Featured News
Federal Reshuffle of the U.S. Department of Education: What Happens When Core Functions Are Scattered
When the U.S. Department of Education (ED) quietly signed six interagency agreements on Nov 18, transferring major functions to agencies including the Department of Labor (DOL), the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of State (State), the move didn’t come with a congressional vote. Nor did it come with a stakeholder comment period, public hearings, or...
Read MoreReminder: Election Day Is Tuesday
Tuesday, November 4th, is your last opportunity to vote this election cycle. As always, the ballot is packed with important local and statewide decisions that will directly impact our communities, schools, and future.
Read MoreShutdown Relief: Food Pantries & Resources Available for Those Hurt by SNAP Benefit Loss
As the federal government shutdown drags on, millions of Texans are facing uncertainty over their SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.
Read MoreTexas Faculty Confront a Manufactured Crisis: Lessons from the 2025 Higher Education Summit
Higher education in Texas is under coordinated political attack, and defending our rights, our work, and our students will require collective action like never before.
Read MoreA Tale of Two Districts: Fort Worth, Houston, and the State’s Long Game for Texas Public Schools
Houston Federation of Teachers President Jackie Anderson speaks at a 2024 rally against the Texas Education Agency’s takeover of Houston ISD. When the Texas Education Agency announced its takeover of Fort Worth ISD last week, it marked another flashpoint in a long-brewing conflict over who controls the future of Texas public schools:...
Read More7 Million Americans Rally for Democracy in Latest No Kings Day of Action
Photo courtesy of the Houston Federation of Teachers This past Saturday, Oct. 18, 7 million Americans turned out to more than 2,700 peaceful marches and nonviolent for the second No Kings Day of action. At least one event took place in all 50 states in opposition to democratic backsliding, as...
Read MoreAFT Settles Student Debt Lawsuit: Income-Driven Repayment Processing to Restart
In a major victory for educators and public service workers, AFT has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Education, with the Trump Administration agreeing to resume processing student loan forgiveness under the Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) program. This outcome follows months of legal action and advocacy by AFT, which...
Read MoreTexans Keep Up the Fight Against School Vouchers
Even though Gov. Greg Abbott’s long-sought private school voucher law has been passed and enacted, the fight to support Texas public schools is far from over. Public education advocates across the state are mobilizing for transparency and accountability in what will be one of the largest voucher programs in the...
Read MoreHigher Education News: Texas State Upholds Professor’s Termination, UT Austin Stays Silent on Trump Compact
Students at UT Austin rally together, urging university leaders to reject Trump’s Compact for Higher Education. Photo credit: Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman. At Texas State University in San Marcos, Dr. Thomas Alter’s termination has been upheld after a court‐ordered reinstatement....
Read MoreOct. 24, 2025: Members, give your input
Friday, October 24, 2025 Members, have you shared your thoughts yet? As many of you know, the state of Texas doesn’t gather enough data on our schools, and especially not on the working lives of educators. Each year, Texas AFT takes on this task because we know how vital...
Read MoreTexas Comptroller announces Odyssey will administer state’s voucher program, despite questionable track record
Texas AFT President Zeph Capo speaks out against private school vouchers at our union’s 2023 Public Education Advocacy Day. Photo by Win O’Neal, CCR Studios. This article was originally published by Our Schools Our Democracy, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to...
Read MoreAmid Government Shutdown, Department of Education Layoffs Imperil Special Education Services, Protections
Sheria Smith, the former president of AFGE Local 252 and lawyer in the Office of Civil Rights, speaks at a rally outside Sen. Ted Cruz’s Dallas office as part of Texas AFT’s biennial convention in June 2025. Photo by Brooke...
Read MoreTexas 2025 Constitutional Amendments: What’s on the Ballot and What They Mean
Texans will once again have a chance this fall to shape the state Constitution. On Election Day, Nov. 4, voters will decide on 17 proposed constitutional amendments passed by the Legislature earlier this year. Each proposition requires majority approval to take effect. Early voting starts next week, running from Oct....
Read More