One of our union's perennial priorities is fighting efforts to privatize our public education system, whether through the expansion of charter schools or new voucher schemes. Key Facts: Private School Vouchers Don't be fooled by the euphemism of "school choice." We already have “school choice” in our public schools, through...
Read More
In leaked audio obtained by The Texas Tribune this past week, a deputy commissioner in Gov. Greg Abbott’s Texas Education Agency admitted that school voucher programs would defund Texas public schools. Steve Lecholop, TEA’s deputy commissioner for governance, was caught on audio advocating for “school choice” to a parent who...
Read More
The new State Board of Education met this week in Austin. Ever a more conservative body, the election of four new hard-right members was immediately felt in the boardroom this week. Republicans LJ Francis (District 2), Julie Pickren (District 7), Evelyn Brooks (District 14), Aaron Kinsey (District 15), along with...
Read More
(Left to right) State Representatives Chris Turner, Senfronia Thompson, Rafael Anchia, and Mary González answer audience questions on a panel moderated by Texas Tribune Reporter Zach Despart (Center). This past weekend, the Texas Tribune hosted their annual Texas Tribune Festival in Downtown Austin. The three day festival included 120+ panels...
Read More
Education Commissioner Mike Morath takes questions from state senators in a school safety hearing this week. Texas Senate hears testimony on school safety and mental health in the wake of Uvalde This week, the Texas Senate Special Committee to...
Read More
A Texas Parent PAC poll of likely Texas voters released this week shows how Governor Greg Abbott is on the wrong side of Texas parents, teachers, and voters when it comes to vouchers and other public education issues. The poll found that 53% of Texas likely voters are against taxpayer-funded...
Read More
Governor Abbott's “School Choice” Claims Don't Hold Up to the Facts Gov. Greg Abbott has recently made some bold claims about the impacts of voucher programs like Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) on public school funding. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Abbott stated that, "In 97% of states with...
Read More
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...
Read More
It’s that time of year again: early voting season! As we get closer to the municipal election date (May 4), it’s hugely important that we make our voices heard in this upcoming election. As the war on public education — and public educators — continues, we must elect candidates, especially...
Read More
This Thursday, April 11, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick dropped a list of 57 charges for senate committees to study in preparation for the 89th legislative session next spring. Nearly a third of the charges he included were either directly or indirectly related to education in Texas, but none of the...
Read More
Gov. Greg Abbott and some Republican lawmakers have recently claimed that Texas is funding public education at its highest level ever despite the high-profile failure of the 88th Texas Legislature to increase the basic allotment or provide raises for educators and school employees when those bipartisan priorities were held hostage...
Read More
Friday, April 4, 2024 April 3 tweet from state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, whose district includes the University of Texas at Austin. Happy Celebrate Diversity Month ... Though April is nominally Celebrate Diversity Month, its first week in Texas this year has been far from joyous. In response to heightening pressure...
Read More