The ATPE Governmental Relations team recaps the past week’s education news, legislative and election updates, and regulatory developments.

• Charles Butt Foundation releases its fifth annual teacher survey
• Texas Senate Finance Committee hears testimony on the ramifications of further property tax cuts
• The Texas Tribune reports nearly 40% of newly hired educators are uncertified
• ATPE launches brand-new atpenews.org website

TEACHER SURVEY: The Charles Butt Foundation released its annual teacher poll this week and revealed that a record-high 78% of Texas educators are seriously considering leaving the profession. Teachers cited funding, working conditions, and life outside the classroom as key problems facing Texas schools.  

Additionally, only 5% of respondents reported they feel valued by their elected officials. As the 89th legislative session approaches, vouchers are poised to overshadow the key issues affecting educators, and the state’s top elected officials have vowed to block public education legislation without a voucher attached.  

ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave delves into the report in this blog post.

SENATE FINANCE: The Texas Senate Finance Committee held an interim hearing Wednesday to “identify the best combination to further increase the amount of homestead exemption and compression to continue cutting Texans' property taxes,” including a discussion about completely eliminating school property taxes. Witnesses discussed the ramifications of further cuts to property taxes, including a steep sales tax hike and the burden such a measure would put on local governments to provide for police/fire departments and infrastructure.  

ATPE Lobbyist Heather Sheffield has more in this blog post. 

UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS: The District of Innovation (DOI) law passed in 2015 created a pathway for Texas public schools to hire more teachers without formal classroom training and was intended to bring in individuals from different paths who could offer hands-on learning to students. In recent years, DOI plans have been used to address critical staff shortages following a wave of veteran educators leaving the profession due to the COVID-19 pandemic and budget shortfalls despite a record surplus.  

According to The Texas Tribune, nearly 40% of newly hired educators across Texas in 2024 were uncertified, compared to only 7.8% in 2015 when the law was passed. The Texas Tribune examines the impact of this law as the state becomes increasingly reliant on uncertified teachers.

ATPE NEWS: We are thrilled to share some exciting news with you! As part of our ongoing commitment to keeping you informed of and engaged with the latest developments in education, we are proud to announce the launch of our brand-new ATPE News website. This new platform marks an evolution from our previous digital magazine format, offering a more dynamic and interactive experience for our members.