FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 25, 2023 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org Texas AFT President Zeph Capo commented Thursday on House Bill 1, the state budget, which, after negotiations in conference committee, contains no increase to the basic allotment for students and no raises for public school employees: “Is this a joke? Congratulations to...
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 24, 2023 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org Texas legislators have a choice: increase public school funding or bankroll private school vouchers Amendments to two key bills in the last days of session set up key decision for lawmakers AUSTIN, Texas – In the early hours of the morning, the...
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 23, 2023 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org Texas AFT and Every Texan commented Wednesday on the $16 billion fiscal note for CSHB100 and its private school voucher over the next five years. Both organizations published research jointly this spring that indicated the cost of across-the-board raises for Texas school...
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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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Texas AFT President Zeph Capo and special education teachers Konrad Wert and Andrea Bell meet with staff in Rep. Ken King’s office about House Bill 100 on Tuesday. The Texas House voted on several of the most consequential public education...
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 25, 2023 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org Retirees expressed gratitude for the Legislature’s current proposals but emphasized they aren’t nearly enough to keep their colleagues fed, housed, and healthy. Texas AFT Secretary-Treasurer Ray McMurrey speaks at a press conference...
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 21, 2023 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org ***MEDIA ADVISORY*** MONDAY, April 24 at the Texas Capitol After two decades without a raise, retirees say they're not ready to settle for the crumbs of Texas' historic state budget. AUSTIN, Texas — Any educator who's retired in Texas since September 2004 is...
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Friday, April 7, 2023 We won’t settle for crumbs. Photo by Marianna Krueger, CCR Studios. We’ve turned this week’s Hotline over to Texas AFT President Zeph Capo for an update on some important moments at the Legislature and where we go from here. Yesterday was a good day for public...
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 3, 2023 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org As the House plans to debate the budget Thursday, educators’ union president asks, “What should we expect next — an actual slap in the face?” AUSTIN, Texas — At a time that the state of Texas has an unprecedented $188.2 billion in...
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Texas AFT regularly participates in coalition work with allies related to our legislative priorities; in the past week, we have had the chance to join our coalition partners at the Capitol for successful advocacy days.
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This is the final of three deep dives we will take into the final report from the Texas Education Agency’s Teacher Vacancy Task Force. The recommendations from the report fell into three broad categories: CompensationWorking Conditions Training & Support We took a brief pause after covering topics related to compensation...
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 22, 2023 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org The Texas Senate cannot have its tax-funded cake and eat it too — not at the expense of 5.5 million Texas public school students. AUSTIN, Texas — One day after a smaller-than-advertised crowd “rallied” support for school privatization legislation at the Capitol,...
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