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This 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 MoreDec. 1, 2023: Thankful for the 84
Friday, Dec. 1, 2023 Teaching the truth On Monday, Nov. 27, Texas State University officially dedicated the Shirley R. Harris Student Lounge, honoring a civil rights trailblazer and 40-year San Antonio educator. Shirley Harris was the first Black graduate from the university (then known as Southwest Texas State College), earning...
Read MoreAction Needed: Special SBOE Meeting Dec. 13 on Instructional Materials, Library Books
The State Board of Education (SBOE) is holding a special called meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 13, to take action on a few issues before the end of 2023. First, the board intends to review and approve the rubrics for the new Instructional Materials Review and Adoption Process (IMRA) required by...
Read More4th Special Session Winding Down
The fourth special session has been an exercise in persistence. This special session started slowly, but, over the course of several weeks, picked up pace and then reached a climax on Friday, Nov. 17, a milestone for nearly a year’s worth of advocacy against vouchers. Chairman Brad Buckley (R-Killeen) crafted...
Read MoreSocial Security Fairness Act Gains 60 Co-Sponsors
The Social Security Fairness Act, which would repeal two federal provisions that cut public employees’ Social Security benefits, has reached a new milestone with 60 co-sponsors in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), the bill’s author, announced this week. “Social Security is a bedrock of our middle class,” Brown...
Read MoreCall to Action: Submit Comments on Rule That Would Close Firearms Loopholes
The Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) took a significant step forward in the fight against gun violence last week. Acting on President Joe Biden's executive order, the agencies introduced a crucial new proposed rule to expand background checks on firearms purchases. This...
Read MoreSBEC Preview: Educator Preparation and Assessment Changes
The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) will meet in Austin next week on Dec. 7-8. This will be a highly consequential meeting as the board will be taking up major changes to both how educators are trained and certified in Texas. SBEC has rulemaking authority over how educators are...
Read MoreImportant PSLF Deadline Approaching Dec. 31
What is PSLF? The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program is a way for student loan borrowers who are employed in the public service field — including public education — to have their student loans forgiven. To qualify for this, “borrowers must make 120 payments on Direct Loans while working...
Read MoreNov. 17, 2023: We won’t take the bait
Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 Houston ISD parents, educators, and community members speak to the press at the Texas Capitol after their testimony at the State Board of Education. Is this parental empowerment? Vouchers are dead in Texas. Again. (More on that in a second.) While their proponents claim vouchers are...
Read MoreVoucher Are Dead in the 4th Special Session
Despite the addition of popular policy “carrots” to HB 1 and enormous pressure from Gov. Greg Abbott, we stopped vouchers in their tracks yet again today (Friday, Nov. 17). This victory was won on an 84-63 bipartisan vote in support of an amendment by state Rep. John Raney (R-College Station),...
Read MoreSBOE Recap: Instructional Materials Work Continues Apace
Science Textbooks The State Board of Education (SBOE) meeting began this week with the adoption of science instructional materials. There was a steady drumbeat of proposed textbooks removed from the recommended list. Some were removed for valid reasons like lack of standards coverage, but far more were removed because they...
Read MoreKaty ISD Gender Policy Has Led to Outing 19 Students Since August
A little over two months ago, Katy ISD passed one of the most extreme gender policies we’ve seen in Texas, effectively requiring campus personnel to “out” students. At the time, it raised eyebrows, and now we are beginning to see the ramifications for students and educators. According to reports from...
Read MoreParaprofessionals & Education Support Staff Bill of Rights Introduced in U.S. Senate
Sen. Ed Markey with paraprofessionals and support staff at the announcement of the PSRP Bill of Rights. Photo courtesy of AFT. On Monday, Nov. 6, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) joined Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) & Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in introducing a Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights. The...
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