The ATPE Governmental Relations team recaps the past week’s education news, legislative and election updates, and regulatory developments. ATPE members: Share your thoughts and ask our lobby team questions in The Rotunda on the ATPE Online Community. 

• Happy 250th birthday to the United States of America!
• SBOE approves controversial Social Studies TEKS, literary works list at June meeting
• ATPE voices shape discussion at Texas Tribune’s “What Makes a Great School?” Symposium
• ATPE sends letter to OMB on K-12 federal grants
• Use your teacher voice with ATPE’s advocacy tools

AMERICA 250: This edition of Teach the Vote’s Week in Review comes to you a day early due to the Fourth of July. ATPE wishes you and your family and friends a safe and happy celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday! Enjoy this milestone Independence Day!

SBOE: During its June 22–26 meeting, the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) voted 9-5 in favor of adopting a controversial revision to K–8 Social Studies TEKS that is expected to roll out beginning with elementary grades during the 2030-31 school year and expand to additional grade levels over the following few years. The board also voted 9-5 to approve a statewide literary works list that will go into effect in the 2030-31 school year. The list is a requirement of House Bill (HB) 1605 from the 2023 legislative session. This item has prompted significant testimony and discussion over several meetings related to literary quality, grade-level appropriateness, teacher flexibility, and the inclusion of religious texts. ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave as a full report in this blog post.

TRIB SYMPOSIUM: Texas educators gathered at the Holdsworth Center in Austin and online Wednesday for The Texas Tribune’s “What Makes a Great School?” symposium, a daylong conversation focused on the realities facing public schools and the policies shaping classrooms across Texas. ATPE sponsored the event, and ATPE members can be proud of the strong ATPE voices represented throughout the day’s programming, bringing invaluable classroom perspectives and policy expertise to the discussion. Learn more in this blog post from ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave.

OMB: ATPE sent comments in the form of a letter to the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) this week detailing the association’s concerns with a controversial new rule that would impact virtually all federal grants, including those affecting K-12 education. Any members who wish to send in their own comments can do so prior to July 13 using the OMB comment portal.

MEMBER ADVOCACY:

Even when the Legislature’s not in session, we urge you to stay informed and engaged. Here are a few advocacy resources to check out: 

• ATPE Mobile App: Check out the new ATPE mobile app to conveniently access member benefits and advocacy tools.
• Advocacy Central: Get in touch with your elected officials about the legislation impacting your profession.  
• Judy: Chat with ATPE’s AI assistant for Texas educators, ready to help you with all things ATPE and all things #txed. 
• ATPE Member Advocate Program (ATPE-MAP): Enroll in ATPE-MAP to earn state-level and local-level advocacy microcredentials, as well as earn continuing professional education (CPE) credit. ATPE-MAP is included in your member benefits, so be sure to check it out today.    
• The Rotunda: Don’t forget, members, that you can interact with your ATPE lobby team throughout the week when you log in to the ATPE Online Community.