ACLU Launches Student Rights Hub Amid Rising Discriminatory Policies in Texas Schools
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Topic: Government
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We May Have Setbacks in Texas, But We Can Fight Charter Schools Federally
As the State Board of Education continues to approve new charter schools and the Texas Legislature abdicates its responsibility to fully fund a free public education, national Democrats are taking action to hold charter schools accountable. Last month, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the ranking member on the Education Appropriations Subcommittee, and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, introduced the Championing Honest and Responsible Transparency...
Read MoreAug. 16, 2024: Welcome Back
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House Public Education Committee Hears Interim Charges
Legislative “Interim Charges”: What Are They and Why Do They Matter? The Texas Legislature meets once every two years for 140 days for its regular legislative session, during which the only bill it is required to pass and send to the governor’s desk to be signed into law is the budget for the next biennium. We became all too familiar...
Read MoreInjunction Issued to Halt Controversial A-F labels
This week, as the Texas House Committee on Public Education met to discuss private school vouchers that would syphon tax dollars from our public schools, a Travis County district court issued a temporary injunction to halt the release of the controversial A-F school ratings determined by the governor-appointed commissioner of education. Five public school districts petitioned the court to stop...
Read MoreTEA Rolls Out New School Safety System: Sentinel
On July 25, Governor Greg Abbott announced the launch of a new school safety system called Sentinel. This new platform-- designed to collect, process, store, and distribute school safety and security information-- is housed within the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and is a part of ongoing school safety and security improvement measures. We have written extensively about House Bill 3...
Read MoreThe Flaws in Texas’ English Proficiency Testing Hurt Our Students
English-learning students across Texas have faced an uphill battle with the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS). In 2018, the test was redesigned, and the shift to automated computer scoring has led to a troubling trend — drastically lower scores that don’t seem to reflect students' true abilities, according to a Texas Tribune analysis. For years, TELPAS was a...
Read MoreNEXT WEEK: Texas House Public Education Committee Hearings on Aug. 12-13
Next week, the Texas House Public Education Committee will hold critical hearings on Monday, Aug. 12, and Tuesday, Aug. 13. The committee will discuss key issues shaping public education's future in our state. These hearings provide an opportunity for us to make our voices heard and influence upcoming legislation. What Are Interim Committee Hearings? Interim committee hearings are crucial to...
Read MoreAug. 2, 2024: Back to School. Back to the Legislature
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Urgent Action: Testify or Submit Public Comments to the House Public Education Committee
Interim committee hearings are an essential part of the Texas legislative process between regular legislative sessions. The Texas House Public Education Committee is holding critical hearings on Monday, Aug. 12, and Tuesday, Aug. 13, on issues that are having or will have a profound impact on the future of public education in Texas. These hearings present a unique opportunity for...
Read MoreAFT Convention 2024: Progress Is Possible, Not Guaranteed
Top: AFT convention delegates and guests listen to Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday, July 25. Photo by Marco Guajardo, Texas AFT. Bottom: Scenes from the four days of convention programming at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Photos by Mariana Krueger, CCR Studios. This past week, Texas AFT welcomed the 88th biennial national AFT Convention to Houston....
Read MoreNew Harris for President merch added to Texas AFT store
The AFT recently endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign for president! We’re ready to help elect her, ensuring that public school employees’ voices are heard on the national level and that pro-voucher Republicans are kept out of office. If you’d like to show your support for Harris, you can sport a new Texas AFT Educators for Harris T-shirt or bumper...
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