We're gearing up for a big hearing on an anti-educator bill next week at the Texas State Capitol. Here's more news for you to know:

• Senate committee to consider bill stripping teachers' rights

• House committee assignments

• Betsy DeVos takes over at U.S. Department of Education

• Learn more about this session's high-profile voucher bill

 

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The Senate Committee on State Affairs is set to hear Senate Bill 13 on Monday, Feb. 13. The bill by Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston), who also chairs the committee, would ban educators from using payroll deduction for their voluntary association dues, while protecting other public employees' rights to do the same for their association or union membership dues. Both the governor and lieutenant governor have prioritized passing a bill to end payroll deduction for what they misleadingly refer to as a use of "taxpayer resources to collect union dues." ATPE has pointed out that no taxpayer resources are required for the processing of dues deductions. We've also shown that the bills being pushed forward, Huffman's SB 13 and the identical House Bill 510 by Rep. Sarah Davis (R-West University Hills), actually punish many educators who join non-union groups while protecting the right of other public employees to continue to deduct their dues, even for unions. In a press release issued by ATPE this week, Executive Director Gary Godsey highlighted the political motive behind the bills: "If fewer educators are able to join a professional organization, it will be harder for groups like ATPE to fight back when lawmakers try to privatize Texas public schools or cut teachers' pay and benefits.” ATPE is urging educators who are concerned about this attempt to shut down their future advocacy efforts on behalf of the education profession and the students they serve to contact their legislators. Several ATPE members plan to attend Monday's hearing and visit legislative offices that day to share their opposition to SB 13. “The legislators supporting these bills are trying to shut teachers up, and we won’t stand for it," said ATPE's Godsey. "How teachers spend their paycheck should be their decision and theirs alone.”  

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Members of the Texas House of Representatives received their committee assignments this week for the 85th legislative session. Two of the most important committees for education-related concerns - the House Committees on Appropriations and Public Education - have new leaders as a result of the retirement of legislators who chaired those committees before. Read more about which legislators will be playing pivotal roles this session in steering education-related bills through the legislative process.  

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The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos on Tuesday in an unprecedented cabinet confirmation that required Vice President Mike Pence to cast a tie breaking vote. Senators were literally split on her confirmation; two Republican Senators joined all Democrats in opposing her nomination, which resulted in a 50-50 tie. Vice President Pence’s favorable vote sealed her confirmation. ATPE Lobbyist Kate Kuhlmann reports on the vote and shares ATPE’s response here. On the other side of the Capitol that same day, the U.S. House voted to overturn two Obama administration regulations dealing with accountability under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and teacher preparation, respectively. ATPE's Kuhlmann has reported on the release of both regulations (accountability here and teacher preparation here) and mentioned the uncertain future of many recently finalized regulations under the new Congress and Trump administration. These measures must still get through the U.S. Senate before going to President Trump’s desk for a signature, but should they, newly confirmed Secretary DeVos would oversee the implementation of any new regulations  

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Stop us if you've heard this one. Among Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's top three priorities for the 85th legislative session is enacting private school vouchers. His signature voucher legislation for 2017 is Senate Bill 3, being carried by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), who also chairs a Senate Education Committee stacked with voucher proponents. This week, ATPE Lobbyist Monty Exter offers an in-depth look at what's in SB 3, how voucher funds could be used under the Senate's proposal, and the many opportunities for perverse results. Learn more in this blog post.  

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