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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 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...
Read MoreSBEC Recap: Foundations of Future Work
The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) met in Austin on April 25. After a year of hefty agendas filled with rulemaking on a variety of topics affecting the teaching profession, this was a comparatively light that laid a foundation for the work to come.. The meeting began with a...
Read MoreLAST CALL: Tomorrow’s the Final Day to Vote in Texas Local Elections
Northside AFT-endorsed candidates for school board, Ric Galvan and Dr. Sonia Jasso, meet with voters during a weekend canvass with our members. Texas voters: tomorrow (Saturday, May 4) is your last chance to make your voice heard in crucial local elections across the state. From school board races to city...
Read MoreApril 25, 2025: It never stops. Neither can we.
Friday, April 25, 2025 Post from AFT President Randi Weingarten on Bluesky It never stops. Neither can we. This week, President Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders regarding pre-K-12 and higher education. You would be forgiven for not being aware of half of them, as they’ve come...
Read MoreWith New Federal Policy Shifts, the Student Loan Trap Tightens
Starting May 5, the U.S. Department of Education will resume collections on defaulted federal student loans, ending a five-year pause that began during the pandemic. For over 5 million borrowers already in default, and another 4 million in late-stage delinquency, wage garnishments, tax refund seizures, and even Social Security offsets...
Read MoreTEA Releases 2-Year-Old Ratings Designed to Undermine Public Schools
After months of legal back-and-forth, the Texas Education Agency has released its long-delayed A–F accountability ratings for the 2022–23 school year. This comes after a Texas appellate court ruled earlier this month that TEA could move forward with the release, despite widespread criticism from school districts and education advocates.
Read MoreThis Week in Higher Education: Amid Latest Attack on Immigrant Students, Federal News on Revoked Student Visas
This week’s attack on mixed-status students in the Senate Education K-16 Committee comes amid a broader attack on international students. As of today, more than 260 international students in Texas have had their visas revoked, as well as at least...
Read MoreThis Week in the Legislature: Inside the Turbulent Fights Over Vouchers, School Finance
Over the past two weeks, the Texas House has witnessed dramatic and defining developments in the fight over school finance and the introduction of private school vouchers. We have a breakdown of where things stand on those fronts, along with your recap of good and bad bills heard and voted...
Read MoreApril 18, 2025: We Need Real Solutions
Friday, April 18, 2025 Can We Talk About Real Solutions? There is no shortage of news out of the Legislature this week, and we will break down all that public school employees and parents need to know about this week’s votes on public school funding and private school vouchers. ...
Read MoreThis Week in the Legislature: ‘A Damn Sad Day’ for Public Education
Under normal circumstances, the Texas Legislature is a wild and weird place. But ‘Private School Voucher Day’ at the Texas Capitol truly took the cake, from far-right conservatives offering amendments that would have increased the basic allotment by more than $1,000 to one Democrat arguing against transparency and accountability for...
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