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Texas AFT 2025 Biennial Convention: All in for Public Schools
The Texas AFT 2025 Biennial Convention in Dallas brought members, delegates, and staff together for a weekend of action, awards, learning, and fun! The festivities kicked off with a march to Senator Ted Cruz’s downtown office to oppose his federal voucher legislation. You can view the rally here, including the moment when our two selected delegates were denied entry into...
Read MoreIn Washington, Texas’ Cornyn Introduces Bill to Address School Bus Driver Shortage
In surprisingly good news, Sen. John Cornyn, along with Sens. Tammy Baldwin, Marsha Blackburn, and Mark Kelly, introduced a bill last Thursday that would address the nationwide school bus driver shortage. The Driving Forward Act (S.1284) would continue a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) testing requirement exemption for new school bus...
Read MoreCourt Greenlights Release of Delayed A-F Ratings — But the Fight Isn’t Over
After months of legal back-and-forth, the Texas Education Agency has announced it will release the long-delayed A-F accountability ratings for the 2022-23 school year. This follows an April 3 ruling from the Texas 15th Court of Appeals, overturning a previous injunction that had blocked the release of the ratings. The...
Read MoreApril 4, 2025: We’ve got eyes, governor.
Friday, April 4, 2025 We’ve got eyes, governor. Last week, the Texas Tribune published a school finance explainer that puts to rest false claims from Gov. Greg Abbott and his pro-voucher ilk that Texas education funding is at an all-time high. The analysis concludes that the $15,000 per student figure...
Read MoreTexas School Board Elections: Union Endorsements Aim to Reshape Educational Leadership
As Texas approaches the important May 3 school board elections, educator unions are actively endorsing candidates who align with their vision for public education. Notably, the Northside American Federation of Teachers (Northside AFT) and Socorro AFT are at the forefront of these efforts, advocating for leadership that prioritizes the needs...
Read MoreThis Week in Higher Ed: Why is the Legislature Coming for Accreditation?
This week, House Bill 1705 and its companion Senate Bill 757 were heard in both the House Higher Education Committee and the Senate Education K-16 Committee. These bills change higher education accrediting standards, removing the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) as the statutorily mandated agency in the education...
Read MoreThis Week in the Legislature: Budgets on the Move, Alongside Gov. Abbott’s Voucher Scam
Texas Budget Update: Public & Higher Education in Focus This week, both chambers of the Texas Legislature advanced major budget proposals, with public and higher education taking center stage. The Texas Senate unanimously passed a $336 billion budget for the 2026–27 biennium. The proposal includes $71 billion for the Foundation...
Read MoreTexas AFT Retiree Plus Recommends Dr. Marty Lenard for TRS Board
The upcoming Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) Board of Trustees election is critical for educators, as it can directly impact retirement benefits and the push for an automatic cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) tied to inflation. After careful review, Texas AFT Retiree Plus members recommend Dr. Marty Lenard, a long-time educator...
Read MoreMarch 28, 2025: Voucher Math 101
Friday, March 28, 2025 Voucher Math 101 On Tuesday, while Gov. Greg Abbott (bafflingly) hosted Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to promote his private school voucher scheme, fifth-grade math teacher Tay Carriker-Cavin, an Education Austin member, delivered a tough lesson in "Voucher Math" just feet away from their press conference. Armed...
Read MoreAFT Takes Legal Action to Defend Public, Higher Education
AFT members, parents, and students gather outside the Department of Education on March 14 to protest the Trump Administration’s move to gut the department and imperil federal funding for our kids and their schools. Last week, we shared news of an expected yet dangerous move from the Trump administration: an...
Read MoreHouse Higher Ed Committee Off to a Good Start
After last week’s Senate Bill 37 chaos in the Senate Education K-16 Committee, it was refreshing to see bills in the House Higher Education Committee that would support our community colleges and universities. House Bill 2110 by Rep. Gary VanDeaver modifies the funding model for community colleges established in...
Read MoreWhy Are Billionaires Still Trying to Buy Our Schools?
Credit: www.littlesis.org Despite Gov. Greg Abbott and billionaire donor Jeff Yass pouring millions into pro-voucher campaigns, the public remains firmly against privatizing our schools. Texas AFT President Zeph Capo brought the receipts this week to a press conference with Local Progress Texas, a coalition of local government officials and community...
Read MoreSubmit Public Comments to the Texas Legislature
A great way to make your voice heard on bills in the state Legislature is to leave a public comment online. These comments, which you can write from your home, are distributed to representatives on House committees and become part of the public record on a bill - so be...
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