Topic: Policy

TRS Board declines to increase premiums, while Texas AFT retirees call for a ‘rollback’ of hikes and benefit cuts

Publish Date: September 21, 2018

Retiree Committee members from across the state hold a news conference at the Capitol Thursday. The Teacher Retirement System of Texas Benefits Committee met Thursday morning to discuss possible changes in benefits or premiums for TRS-Care Standard (retired plan members ineligible yet for Medicare). Although the committee could have approved a pre-scheduled $50-per-month premium increase, it chose to take no action, and...

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Upcoming TRS action on retiree health-care premiums

Publish Date: September 18, 2018

Teacher Retirement System of Texas trustees will meet Thursday and Friday. On the agenda is a proposed premium increase for TRS-Care members ($50 per month for those under 65 not on Medicare). According to TRS officials, it's unlikely the trustees will raise rates, because Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has urged them not to, noting that the Legislature will provide additional funding...

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Retired teachers to urge state trustees not to increase health-care premiums, and will ask Lt. Gov. for rollback of benefit cuts

Publish Date: September 18, 2018

News Conference: Thursday, 11 a.m. Teachers faced significant premium increases and benefit cuts under Lt. Dan Patrick’s control of the state Senate What:  The Texas AFT Retiree Committee is in town to testify at a Teacher Retirement System Board vote on increasing premiums $50 a month for retired teachers and school employees (not yet on Medicare) starting in January, 2019....

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Capitol wrap up: Your property taxes, TRS funding, and SBOE news

Publish Date: September 14, 2018

Source: Center for Public Policy Priorities TEA presents budget asking for less money The Texas Education Agency laid out its preliminary budget request for public education funding Wednesday at a Legislative Budget Board meeting, which ended up highlighting one of the key problems with the direction we're heading funding our schools--an increasing share of that funding coming from your local...

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House hearing to examine TRS retiree health-care funding

Publish Date: September 4, 2018

Welcome back to school from a well-earned early holiday--Labor Day! We hope you had time to both relax and reflect on the contributions of the labor movement to our country. But it's back to business at the Texas House, where an Appropriations Subcommittee will be holding a hearing on Wednesday at 9 a.m. to look at "options for funding retired...

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Statement on A-F grading of school districts

Publish Date: August 15, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 15, 2018 CONTACT:  Rob D’Amico, 512-627-1343 Nothing is fair about this simplistic, test-driven system that doesn’t reflect how schools are progressing and serving their students and communities Louis Malfaro, Texas AFT president, commented today on the Texas Education Agency release of A-F ratings for school districts: The new A-F accountability system moves Texas in the wrong...

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