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Unpacking the 89th Legislature: Your Right to a Secure Retirement
Texas AFT members at our 2025 Public Education Advocacy Day at the Capitol. One Socorro AFT member holds a sign with one of the 10 essential rights in our Educator’s Bill of Rights: the right to secure retirement. Texas educators deserve better than broken promises and one-time checks. Despite a historic push for pension reform this legislative session, the 89th...
Read MoreLinda McMahon’s Confirmation Hearing Raises Concerns
Yesterday, Linda McMahon, former WWE executive and President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education, faced the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee for her confirmation hearing.
Read MoreFeb. 7, 2025: 2025 prices, 2019 dollars
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,...
Read MoreSBOE Recap: Not Slowing Down
The newly minted State Board of Education (SBOE) met for its first meeting of 2025 on Jan. 28-31 in Austin. The first order of business was to swear in the three new members to the SBOE: Gustavo Reveles (District 1- El Paso), Brandon Hall (District 11-Aledo), and Dr. Tiffany Clark...
Read MoreSBEC Preview: New Members, Familiar Agenda
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 Abbot has not named new members to this entirely appointed body. There is an item...
Read MoreUncertainty, Anxiety in Higher Education Following Trump’s Freeze on Federal Grant Funding
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...
Read MoreFebruary is Career & Technical Education Month—And Now, It’s a Texas Emergency
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.
Read MoreThis Week in the Legislature: Abbott Designates Vouchers, Teacher Pay, & Career Training as Emergency Items
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...
Read MoreGov. Abbott’s State of the State priorities send mixed messages to parents, students, & educators
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 2, 2025 CONTACT: Nicole Hill, press@texasaft.org Governor who oversaw a year of school closures and layoffs directs the Legislature to prioritize teacher pay while also demanding lawmakers defund neighborhood schools with a private school voucher...
Read MoreJan. 31, 2025: Good news?!
Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 Via Texas AFL-CIO Good news?! In an exceptionally long and fraught January, here’s a glimmer of good news. This week, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its annual report on union density in the country, showing that the number of Texas union members is the...
Read MoreTrump Administration Eliminates Sensitive Location Protections for Public Schools and Churches in Immigration Orders
The Trump Administration has revoked long-standing sensitive location protections, allowing U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to arrest undocumented individuals on the grounds of schools, churches, and hospitals without prior approval. This move marks a drastic shift from policies...
Read MoreEducator’s Bill of Rights Spotlight: Secure Retirement in the 89th Legislature
Our educator workforce deserves to retire in dignity and security, and we can’t do that on the $2,199 per month the average teacher receives from the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS). Texas voters turned out in force in 2023 to support Prop A, the first statewide TRS cost-of-living increase...
Read MoreFund Schools First: North Texas Parents, Educators, & Community Leaders Organize for Increased Public School Funding
Across North Texas, parents, educators, and community leaders are coming together with a shared mission: ensuring that public schools receive the funding they need to support students and teachers. Fund Schools First, a grassroots movement, is advocating for increased public...
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