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Amid Protests of Students, Faculty, and Staff, the State Tightens Its Grip on the University of Texas at Austin
In April, state leaders’ attempted stranglehold over the University of Texas at Austin, Texas’s premier public university, came to a head in several ways. The month began with the university laying off dozens of employees who formerly worked in positions that dealt with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The month ended with state troopers marching on campus to disrupt...
Read MoreTexas AFT Joins the Texas Coalition for Educator Preparation
Texas AFT has joined forces with other educator associations, several universities and alternative certification organizations, and many special interest groups to form the Texas Coalition for Educator Certification (TCEP). This new organization features many of the same members as the ad-hoc group that collectively fought against the edTPA certification exam,...
Read MoreTexas AFT Retiree+ Member Advocates for COLA at TRS Board Meeting
Texas AFT Retiree+ member Phyllis Ruffin speaks during the public comment portion of the TRS Board of Trustees meeting. This Thursday and Friday, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) Board of Trustees convened for its quarterly meeting. The TRS board received a report from contracted economic analysts discussing the...
Read MoreTexas Parent Group Comes Out Against Greg Abbott
Texas Parent PAC, a bipartisan political action committee of parents who support high-quality public education, is urging Texans to vote against incumbent Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. This is the first time the organization has ever taken a stance on the governor’s race. “Abbott is failing our kids and neighborhood public...
Read MoreHouse Appropriations Committee Discusses TRS Pension Fund, TRS-Care, and TRS-ActiveCare
Contribution rates from various entities to the TRS Pension Fund. This past Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee discussed a number of issues affecting Texas educators and retirees. The committee heard testimony from Brian Guthrie, executive director of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), who discussed the TRS pension fund,...
Read MoreHouse Ways & Means Committee Talks Property Taxes
The Texas House Committee on Ways & Means held a hearing Thursday on interim charges related to property taxes, appraisal, and the economic implications of allowing the Chapter 313 corporate property tax abatement program to sunset at the end of the year. The issue of Chapter 313 is particularly important...
Read MoreFor Labor Day, We Celebrate the Power of Solidarity — Even in Texas
We wish all Texas AFT members a restful Labor Day weekend. Our offices will be closed Monday, Sept. 5, in honor of the holiday. But for now, we’ll share some updates that show the true power of organized labor. As our friends at the Texas AFL-CIO like to say, enjoy...
Read MoreState Board of Education Delays Social Studies Revision until 2025
In a disappointing turn of events, the State Board of Education voted this week to delay the revision of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for social studies until 2025.
Read MoreEducation Secretary Cardona: We Have a ‘Crisis of Respect’
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona has put issues of educator respect front and center, calling for increased teacher salaries and better working conditions.
Read MoreAFT Leaders Meet with Houston Area School Admins, Discuss Solutions to the Educator Shortage
With 43,000 Texas teachers either resigning or retiring since the last school year and with widespread reports of classrooms so crowded that students have run out of desks and supplies, Texas schools are in crisis — but one that can be solved.
Read MoreKnow Your Rights: Joining a Union
How many times have you heard the following from a colleague, a friend, or a Facebook comment: “There are no unions in Texas”?
Read MoreTexas AFT Retiree+ Executive Board Convenes in Austin
This past weekend, members of the Texas AFT Retiree+ executive board gathered in Austin for the group’s first in-person board meeting since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MoreLocal Solutions to the Texas Educator Shortage Exist. Now We Need State Action.
Roundtable discussion with the American Federation of Teachers, Houston area school administrators, and the University of Houston and Texas A&M University-Commerce highlights initiatives to retain and recruit qualified educators. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug. 31, 2022 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org HOUSTON, Texas — With 43,000 Texas teachers either resigning or retiring since...
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