Featured News
Unpacking the 89th Legislature: Your Right to Reasonable Working Conditions
An Alliance/AFT member listening to a panel discussion about educator well-being at Texas AFT’s biennial convention in June. Photo by Brooke Jonsson, CCR Studios. As we continue our fight for the Educator’s Bill of Rights at the local and state level, we’re tracking progress on legislation that supports key pillars of respect, fair compensation, safety, and professional growth for educators...
Read MoreAs 4th Special Session Wraps, Retired Educator COLA Faces Legal Challenges
This week, the fourth special session called by Gov. Greg Abbott came to a close without a single education bill passed — including Abbott’s private school voucher scheme. At least for the time being, it seems that Abbott does not intend to call another special session, and instead intends to...
Read MoreSBOE: Public Comments Needed on Instructional Materials, Library Policy
The State Board of Education (SBOE) is holding a special called meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 13. Ahead of that meeting, there are two important topics for Texas educators to weigh in on. HB 1605: Instructional Materials Rubrics Among its agenda items, the board intends to review and approve the rubrics...
Read MoreKaty ISD Students File a Federal Complaint Against New ‘Gender Policy’
A student-led group called Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT) is fighting back against Katy ISD’s new anti-trans policy. On Monday, Nov. 13, SEAT filed a formal discrimination complaint with the US Department of Education, citing Title IX violations and decrying the adverse effects of the policy on trans students....
Read MoreStatement on Election Lawsuits, Impact on Proposition 9
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Dec. 4, 2023 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org This past week, it was reported that at least six lawsuits have been filed challenging the results of November’s constitutional amendment election. Texas AFT President Zeph Capo commented on these baseless accusations, made by known election deniers and conspiracy theorists, which threaten...
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...
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