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The Texas Capitol rumbles back to life
The Texas Capitol is stirring to life again after the 2026 primary season with a few big announcements from the top offices in the House and Senate - watch the changes in the Senate especially.
Read MoreWith more money in the bank than most states & some nations, Texas stalls on school finance
Today, Texas AFT again calls on the Texas Senate to set House Bill 2 for a public hearing and expedite the passage of new funds for public schools.
Read MoreMay 9, 2025: We Carry On
Friday, May 9, 2025 We carry on. Veteran teachers roaming the halls of the Capitol, asking lawmakers to fund their schools and to focus on bills that would help their students instead of harm them. School librarians cut off from testifying against a book-banning bill at 3:30 a.m. but...
Read MoreThis Week in the Legislature: Is This ‘Teacher Appreciation?’
On Saturday, surrounded by many of the Republican lawmakers he threatened along the way, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law his long-sought private school voucher program.
Read MoreThis Week in Higher Education: SB 37 Heard in House Higher Education Committee
Senate Bill 37, the “Death Star” bill for Texas colleges and universities, had its last public hearing this past Tuesday (May 6).
Read MoreElection Recap: What School Board, Local Results Mean for Texas Public Schools
In May 3 local elections, voters across Texas sent a powerful message: public schools should be focused on education, not pushing privatization or political interference.
Read MoreCloser Look: Texas Charter Schools Don’t Make the Grade
TEA fought for months to release 2022-2023 school accountability ratings. So why isn’t the state holding charter schools accountable for consistently poor scores?
Read MoreSupreme Court Case on Religious Charter School Previews Fight Over National Voucher Legislation
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond and St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond, two cases when taken together that could upend the separation of church and state and profoundly undercut public education across the country.
Read MoreEducators left feeling unappreciated during Teacher Appreciation Week
Now that vouchers have been signed into law, there is no reason not to move a finance bill that meaningfully funds public schools. Texas has the means to invest in both educator pay and the basic allotment.
Read MoreMay 2, 2025: An Educator’s Bill of Rights Win
Friday, May 2, 2025 An Educator’s Bill of Rights Win There is no shortage of bad news for public schools and educators, at the local, state, and national levels. But there is also reason to hope and to stay locked in the fight for schools that help our kids thrive....
Read MoreEducators urge Texas Senate to act on funding for public schools
Today, Texas AFT is calling on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Education K-16 Chairman Brandon Creighton to set House Bill 2, the House’s school finance proposal, for a hearing.
Read MoreThe Good, The Ugly, & The Uglier: Important Higher Ed Bills Moving Through the House
It’s been a roller coaster for higher education this week. We had a major win, but unfortunately the fight against bad bills persists. For most of this legislative session, the House Higher Education Committee’s focus has been on addressing workforce shortages, expanding research funding, and improving access to higher education....
Read MoreTexas Senate Stalls on Public School Funding While Fast-Tracking Vouchers
Despite overwhelming bipartisan support in the Texas House for House Bill 2 — a comprehensive, if flawed, $7.7 billion investment in public education — the Texas Senate has yet to act on this critical legislation. Meanwhile, the Senate swiftly passed the House’s version of Senate Bill 2, establishing a $1...
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