration's efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and reinstate over 1,300 employees who were laid off in March. The ruling, delivered by U.S. District Judge...
Read MoreAustin Community College Free Tuition Program Takes the National Stage
Photo Credit: Jay Janner/American-Statesman Austin Community College Chancellor Russell Lowery-Hart made history this week as the only Texas voice, and the only community college leader, to testify at a U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing on the future of higher education. Invited by Sen. Bernie Sanders,...
Read MoreMay 23, 2025: Ask Us Anything
Friday, May 23, 2025 Texas AFT members gather near the South Steps of the Capitol for a rally on March 10. Ask Us Anything: Education in the 89th Legislature This legislative session has been a rocky ride for public schools, from pre-K-12 all the way through higher education. Texas AFT...
Read MoreThis Week in the Legislature: School Funding Advances at Last
This week, the Texas Senate advanced its version of House Bill 2, the marquee school finance proposal of the 89th Legislature. The original version of HB 2, passed by the Texas House earlier this month, included a $395 per-student increase to the basic allotment, along with new investments in bilingual...
Read MoreTexas AFT encourages House members to accept Senate compromise on HB 2, despite shortcomings
Educators welcome much needed pay raises but lament bottom line for schools
Read MoreThis Week in Higher Education: Higher Ed Bills in a Race to the Bottom
With only 10 days left in the legislative session, lawmakers are scrambling to get their bills across the finish line (for better or worse). Several bills are speeding their way to meet deadlines — in some cases even skipping traditional legislative processes to do so. On Monday, May 19,...
Read MoreTexas Families, Schools Face Dire Consequences Under Proposed Medicaid Cuts
If the federal budget currently moving through Congress passes, Texas families, hospitals, and public schools could be left holding the bag again. House Republicans’ budget plan, backed by President Donald Trump, proposes over $1.5 trillion in cuts to vital safety net programs like Medicaid to pay for massive tax cuts...
Read MoreSupreme Court Deadlock Blocks Creation of First Taxpayer-Funded Religious Charter School
On May 22, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 4-4 split decision in the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond case, effectively blocking the creation of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School – the nation’s first taxpayer-funded religious charter school. Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself from the...
Read MoreMay 16, 2025: Public Education on the Brink
Friday, May 16, 2025 Public education on the brink Emboldened by Gov. Abbott’s voucher bait-and-switch in Texas, Republican leadership in the U.S. Congress is trying to fast-track a national school voucher plan through the budget reconciliation process. The Educational Choice for Children Act would funnel public dollars into private...
Read MoreThis Week in the Legislature: As the Clock Ticks, the Public School Funding Plot Thickens
With more money in the bank than most states — and even some nations — Texas lawmakers are at a standstill over school funding. The political tug-of-war between the Texas House and Senate over House Bill 2 (HB 2) and public education financing is barreling toward critical legislative deadlines. If...
Read MoreThis Week in Higher Education: Educators, Students, & Community Members Tell Legislators ’Hands Off’ Our Colleges & Universities
We are at a critical point with SB 37, the “Death Star” bill for higher education. It’s currently pending in the House Higher Education Committee, with a little over a week until the deadline to pass it from committee.
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