It’s January, the heart of resolution season. With that in mind, we ask you to take out that brand-new planner — the one that will change everything this year — and jot down some key dates for your well-being in 2024:  

Got them all? Great. We’ll see you at the polls, where your neighborhood’s public school is most definitely on the ballot.  

In this week’s Hotline:  

In December, we looked back at the year that was — and all the highs, lows, and whoas for public education 2023 provided. Now we’re ready to look ahead to what promises to be a busy, uncertain year for our Texas public schools.  

2024 is a presidential election year, with consequential down-ballot races across Texas. The backdrop to this election in Texas:  

Here’s what to expect as 2024 continues, so you can buckle up and be ready to fight forward for thriving Texas public schools. We can’t give up; our educators, students, and communities deserve better. 

It’s official. Voters overwhelmingly approved a cost-of-living adjustment for retired Texas educators. This win could have never happened without the relentless hard work of Texas AFT retirees. 

Now, sign up to join us on Zoom on Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. CT for a celebration! 

To keep up the momentum from this win and to grow our movement, we will also be taking collective action to grow our membership. 

Texas AFT Bridges Institute Regional Leadership Conferences 

Register today to attend our union’s most exciting biennial conference, providing both worksite leader and professional development workshops.  

It’s time to thrive. Sign up for an RLC near you to get the tools you need to make it happen. 

The Clean School Bus Program, a pivotal part of President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill, will allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to invest $5 billion over the next five years to modernize school bus fleets nationwide. Both the Department of Energy and Department of Transportation have prioritized the program, working together to reduce the amount of air pollution in districts across the country. 

Due to the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, seven grants across 19 Texas public school districts will fund the implementation of electric buses to help revitalize school bus fleets. Of these seven grants, four of them were awarded directly to school districts, and three were given to third parties that will fund the program in districts across the state.  

Alief ISD, Austin ISD, and San Antonio ISD will have the financial resources for 60 new buses each, while Edinburg ISD and Canutillo ISD will get 14 new buses. 

A decade after the Texas Legislature watered down graduation requirements through Texas House Bill 5, middle school counselors continue grappling with the challenges and demands required by this policy. A new study from IDRA, “School Counselors on College Advising Constraints,” highlights the repercussions of HB 5 for both counselor workloads and student outcomes.  

HB 5 established the Foundation High School Program (HSP) and ended the previous graduation requirements commonly known as the 4×4. Under the 4×4, Texas students were required to complete four math courses (including Algebra 2), four English language arts courses, and four social studies and science courses to graduate. Students are no longer required to take critical courses for college preparation, including Algebra 2. Instead, HB 5 requires that students pick an endorsement, locking in a career path they want to pursue throughout high school in the eighth grade. 

This has created a new wave of challenges for middle school counselors. Nearly all counselors interviewed by IDRA were skeptical that eighth– grade students are developmentally ready to choose a career path.  

Long-time corporate supporter, Horace Mann, has some great tips for getting more sleep and making the most of this new year. They’re also here to help you get more value and savings from your car insurance. 

Horace Mann auto policies come with special perks and benefits just for educators, and when you bundle auto insurance with an existing Horace Mann policy, you could save with a multi-line discount. 

Contact your local Horace Mann representative today or start with an online quote! 

Horace Mann Insurance Company and its affiliates underwrite Horace Mann auto insurance. The benefits and discounts listed are only general descriptions of coverage and do not constitute a statement of contract. Additional terms and conditions, as described in the policy, must be met for the coverage to be provided. Not all benefits available in all states. 

Horace Mann and its affiliates enter into agreements with educational associations pursuant to which Horace Mann or its affiliate pays the educational association to provide various services that are aimed at familiarizing the association’s members with the Horace Mann brand, products or services.  For more information or to ask questions about your educational association’s services agreement, please email your inquiry to association.relations@horacemann.com. 

EMA-00365 (12-23) 

📖  Texas’ teachers wonder if state’s extra cash will ever reach them. ‘It’s time.’ Since January 2023, lawmakers have failed to approve teacher pay increases, despite a $38.7 billion surplus and $4 billion already set aside in the state budget. During that time, teachers have been left wondering as the cost of groceries soars and home affordability falls to a new low: Will they ever see the pay raise promised and supported by lawmakers across the political spectrum? (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Jan. 6) 

📖 Huston-Tillotson hopes to partner with Austin ISD to address lack of Black male educators nationwide. Teachers are some of the most influential people in our lives. And having a teacher that looks like you and understands you is important. That’s why staff and students at Huston-Tillotson University in Austin are pushing for a partnership with Austin ISD to get more Black male teachers into the classroom. (KVUE, Jan. 8)