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Retiree Issues in the Spotlight 

We continue to await news of the final outcome of the bipartisan effort in Congress to pass the Social Security Fairness Act and finally repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) to ensure that public employees – including educators, firefighters, and VA nurses – receive the Social Security benefits they are due.

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Where the Funding Fight Stands 

After Gov. Greg Abbott and his allies in the Texas Legislature hijacked $4.5 billion in additional public education funding in a failed attempt to force the passage of universal private school voucher legislation in the 88th legislative session, public schools across Texas have paid the price as communities have seen...

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Dec. 13, 2024: Common sense for the common good

Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 Common sense for the common good  This week, AFT President Randi Weingarten and her wife Sharon Kleinbaum, the Senior Rabbi Emerita of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in New York City, published an opinion piece in the Houston Chronicle.   The topic: The State Board of Education's vote in November to...

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SBEC Recap: Three Proposals Moving Forward 

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) met in Austin on Dec. 6. There were three items up for proposal that Texas AFT has been closely following for many months. Texas AFT again delivered testimony in alignment with its partners at the Texas Coalition for Educator Preparation (TCEP) regarding the...

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Dec. 6, 2024: Finding common ground

Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 Finding common ground  We have a mental health crisis among our kids. This much we know; both the data and our experience as teachers and school staff agree.   The reasons for it are many and varied, but one that has escaped regulation for too long...

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Where the Texas Legislature’s Voucher Fight Stands 

Following an aggressive campaign to reshape the Texas Legislature by supporting primary challenges against Republican state representatives who voted against taxpayer-funded private school vouchers in the last legislative session, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have both designated the passage of universal voucher legislation as their top priority...

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