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This Weekend, March to the Polls with Texas AFT Local Unions
Left: San Antonio union members canvass on behalf of Texas AFT COPE-endorsed HD 118 candidate Kristian Carranza. Right: Dallas area union members canvass for Texas AFT COPE-endorsed HD 112 candidate Averie Bishop. Find all endorsements at vote.texasaft.org. In 2023, a bipartisan coalition of state lawmakers rejected private school voucher scams that threatened to divert millions of taxpayer dollars from public...
Read MoreTexas Teachers of Tomorrow, edTPA Headline State Board for Educator Certification’s Final 2022 Meeting
The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) met in Austin on Dec. 9, and the board’s final agenda of the year had a few noteworthy items.
Read MoreIDRA, Lubbock NAACP challenge Racial Discrimination in Slaton ISD, Lubbock-Cooper ISD
This Monday, the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA), the Lubbock NAACP, parents, and students joined together to challenge racial discriminatory practices in Lubbock-Cooper ISD and Slaton ISD.
Read MoreBills to Watch: A Preview of the 88th Legislature
As of today, over 1,300 bills have been filed by Texas legislators for the upcoming session, starting in January. Among them are bills that align with our Respect Agenda and could be hugely important to educators and students:
Read MoreTexas May Revoke Largest Teacher Prep Program’s Accreditation
After a long history of customer complaints, for-profit Texas Teachers of Tomorrow, Texas’ largest teacher preparation program, faces revocation of its accreditation after the program failed to make improvements while on probation after a 2021 audit found the company to be out of compliance in key state standards including admission,...
Read MoreTRS Board of Trustees Convenes for Quarterly Meeting
This Thursday and Friday, the TRS Board of Trustees convened for its quarterly meeting at its headquarters in Austin. Texas AFT Retiree Plus President Rita Runnels chats with TRS Chairman Jarvis Hollingsworth after the meeting adjourned. Texas AFT Retiree Plus executive members Rita Runnels and Phyllis Ruffin provided public comment...
Read MoreWhat We’re Hearing… A Preview of the 88th Legislature
In the weeks leading up to the legislative session, which starts Jan. 10, Texas AFT staff have been attending a host of education events and panels, which have yielded some interesting insights from legislators in attendance. At an event in November in Lubbock, Rep. Ken King, who serves on the...
Read MoreDec. 2, 2022: Dan Patrick’s Upcoming Priorities; ACLU Sues Two Texas School Districts
Reminder: Take the 2022 Texas AFT Membership Survey by Dec. 9 Last year, our members’ answers in our annual survey helped us change the narrative in Texas and force state leaders to deal with the real issue for our public schools: respect. This year, we need your input as...
Read MoreDec. 9, 2022: 88th Session Preview; Retiree Plus Members Speak at TRS Meeting
State Sen. César Blanco writes a strong defense of public education in The Big Bend Sentinel, rightly pointing out that our rural schools cannot afford to lose any further funding to school voucher schemes. Texas May Revoke Largest Teacher Prep Program’s Accreditation After...
Read MoreLt. Gov. Dan Patrick Releases Legislative Priorities
Ahead of the upcoming legislative session, which begins Jan. 10, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has released his 21 legislative priorities, including a number of items related to K-12 and higher education. While the priorities Patrick listed at his Wednesday press conference are mostly “concepts” at this stage, Texas AFT sees...
Read MoreACLU Calls for Civil Rights Investigations on Frisco ISD and Keller ISD Over Anti-Transgender Policies
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has called for an investigation on Frisco ISD and Keller ISD over newly implemented policies that the ACLU characterizes as discriminatory against transgender students and a violation of their civil rights. Frisco ISD passed...
Read MoreSupreme Court Maintains Pause on Biden Student Debt Relief, Will Hear Arguments Next Year
The legality of President Biden’s plan to wipe out billions of dollars in student debt will be decided by the Supreme Court early next year, according to a recent announcement from the court. On Thursday, the court moved to hear arguments for a lawsuit filed by six Republican-led states alleging...
Read MorePresident Weingarten Responds to Mike Pompeo’s Latest Claim that She Is the ‘Most Dangerous Person in the United States’ (Previously ‘the World’)
Over the Thanksgiving holiday break, you may have heard about former Trump Administration Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referring to AFT President Randi Weingarten as the “most dangerous person in the world,” before adding that what educators do every day...
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