Texas American Federation of Teachers

04/30/2025 | News release | Archived content

April 25, 2025: It never stops. Neither can we.

Friday, April 25, 2025

It never stops. Neither can we.

This week, President Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders regardingpre-K-12 and higher education. You would be forgiven for not being aware of half of them, as they'vecome in a lightning-fast barrage.

On the more positive side of the ledger, there was the order on workforce developmentdirecting a review of all federal workforce programs to modernize, integrate and realign programs to address critical workforce needs in emerging industries. This aligns with our union's focus on pre-apprenticeship pathways starting in high school in various industries, though it would be more effective if it were being implemented alongside educators.

But then there's the order on artificial intelligence in education, which is a transparent attempt to open up schools to unaccountable tech companies, with wholly inadequate safeguards to protect our kids.

Oh, and the order on school discipline, which seeksto direct this country to ignore a history where Black and brown students were disproportionately suspended or expelled from school rather than providedthe opportunity to thrive.

In a troubling companion to the Texas Senate's attack on higher education accreditation, the Trump Administration is now attemptingto weaken federal accreditation standardsand place even greater power to shape higher education in the hands of partisan politicians.

But times like these are why we fight and stand together - because it can make a difference. Just yesterday, AFT announced a victoryin the courts with a nationwide preliminary injunction against Secretary Linda McMahon's February "Dear Colleague"letter,which tried to stop public schools, colleges, & universitiesfrom teaching honest history or enforcing student civil rights. It'sa win for students, families, andeducators.

In this week's Hotline:

  • Latest news on funding, vouchers, & public education priorities
  • Development in higher education for international & immigrant students & professors
  • TEA's A-F ratings release
  • Troubling student loan updates

- Texas Legislature

Aldine AFTand Texas AAUP-AFT members showing up to testify at committee hearings this past week. Meanwhile, leaders from the Houston Federation of Teachers and McAllen AFTmade office visits to lawmakers, including Rep. Aicha Davisand Rep. Oscar Longoria(pictured above), to urge them to help move forward bills aligned with our Educator's Bill of Rights.

This Week in the Legislature: Inside the Turbulent Fights Over Vouchers, School Finance

Over the past two weeks, the Texas House has witnesseddramatic and defining developments in the fight over school finance and the introduction of private school vouchers. We have a breakdown of where things stand on those fronts, along with your recap of good and bad bills heard and voted on in both the House and Senate education committees.

-Event



Livestream Legislative Update: Public Schools at the Texas Capitol

Livestream Legislative Update: Public Schools at the Texas Capitol
Texas American Federation of Teachers published this content on April 30, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 02, 2025 at 23:21 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at support@pubt.io