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April 19, 2024: In the Room
Friday, April 19, 2024 This past Tuesday, April 16, the U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security held a meeting to discuss the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), two provisions that heavily penalize many Texas educators and public employees. AFT members from across the country were there, meeting with legislators and observing the proceedings....
Read MoreBy the Numbers: The Benefits of Joining Our Union
If we want to build power for school employees in Texas and win the respect we deserve, we need as many of the 656,000 school employees in this state standing with us as possible. The key to unlocking that power? It’s you. In our most recent membership survey, 57% of...
Read MoreHouse Public Education Committee Meets to Discuss Student Assessment
The House Public Education committee met Tuesday to hear public and invited testimony concerning the implementation of HB 3906, as well as the progress on recommendations by the 2016 Commission on the Next Generation Assessments and Accountability. HB 3906, from the 86th legislative session in 2019, called for significant changes...
Read MoreTexas Ranks Second Worst in Teacher Retirement Benefits, Prompts Response from Rep. Canales
When it comes to teachers’ retirement benefits, Texas ranks second to last when compared to all 50 states plus Washington D.C., according to a new study from Equable, a bipartisan organization that monitors pension programs across the country. The states were ranked based on the value their retirement systems presented...
Read MoreSan Antonio’s Largest ISD makes Election Day a Holiday, Prioritizing Student Safety
Election Day is Nov. 8, and Northside Independent School District, San Antonio’s largest district, announced Tuesday that it would make the date a student holiday this year. This news comes as Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen said she expects record, “presidential-level” midterm election turnout this fall. Following the mass...
Read MoreStatement on Gov. Abbott’s ‘School Choice’ Press Conference
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug. 11, 2022 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org Texas AFT President Zeph Capo commented today after Gov. Greg Abbott held a press conference to discuss “school choice” at The King’s Academy, a private “Christ-centered” school in Dallas: Source: Texas Parent PAC poll of likely Texas voters, May 2022 All I can...
Read MoreSBOE Holds Special Meeting to Review Social Studies TEKS
Texas AFT Policy Analyst Kelsey Kling testifies at Monday's SBOE meeting. On Monday, the State Board of Education held a special meeting to conduct a public hearing and discussion on the revised social studies TEKS. Invited testifiers included Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht, who spoke about the need for...
Read MoreOil Tycoons spent millions to replace Public Schools with Private Schools, according to new report
Two West Texas oil tycoons have been donating millions of dollars to influence Texas politics, with the intention of completely replacing all public schools across the state with Christian private schools, according to a new report from CNN. Tim Dunn, Farris Wilks, and their wives have collectively donated over $29...
Read MoreNew Study Provides Solutions for Texas’ Teacher & School Staff Retention Crisis
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 25, 2022 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org New Study Provides Solutions for Texas’ Teacher & School Staff Retention Crisis Meanwhile, the House Public Education Committee meets for two days without invited testimony from Texas educators. HOUSTON – Nearly 43,000 Texas teachers left their job in the last school year,...
Read MoreLegislature’s Investigative Report on Uvalde Shooting Details Failed Law Enforcement Response, Inadequate School Safety
Memorial to the students and teachers killed in the Uvalde shooting outside the Texas Capitol. On Sunday, the Texas Legislature's investigative committee released a thorough and damning report regarding the tragic mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. The...
Read More2022 AFT Convention Recap: Texas AFT Members Recognized for Wage Victories, Union Growth
Last week, AFT members from across the country met in Boston, Massachusetts, for AFT’s 87th Biennial Convention. Texas AFT was represented at the convention by more than 30 delegates, led by Texas AFT President Zeph Capo. Delegates participated in a wide array of programming, including special recognition of certain locals...
Read MoreTRS Board Approves More Conservative Financial Approach. Here’s What That Means for a Potential COLA.
Last week, the Teachers Retirement System of Texas (TRS) Board of Trustees met for their quarterly meeting and voted to lower the pension fund’s yearly investment return assumption (IRA) from 7.25% to 7%. The IRA is used by TRS to...
Read MoreThis Monday, Texas AFT Summer School Is In Session — and Respect Is on the Agenda
With a return to school approaching, districts across the state still have hundreds and hundreds of teaching vacancies to fill — not to mention shortages of staff in other crucial areas. It’s no surprise. Our union has been sounding the alarm for months, since 66% of our members told us...
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