One aspect of the Educator’s Bill of Rights that got far less attention during the regular session than it deserved was your right to meaningful training and professional development. Educators are lifelong learners, and high-quality training and development correlate to student outcomes. So, what did lawmakers have to say about it?
House Bill (HB) 2 (yes, dear readers, we have not yet gotten to the bottom of this one) made a few major changes related to educator training:
- First, the bill walked back the District of Innovation (DOI) exemptions for certified teachers. The bill requires that teachers in core subject areas and the requirement to notify parents if their child has an uncertified teacher in their classroom. The notification is effective with this school year. The bill allows for a phase-out of the exemption and creates some flexibility for districts in implementation. There are some modest monetary incentives for a district to support their currently uncertified teachers through completion of their certification. Given the positive correlation between a trained and certified educator and student outcomes, this is a meaningful step in the right direction both for students and the profession.
- HB 2 streamlined the existing educator certifications into several new categories of certificates. We were pleased that in the final version that the authority for this rulemaking continues to reside with the State Board for Educator Certification and was not unduly given to the commissioner of education to “fast track” these substantial chances.
- The bill also created, for the first time, an allotment to implement “high-quality” preparation, known as the Preparing and Retaining Educators through Partnership (PREP) Allotment program. In future rulemaking, the SBEC will determine how educator preparation programs (EPPs) will qualify for these funds. They must be in partnership with a district(s) that also meets eligibility criteria to be adopted by the commissioner. (See also our most recent SBEC meeting recap).
While HB 2 does attempt to address the broader issue of uncertified teachers in Texas classrooms, it does not touch on how our already certified teachers might seek to improve their practice. In fact, another section of the same bill seems to run counter to that need. Throughout the evolution of this bill, one of the most common questions we received was, “How will National Board Certification fit into the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA)?”
The National Board Certification Test is created by teachers, for teachers. It’s an incredibly rigorous, sometimes multi-year process of learning and improving upon classroom practice. For many teachers, this certification is the only viable route to qualifying for designation in the Teacher Incentive Allotment. While Texas AFT continues to oppose TIA in general on the grounds of its pay-for-performance structure, as long as it exists, this route to designation needs to be available to those who seek it.
The final version of the bill does maintain NBC but does so at a lower designation (equivalent to “acknowledged” rather than “recognized”) and gives authority to the SBEC to review these certifications for their continued inclusion in the TIA scheme.
Meanwhile other bills that held the promise of positively impacting educator training fell to the wayside in the regular session:
- HB 362 (Rep. Jon Rosenthal) would have gone further than HB 2 in some cases. Under this legislation, students in Grades 1-6 could not be assigned for two consecutive years to a teacher who both lacks appropriate certification and has less than one year of teaching experience in core curriculum subjects. The bill would have required parent involvement in exceptional decisions and only gave the TEA authority to waive in extreme circumstances.
- HB 2107 (Rep. Caroline Fairly) would have allowed districts to change the cadence of some annual trainings to biennial, freeing up time for more personalized educator development
- HB 2243 (Rep. Tom Oliverson) would have created the Texas Commission on Teacher Job Satisfaction and Retention to build on the work of the Teacher Vacancy Taskforce. This bill was ultimately vetoed, but advocates were hopeful that it would have identified unnecessary trainings or those required more often than is strictly necessary.
But, where the Legislature so often fails to take action, your union is ready to address your concerns and provide opportunities for your continuing success in the classroom.
Exploring Alternative Certification Pathways
In June, delegates from across the state gathered for the 2025 Texas AFT Biennial Convention in Dallas for two days jam-packed with advocacy, workshops, panel discussion, and, of course, the business of our union. You can read Texas AFT’s recap of the convention here, but we wanted to highlight one of the 11 resolutions approved by delegates at this year’s convention that relates to your right to meaningful training and development.
This resolution instructs Texas AFT to create an exploratory committee to research the feasibility of creating our own accredited alternative certification program (ACP) for educators. The resolution was put forth by Alliance/AFT in Dallas ISD and was sparked by the long history of successful apprenticeship programs offered by many trade unions in Texas and nationally. There will be much more to come on this effort, and we will keep you posted over the next year!
Texas AFT Professional Development Opportunities
It cannot be said often enough that training and preparation matter tremendously; not only for the continued growth of the teaching profession, but also for the students and families served in Texas classrooms. Through continued opportunities with our nonprofit Bridges Institute, Texas AFT is helping our members stay engaged and guide their own personal and professional development — all for free and for credit.
Upcoming Fall 2025 Professional Development Series
As the back-to-school season approaches, we know the phrase “professional development” might sound about as appealing as a pop quiz on a Monday morning. Teachers are often exhausted just thinking about it. What if you could attend professional development sessions wearing your comfiest pajamas and clutching your favorite mug of coffee? Sounds too good to be true? Check out these next three sessions in our fall calendar:
WHAT: T-TESS Training
WHEN: Wednesday, Aug. 27 from 6 – 8 p.m.
WHERE: Virtual – Register Here!
WHAT: Ask the Experts for New Educators
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 3 from 6 – 8 p.m.
WHERE: Virtual – Register Here!
WHAT: Beyond Classroom Management
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 10 from 6 – 8 p.m.
WHERE: Virtual – Register Here!
Can’t make it one of these? That’s okay. We have 12+ FREE sessions happening this fall, so find one that works for you here.
To make sure you’re always in loop make sure you subscribe to Texas AFT’s Bridges Insititute Newsletter here. Our newsletter arrives in your inbox the first Wednesday of each month with upcoming workshops and webinars, as well as resources to help you thrive as an educator and an individual.
Whatever your journey to the classroom or campus, it is our goal to ensure you thrive in role. Texas AFT will continue to develop and provide resources and opportunities to ensure your professional success.