This week, we’ll provide some insight into the Texas school finance system, explore why the Texas Legislature did not use the historic $33 billion surplus to address the “teacher vacancy crisis” or give you a raise, and explain what’s next in our fight for respect and for fully funding our...
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Seeking Leverage on Vouchers & Property Tax Relief, Gov. Abbott Has a Veto Tantrum Sunday was the last day for Gov. Greg Abbott to exercise his veto authority, stopping any bills passed during the regular session from becoming law. In an attempt to punish certain legislators who did not vote...
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 23, 2023 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org Senator Roland Gutierrez to Receive Acts of Courage Award From Texas AFT The award will be presented to the state senator from Uvalde for his dedication to the safety of Texas students, educators, and communities. AUSTIN, Texas — For his relentless advocacy...
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As the House and Senate’s increasingly public and hostile battle over how to distribute more than $12 billion in property tax relief rages, both chambers have made other moves that have serious implications for the future of public education in Texas. House Announces Select Committee on Education This week, House...
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The legislative session began with a $32.7 billion budget surplus, record-breaking staff turnover, and a TEA Teacher Vacancy Task Force report that directly pointed to educator raises as a necessary strategy to keep educators in the classroom. Yet the legislative session ended with $0 in guaranteed raises for educators.
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It isn't enough for Texas public schools to survive. Our students deserve schools that help them thrive. https://youtu.be/LdT0yT7Sh4M?si=wBeA5Vm6tz-6G445 It's Time to Thrive Our fight to thrive is about creating respectful working conditions with more planning time, fewer added duties and extra paperwork, resources to prevent burnout before it starts, and...
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This week we said “goodbye” to the 88th regular session … and then, just a few hours later, said “hello” to the first special session of the 88th Legislature. In this week’s Hotline, we recap the end of the regular session, provide an update on the first (of “several”) special...
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Yesterday, the Texas Education Agency announced its takeover of HISD, ousting a democratically elected board and installing a selected board of managers, including charter CEO Mike Miles (more on that below). Despite great academic progress made in the last year, and an overall acceptable rating in 2023, TEA chose to...
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Friday, May 26, 2023 Is this a joke? There are three days left in the regular session of the 88th Texas Legislature. And as of this writing, there are $0 dedicated in the proposed final state budget for public school employee raises. After more than a month of negotiations in...
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The last full week of the Texas legislative session ended with final decisions being made on several important pieces of legislation, but going into the session’s final weekend, major bills relating to school finance, private school vouchers, pensions for retired educators, the future of higher education, and more are still...
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 22, 2023 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org Landslide Rejection: Rural Texas House Districts Soundly Oppose Texas Voucher Schemes, Reveals Latest Polling Senators jeopardize teacher pay raises with new voucher language, as opposition solidifies in the House AUSTIN, Texas –...
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Apart from all of the attention directed at private school vouchers at the Legislature this week, several other bills that would significantly affect Texas public school educators and higher education employees are still making their way through the legislative process. Public Education: In Committee This week, the House Public Education...
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