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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 MoreWave of Layoffs Hitting Public Schools in State with $32.7 Billion Surplus
A growing number of Texas public schools are confronting a wave of layoffs and budget cuts, highlighting a statewide crisis of chronic underfunding exacerbated by political decisions at the highest levels. Canutillo, Spring Branch, and Fort Worth Independent School Districts (ISDs) are among those facing dire financial constraints, leading to...
Read MoreIndifferent and Irresponsible: the disastrous first 50 days of Texas’ anti DEI law
The core purpose of this law, according to the bill text, is to stop institutions of higher education from “promoting differential treatment of or providing special benefits to individuals on the basis of race, color, or ethnicity,” but the implementation of the bill has revealed its practical, perhaps intentional, effect:...
Read MoreFeb. 16, 2024: Cut to the Bone
Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 Gov. Greg Abbott held yet another of his voucher rallies last week in San Antonio. Our members, active and retired, were there to greet him. Cut to the Bone Fact: Texas has a significant crisis of retaining teachers and qualified school staff. Another fact: Texas...
Read MoreReminder: Early Voting Starts Feb. 20!
It’s that time of year again: early voting season! As we get closer to the primary election date (March 5), it’s hugely important that we make our voices heard in this upcoming primary election. As the war on public education — and public educators — continues, we must elect candidates...
Read MoreVoucher Fact Check: Are Private School Vouchers “Pro-Teacher?”
In the voucher debate, pro-voucher advocates often tout a range of unsubstantiated benefits, claiming everything from improved student standardized test scores to potential savings for the state budget. In a recent statement on X, state Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) celebrated private school vouchers as a boon for teachers, suggesting...
Read MoreCorpus Christi ISD and Bonham ISD Discriminated Against Students of Color and Disabled Students, Complainants Allege
Last week, Texas Appleseed, Disability Rights Texas, National Center for Youth Law, and Texas Civil Rights Project filed complaints that allege that Bonham ISD (BISD) and Corpus Christi ISD (CCISD) are discriminating against students with disabilities. Complainants also allege that...
Read MoreTexas Teachers of Tomorrow? The Saga of an Alternative Certification Group Continues.
Though the company has hired a new CEO and initiated drastic steps toward compliance, Texas Teachers of Tomorrow, the largest educator preparation program (EPP) in the state, still finds itself imperiled in several certification areas and at risk of losing its accreditation status. Once known as A+ Texas Teachers, the...
Read MoreTexas Education Commissioner Visits HISD 1 Year After State Takeover
Houston Federation of Teachers, along with AFT President Randi Weingarten and AFT Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus, march outside Houston ISD administrative offices in October 2023. This past week, Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath made his first on-site visit to Houston Independent School District (HISD) campuses since declaring a...
Read MoreFeb. 9, 2024: The Voucher Bait-and-Switch
Friday, Feb. 9, 2024 It’s fair to wonder why, after the catastrophic defeat after defeat (after defeat after defeat) of his signature policy priority last year, Gov. Greg Abbott is still pursuing a private school voucher program this election year. Texans don’t want it. Legislators in his own party...
Read MoreSBOE Recap: Reading Between the TEA Lines
The regular January meeting of the State Board of Education began Tuesday, Jan. 30, in Austin with new Chair Aaron Kinsey presiding. It was a long four days of rule-making, and our recap highlights a few choice bits of the agenda: Instructional materials review and adoption process overhaul (House Bill...
Read MoreElection 2024: Vetting Candidates Up and Down the Ballot
Last week’s edition of the Hotline included the first round of primary endorsements made by Texas AFT COPE (Committee on Political Education). This list of candidates for the U.S. Congress, the Texas Legislature, and the State Board of Education was carefully vetted and approved by our COPE committee, made up...
Read MoreUnmasking Vouchers: Dark Money in the Texas Primary Elections
Recently in the Hotline, we covered the $6 million donation received by Gov. Greg Abbott from the pro-voucher Pennsylvania billionaire Jeff Yass, highlighting the dark money flowing into the Texas primary elections. This week, we delve into the latest developments in the GOP primaries and their broader implications for our...
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