Topic: Legislation

July 31: #ReopeningSafely highlighted at AFT Convention while Texas officials sow confusion

Publish Date: July 31, 2020

Randi Weingarten at the AFT national convention. Graphic behind her reads "Reopening Schools Safely."

July 17: Districts can opt for up to 8 weeks in remote-only instruction; TRS hears on pension fund health; Election wrap-up

Publish Date: July 17, 2020

Person sits at a desk with headphones, looking at a laptop.

Letter to Governor Abbott-Teachers Need Time

Publish Date: June 24, 2020

There’s a new school finance law in Texas: Now what?

Publish Date: March 19, 2020

New Education Laws Affecting Educators

Publish Date: August 30, 2019

Your Weekly Briefing: Pay for test scores? And TRS pension bill moves forward as health insurance spikes for active employees

Publish Date: April 26, 2019

Your weekly briefing: Big bill up for retired educators, community schools bill moves ahead and notes on the budget

Publish Date: March 22, 2019

Your weekly briefing: More pay-raise news, some bad things buried in the school finance bill, and a great week to talk to legislators at our rally!

Publish Date: March 8, 2019

School district ratings reveal continuing trend of charters underperforming traditional public schools

Publish Date: August 15, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 15, 2017 CONTACT: Rob D’Amico, 512-627-1343 Texas AFT President Louis Malfaro commented today on the release of school accountability ratings by the Texas Education Agency: We’re pleased to see a decline in the number of districts rated as “Improvement Required,” but it’s also clear that charter schools continue to underperform traditional public schools, since charter...

Anti-teacher amendment rejected in Texas House; deal on school funding delayed in Texas Senate; TRS-Care cost relief for retirees coming to House floor Tuesday

Publish Date: August 14, 2017

An anti-teacher amendment was rejected decisively by a bipartisan majority in the Texas House late on Monday afternoon. Rep. Bill Zedler (R-Arlington) tried to insert the anti-teacher amendment into SB 16, a bill creating a commission to study long-term fixes for school finance and recommend a comprehensive overhaul before the next regular legislative session in January 2019. Zedler's amendment would...

No Senate Vote on 2018-2019 School Funding; House Vote Pending on Long-Term School-Finance Study; TRS-Care Issue Being Negotiated

Publish Date: August 13, 2017

The Texas Senate keeps delaying a vote on increased school funding for 2018-2019 and now has recessed until 4 p.m. Monday. It may be just as well that they are still working out their stance, because what's on the table so far in the Senate is very little. The $311 million senators have included thus far in their version of HB...

Texas Senate Delays Vote on School Finance–Have Your Say