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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Friday, March 24, 2023 Expectations vs. Reality This week in Texas education news has been a real study in the difference between expectations and cold hard reality — and not just at the Capitol. In Houston, the Texas Education Agency hosted its first community meetings after its announced takeover...
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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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Friday, March 17, 2023 Respect Public Schools. Reject School Vouchers. Socorro AFT members wave signs in support of public education and against school vouchers at a rally outside the Texas AFL-CIO on Monday. Photo by Mariana Krueger, CCR Studios. “When I say ‘respect,’ you say ‘us,’” said Zeph Capo, president...
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 14, 2023 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org Texas Public School Employees Rally for ‘Respect’ in Austin After more than 500 teachers and school staff members met with legislators, Texas AFT plans to release research on Wednesday that outlines the true cost of respect for public schools. Texas AFT members...
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Friday, March 10, 2023 This week is National School Social Worker Week, and we should all take a moment to lift up these employees who help our kids face some of their toughest challenges. We know students bring a lot with them to school every day, that’s why having dedicated...
Read MoreFully Funded, Fully Respected The Path to Thriving Texas Public Schools A joint report by Texas AFT & Every Texan The state of Texas spends roughly $3,314 less per student than the national average each yearAccording to data compiled by the Education Data Initiative, public schools nationally provide an average...
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Friday, March 3, 2023 ‘Respect for Those of Us Who Are the Foundation of Every School’ Saturday, March 4, is Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day, an important time to recognize the too-often-ignored contributions of the support staff who keep schools safe, clean, and usable for our kids. Too many of our...
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The House Public Education Committee met for its first official hearing of the session Tuesday. The committee, under the new leadership of Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Salado), heard invited testimony from the Texas Education Agency and the Texas School Safety Center. Commissioner Mike Morath gave a broad overview of the agency’s...
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Recognizing Important Texans March is Women's History Month, an important time for educators and students to celebrate the achievements, brilliance, and legacies of the women who transformed society and paved the road for the struggle for equality that continues today. Each week of Women's History Month, Texas AFT will highlight a...
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Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 Strong Public Schools Need Empowered Educators No decisions about Texas school employees should be made without the input of Texas school employees. That’s our message to the Texas Legislature, and it's the subject of our newest union T-shirt! Buy yours at store.texasaft.org and help fuel our...
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Every elementary school student in Brownsville ISD is now guaranteed a minimum 15-minute recess every day thanks to advocacy from Brownsville Educators Stand Together (BEST AFT). In December, members of BEST, an organizing committee building toward becoming a full AFT local union, asked district administrators and the Board of Trustees...
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