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Unpacking the 89th Legislature: Your Right to Reasonable Working Conditions
An Alliance/AFT member listening to a panel discussion about educator well-being at Texas AFT’s biennial convention in June. Photo by Brooke Jonsson, CCR Studios. As we continue our fight for the Educator’s Bill of Rights at the local and state level, we’re tracking progress on legislation that supports key pillars of respect, fair compensation, safety, and professional growth for educators...
Read MoreSBOE Recap: Some Good News on Charter Schools, Ethnic Studies Elective
The State Board of Education convened in Austin on Tuesday, June 24, and concluded Friday, June 27. The four-day agenda provided the opportunity to approve or veto the Generation 30 (2025) charter applications, as well as hear updates on instructional materials, the Permanent School Fund (PSF), math and social studies standards,...
Read MoreBig, Brutal, & Barreling Forward: Trump’s “Beautiful Bill” Passes Both House, Senate
Texas AFT and AFGE members, alongside students, parents, and community advocates, marched to Sen. Ted Cruz’s office during Texas AFT’s convention in June. Their goal was to deliver letters decrying Cruz’s support of gutting the Department of Education and cutting important services like Medicaid and SNAP as part of President...
Read MoreTexas AFL-CIO Convention Underscores the Importance of Solidarity, Community in Protecting Our Democracy
Photo courtesy of Texas AFL-CIO Last weekend, over 450 union delegates from across the state gathered in San Antonio for the 2025 Texas AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention. Texas AFT was well-represented by many of our local leaders and members; coming just...
Read MoreTexas loses more education funding than any other Republican-led state in latest cuts to fund billionaires
The Trump Administration has announced that it will illegally freeze $6.2 billion in federal education funding nationwide across five federal programs that support our public schools.
Read MoreJune 27, 2025: We’re All In.
Friday, June 27, 2025 We’re All In. If there is one message you retained from our 2025 Biennial Convention, it is that our fight isn’t over; it’s just getting started. As many of our speakers pointed out, the forces we’re up against have strength that only money can buy. ...
Read MoreTexas AFT 2025 Biennial Convention: All in for Public Schools
The Texas AFT 2025 Biennial Convention in Dallas brought members, delegates, and staff together for a weekend of action, awards, learning, and fun! The festivities kicked off with a march to Senator Ted Cruz’s downtown office to oppose his federal voucher legislation. You can view the rally here, including the...
Read MoreReading Up, Math Still Behind in Latest STAAR Results
The Texas Education Agency released its Spring 2025 STAAR results last week, and the numbers tell a familiar story: students are making gains in reading, while math proficiency continues to lag. According to the Texas Tribune, reading and language arts scores across grades three through eight have now exceeded pre-pandemic levels....
Read MoreAFT & CareerWise’s Apprenticeship Accelerator Offers Real Solutions
Photo Credit: Patrick O’Donnell The AFT and CareerWise’s new Education and Apprenticeship Accelerator, backed by six states and industry leaders, reflects a national movement toward earn‑and‑learn pathways that directly address classroom workforce challenges. These high‑school apprenticeship models bridge career and technical education (CTE) with tangible pathways into fields like cybersecurity, welding,...
Read MoreJune 13, 2025: The work of our union
Friday, June 13, 2025 Looking Back (from left to right): Brownsville Educators Stand Together members presenting a resolution to the school board, Spring AFT members unboxing books for a Reading Opens the World event, and Texas AFT United members meeting with legislative staff. The Work of Our Union Next...
Read MoreSBOE Preview: Six More Charter Schools Up for Approval
The State Board of Education will convene in Austin Tuesday, June 24, at 9 a.m. CT through Friday, June 27. A critical item on the agenda is the Generation 30 (2025) charter applicants that move forward to the SBOE for a final vote on Jun 27, 2025. The Commissioner of...
Read MoreUnpacking the 89th Legislature: Your Right to Fair Wages
Educators across Texas have long fought for wages that reflect the vital work they do in our classrooms, cafeterias, and campuses. Yet despite their dedication, Texas teachers earn over $9,000 less than the national average and receive $5,000 less in per-student funding. Inflation-adjusted, their salaries are 6% below 2015 levels,...
Read MoreAdvocates Act Against the Repeal of the Texas Dream Act
On June 4, just two days after the Texas Legislature came to a close, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sued the State of Texas over the 2001 law allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities. This came after House Bill 232 and Senate Bill...
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