Featured News
This 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 School Program, the main source of pre-K-12 public education funding,...
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...
Read MoreNo trust, no bond: Houston voters resoundingly reject HISD bond
In many ways, any school bond election is a referendum on trust. Do voters trust district leaders to appropriately use taxpayer dollars, numbering into the millions and billions, to improve the learning conditions of their kids?
Read MoreNov. 1, 2024: We vote for the well-being of our children
Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 Download shareable social media graphics at aftvotes.org. On Nov. 5, we vote for the well-being of our children. If you’re reading this, you know that Election Day is Tuesday. Hopefully, you have made your plan to vote and know the location of your polling place,...
Read MoreRep. Steve Allison Endorses Laurel Jordan Swift: A Commitment to Public Education
In an inspiring move that underscores his dedication to education in Texas, outgoing state Rep. Steve Allison (R-San Antonio) has officially endorsed Laurel Jordan Swift, a Democrat, in her campaign for the Texas House of Representatives. This endorsement is more than just a political gesture; it reflects a shared vision...
Read MoreIn a weekend of early voting action, Texas AFT members March to the Polls
In 2023, a bipartisan coalition of state lawmakers rejected private school voucher scams that threatened to divert millions of taxpayer dollars from public schools to fund unaccountable private education. In the months since, out-of-state mega-donors and education privatizers have invested heavily in Texas elections in a painfully transparent attempt to...
Read MoreLast Day of Early Voting: Final Push Before Election Day
As we enter the final hours of early voting in Texas, more than 7.5 million voters have already cast their ballots, marking another historic election cycle in the Lone Star State. While this represents impressive participation by Texas’s standards, with about 40% of registered voters having made their voices heard,...
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