Publish Date: February 7, 2025 4:55 pm Author: Texas AFT
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Friday, Feb. 7, 2025
2025 prices, 2019 dollars
What a month this week has been, huh?
We’ll get it into the details of chaos at the federal level, Gov. Abbott’s State of the State address, and the vote on vouchers in the Texas Senate later in this Hotline. But first, let’s get back to basics: Texas public schools are deeply underfunded, a reality thathas led to the continued exodus of teachers and staff from our schools and has worsened learning conditions for our students.
That is a fact. It also is a choice, as the special guest on our legislative livestream last night reminded us.
“The reason why we have $22 billion extra is that Texas has not paid its bills,“ said Jaime Puente, director of economic opportunity at Every Texan, explaining the state’s current budget surplus.” Texas has not invested in public education and teachers since 2019 [the last time the state increased the basic allotment].”
In a state with the world’s eighth-largest economy, that’s not good enough. Our kids are worth more than this, and our public school employees deserve better. Tell your state representatives exactly that now.
Missed last night’s legislative update? You can watch the recording on our Facebook and YouTube pages.
In this week’s Hotline:
Gov. Abbott’s priorities + a fast-tracked voucher bill
Recap of the State Board of Education’s meeting
How the federal funding freeze is hitting universities
Happy Career & Technical Education Month!
— Local Advocacy
Union win:On Feb. 4, the Brownsville ISD Board of Trustees voted 4-3 to pass a resolution in support of the Educator’s Bill of Rights, our union’s educator-built agenda for the 89th Legislature. The resolution was brought to the board by members of Brownsville Educators Stick Together (BEST AFT), and it follows similar resolutions passed in Edinburg CISD and Socorro ISD late last year. “Teachers and staff are leaving the profession due to a lack of support and respect,” said Beatriz Maldonado, a high school history teacher. “The Educator’s Bill of Rights tackles these pressing issues.” You can sign on in support of the Educator’s Bill of Rights online!
On Sunday, Feb. 2, Gov. Greg Abbott gave his State of the State address, outlining his priority items for the 89th Legislature. As expected, Abbott named private school vouchers one of his seven emergency items for the Legislature to consider in the early days of this session.
Legislators need to hear about education from the real experts — people actively working in our schools. Sharpen your testimony tools with us virtually on Monday! RSVP on Mobilize here.
The newly minted State Board of Education met for its first meeting of 2025 on Jan. 28-31 in Austin. The board had a robust agenda, including continued discussion of House Bill 1605 and the implementation of its “high-quality instructional materials.”
Call to Action: Educators Survey for Statewide Required Literary Works List
Under HB 1605, the SBOE is required to adopt an addition to the TEKS for K-12 Reading Language Arts to specify a literary works list for each grade level. In advance of the SBOE’s consideration of this topic, the agency is conducting research for possible recommendations.
If you are currently a K-12 educator in Texas, you are invited to complete the Literary Works Survey.
It will remain open until Monday, Feb. 17. It will only require about 15 minutes of time to complete. Survey responses are anonymous.
Gov. Greg Abbott has declared expanding career training as an emergency item for the 89th legislative session, emphasizing the critical need to equip Texans for in-demand, well-paying jobs. This initiative aligns with Career & Technical Education (CTE) Month, highlighting the importance of vocational programs in our education system.
By 2031, over 30% of Texas jobs will require education beyond a high school diploma, but less than a bachelor’s degree. Today, only about 1 in 3 Texas high school graduates obtain a postsecondary credential within six years of graduation. In 2023, more than 115,000 Texas high school CTE concentrators graduated with an industry-based certification, an associate degree, or a Level I or Level II certificate.
Last week, the Trump Administration issued an executive order that temporarily halted federal funding for grants in higher education, research, and programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The move, along with other education-related orders from President Donald Trump, sent shockwaves across universities and research institutions, as agencies like the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health paused grant review processes, delaying funding disbursements and disrupting critical projects. The freeze also affected non-governmental organizations and various education programs that rely on federal financial assistance.
The State Board of Educator Certification will meet in Austin on Friday, Feb. 14.
The November 2024 meeting was the final meeting for longtime members Tommy Coleman and Dr. Scott Muri, however Gov. Greg Abbott has not named new members to this entirely appointed body. There is an item on the agenda to elect a vice-chairperson and board secretary, the positions previously held by Muri and Coleman, respectively.
By now, the remainder of the agenda should look somewhat familiar to Hotline readers, as many of these items have been discussed multiple times over the previous year. The board expects to take up many items for adoption, including:
Chapter 231 related to special education-related personnel assignments
Chapter 235 related to the new Classroom Teacher Pedagogy standards
Education news from around the state and nation that’s worth your time.
📖 $450 million available to feed Texas kids this summer. The final deadline is approaching for members of the Texas Legislature to decide on participating in the Summer EBT program, which provides grocery benefits to low-income families with students. The state did not participatein the program last summer. (Public News Service, Feb. 5)
