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Easy Come, Easy Go: The Legislative Session that Just Won’t End
This week we said “goodbye” to the 88th regular session … and then, just a few hours later, said “hello” to the first special session of the 88th Legislature. In this week’s Hotline, we recap the end of the regular session, provide an update on the first (of “several”) special sessions, and start to unpack what all this turmoil means...
Read MoreCommissioner Morath Provides Few Answers to Houston ISD Educators, Parents
Texas AFT regularly participates in coalition work with allies related to our legislative priorities; in the past week, we have had the chance to join our coalition partners at the Capitol for successful advocacy days.
Read MoreThe House Version of SB 8 Includes Vouchers, More Testing, ‘Backroom Shady Dealings’
This week, Texas House members took a bold stance against backroom meetings, shady deals, and private school vouchers. With less than 24 hours notice to relevant stakeholders and with no public posting of the bill language, House Public Education Committee Chairman Brad Buckley (R-Killeen) moved to hold a late-night hearing...
Read MoreThis Week in the Legislature: What Didn’t Happen?
Apart from all of the attention directed at private school vouchers at the Legislature this week, several other bills that would significantly affect Texas public school educators and higher education employees are still making their way through the legislative process. Public Education: In Committee This week, the House Public Education...
Read MoreTexas AFT Local Unions Win Big in School Board Races
This spring, several of Texas AFT’s local unions have run extensive campaigns on behalf of endorsed candidates for their district school boards. On Saturday, May 6, their hard work paid off, with a series of sweeping wins for educator-endorsed candidates. As the legislative session comes to a close, these victories...
Read MoreIn Memoriam: The Bills We Lost This Week
Throughout the 88th Texas legislative session, thousands of bills are filed in hopes of making it out of committee and on to the floor, with the overall goal of reaching the governor’s desk and being signed into law. With leadership establishing a set agenda of bills that are of priority...
Read MoreMay 5, 2023: Where’s the REAL Teacher Appreciation?
Friday, May 5, 2023 How to ‘Appreciate’ Educators Sen. Roland Gutierrez and Sen. Morgan LaMantia meet with Texas AFT members and leaders at the Capitol on Monday. Photo by Sierra Wiggers. While many of their colleagues were struggling through STAAR testing with anxious students, 30 Texas teachers and school employees...
Read MoreThis Week at the Legislature: 2 School Staffing Bills, 33 Office Visits, & Ten Commandments
This Tuesday, May 2, was national Teacher Appreciation Day. This week, the Texas Legislature continued to offer educators little in terms of meaningful respect, but much in terms of meaningless platitudes and token displays. Teacher Appreciation Day: House Committees Receive Testimony, Texas AFT Members Demand Respect The House Public Education...
Read MoreBills to Watch Next Week: ‘Teacher Bill of Rights,’ COLA, Higher Ed Attacks
The first of several notable deadlines for this Legislature happens Monday, May 8, which is the final day House committees can pass out House bills for a full vote. After Monday, House bills that have not been passed out of committee are effectively dead — unless they’re amended onto other...
Read MoreEducation Austin Wins Historic Pay Raise Agreement with Austin ISD
Texas AFT regularly participates in coalition work with allies related to our legislative priorities; in the past week, we have had the chance to join our coalition partners at the Capitol for successful advocacy days.
Read MoreApril 28, 2023: COLA
Friday, April 28, 2023 Crumbs Aren’t Good Enough Photo by Marianna Krueger, CCR Studios The state of Texas has a budget surplus that is itself larger than the entire budget of 24 states, and yet both active school employees and retired educators have been forced this session to come, hat...
Read MoreHouse Passes COLA Plan, Falls Short of Retiree Needs
Texas AFT Retiree Plus member Lydia Carillo-Valdez shares her experiences at a press conference Monday with other retired educators, as well as Rep. John Bryant, Rep. Mihaela Plesa, and Texas AFT Secretary-Treasurer Ray McMurrey. With a surplus that is itself larger than the entire budgets of 24 states, the state...
Read MoreThis Week in the Legislature: Texas House Takes Up School Finance, School Security, & Charter School Expansion
Texas AFT President Zeph Capo and special education teachers Konrad Wert and Andrea Bell meet with staff in Rep. Ken King’s office about House Bill 100 on Tuesday. The Texas House voted on several of the most consequential public education...
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