Teach the Vote's Week in Review: Dec. 17, 2021

Educator Preparation | Certification Retirement | TRS | Social Security Texas Legislature Congress | Federal COVID-19 Elections Curriculum | Instruction
Date Posted: 12/17/2021
Happy holidays! The ATPE Governmental Relations team recaps this week’s education news, legislative updates, and regulatory developments. The ATPE state office will be closed from Dec. 20-31, 2021.
- Filing period closes for candidates in March primaries
- ATPE urges Williamson County not to withhold CARES funding from schools
- SBEC adopts ATPE-backed rule changes for contract abandonment
- ATPE’s federal lobbyist shares updates from Washington
ELECTIONS: The deadline for candidates to file for a place on a primary election ballot in Texas was Monday, Dec. 13. It may still take some time to develop a full picture of who is running, as counties and state party chairs have until Dec. 21 to report their filing data. Here are some important dates for the 2022 primary election:
- Jan. 1, 2022 – First day to apply for a ballot by mail
- Jan. 31 – Last day to register to vote
- Feb. 14 – First day of early voting ♥
- Feb. 18 – Last day an application for a ballot by mail can be received
- Feb. 25 – Last day of early voting
- March 1 – Primary Election Day
Texas races are often decided by the outcomes of the primary elections, and redistricting has made many Texas seats even less competitive, making it all the more important that you vote in March. Stay tuned to Teach the Vote in January when ATPE will be posting our profiles of all the candidates for Texas House and Senate, State Board of Education (SBOE), and select statewide offices, including responses to the ATPE Candidate Survey.
CARES: Williamson County officials have decided to send some of that county’s unspent funds from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to local school districts, However, the county commissioners said this week they are waiting to distribute any money to Leander ISD and Round Rock ISD while they address concerns over whether the districts are teaching critical race theory or housing “X-rated” books.


Related: The third episode of The ATPE Podcast features a discussion with ATPE Managing Attorney Paul Tapp on “The Great (Teacher) Resignation.” Listen here to learn about the ins and outs of resigning.


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