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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 MoreEmpowering Texas: How Teacher Retirement Benefits Drive Economic Growth
Last year, an overwhelming majority of Texas voters chose to give retired educators in the state the first cost-of living-adjustment (COLA) to their pensions in decades. This investment has put more money directly into the pockets of retired educators, allowing them to invest their money as they see fit and...
Read MoreState Legislators Pre-File Legislation to Support Educators & School Employees: Educator’s Bill of Rights Update
State legislators began pre-filing bills for the upcoming 89th legislative session early last week. We are excited to share that several bills have already been filed advancing key priorities in Texas AFT’s Educator’s Bill of Rights.
Read MoreNov. 15, 2024: Your union, your voice
Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 Your Union, Your Voice The annual Texas AFT Membership Survey closes this Monday! Members – your voices built our union’s 2025 legislative agenda, and your priorities are what we need to hear about right now. Please take time this weekend to complete our annual membership survey....
Read MoreSocial Security Fairness Act Passes U.S. House, Heads for Senate Approval
After decades of advocacy from AFT members and other labor unions of public service employees, is a repeal of the reviled Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) finally at hand?
Read More‘Not a Faculty Senate, but the Texas Senate’: Senate Higher Ed Subcommittee Signals Expanded Political Interference
On Monday, Nov. 11, the Senate Higher Education Subcommittee held its third interim committee hearing this year on three consequential charges, including two that are expected to have significant implications for both academic freedom and democratic representation.
Read MoreIn national election results, voters overwhelmingly rejected vouchers
In three states, a mix of “red” and “blue,” coalitions of rural and urban voters, and of Republicans and Democrats, came together to forcefully reject sending taxpayer dollars (intended for public schools) to private schools via a voucher program.
Read MoreSBOE: Bluebonnet Learning/OER Vote Happening Next Week
The State Board of Education (SBOE) will hear testimony on Bluebonnet Learning materials and vote on the proposed curriculum this week.
Read MoreNov. 8, 2024: What we have is each other
Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 Progress is never a straight line, and our fight for thriving public schools is the work of lifetimes. But we’ve been it here in Texas for the past 50 years, and we’ll be in for the next 50 too. What we have is each other Over...
Read MoreA Note from Texas AFT Leaders on This Election
Voters have spoken; though, 7 million registered voters in Texas sat out this election. As leaders of your union, we are deeply concerned with the direction our state will now take, specifically as it relates to public education, but we respect the will of the people who showed up and...
Read MoreSBOE preview: Anticipated Instructional Materials Adoption
Normally, we would wait until the Friday before the meeting to preview the upcoming State Board of Education (SBOE) meeting on Nov. 18-22. But we wanted to alert Hotline readers to some recent news and an opportunity for action.
Read MoreLege Preview: Nov. 11 Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education
On Monday, Nov. 11, the Texas Senate Higher Education Subcommittee will hold a public hearing focusing on the future of faculty senates and so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and certificates in higher education. This hearing comes at a pivotal moment as lawmakers prepare for the 89th legislative session...
Read MoreElection 2024: How School Funding, Pay Raises Fared in Austin ISD, Spring ISD Votes
Across the state, dozens of school districts held Voter-Approval Tax Rate Elections (VATREs) this week seeking to generate additional local and state revenue to provide educators and school employees with enhanced raises and help meet other pressing needs such as school safety and security. These VATREs are necessary because state...
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