ATPE Press Releases

ATPE Reacts to State of the State Address

Feb. 2, 2025: ATPE agrees raising teacher pay is an emergency item--but rather than denigrating public schools, the governor should focus on serving the more than 5.5 million Texas public school students.

Members of state’s largest educator association offer feedback on Senate’s teacher pay bill

Feb. 20, 2025: Texas classroom educators say SB 26 is maybe sort of a pay raise, but only for some teachers.

State’s largest educator association reacts to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priorities

Jan. 29, 2025: ATPE is dismayed that bills enabling the flow of new funding for Texas public schools--which educate more than 5.5 million students, yet are operating at funding levels set in 2019, before historic inflation--are not on the list of top priority bills.

ATPE Statement on Passage of Raney Amendment to HB 1

Nov. 17, 2023: Thank you to the House members who stood strong with their constituents and withstood political pressure to do what is right by the more than 5.4 million students in Texas public schools.

ATPE Statement on Expanded Special Session Call

Oct. 31, 2023: Nothing has changed on opposition to vouchers in the public education community.

ATPE Statement on HB 1

Oct. 20, 2023: No matter what sweeteners are added, ATPE opposes any bill that includes a voucher.

ATPE Statement on HB 177, the Fully Fund Our Future Act

Oct. 19, 2023: Proposal highlights all we could accomplish by bringing Texas public schools up to the national average in per-pupil funding instead of squandering resources on vouchers.

ATPE Statement on Gov. Greg Abbott’s Special Session Call

Oct. 9, 2023: Call for "education savings accounts for all Texas schoolchildren" would dramatically increase burden on taxpayers and ignores real funding issues in Texas public schools.

ATPE Supports HR 5342: Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act of 2023

Sept. 6, 2023: We urge the entire Texas delegation to sign on as co-sponsors to this bipartisan legislation that replaces the Windfall Elimination Provision in Social Security law.

ATPE Statement on House Select Committee on Educational Opportunity and Enrichment Report

Aug. 14, 2023: Public educators believe a compromise on vouchers would compromise the future of Texas public schools.

ATPE Statement on House Select Committee on Educational Opportunity and Enrichment

June 12, 2023: Largest educator association in Texas reminds House members that tying vouchers to either educator pay or the accountability system has proven to be a nonstarter with the public education community.

State’s largest educator association reacts to TEA’s newly released Teacher Vacancy Task Force report

Feb. 24, 2023: ATPE Executive Director Shannon Holmes offers the following statement in response to the Teacher Vacancy Task Force report released by the Texas Education Agency Feb. 24.

Statement on Legislative Impasse Over Teacher Pay Raise

May 28, 2023: ATPE thanks the legislative champions who stood with public education for their unwavering commitment to Texas public school students and educators.

Statement on Senate Leadership’s Addition of a Voucher to HB 100

May 22, 2023: Largest educator association in Texas condemns squandering of historic opportunity to invest in public education.

Statement on Passage of House Bill (HB) 11

April 26, 2023: Largest educator association in Texas is pleased with amendment to HB 11 that will protect public oversight of certification rule making.

ATPE Statement on House and Senate Votes on Vouchers

April 6, 2023: ATPE thanks legislators in both chambers who courageously stood up for Texas public school students during votes on an anti-voucher budget amendment and SB 8

ATPE Statement on Passage of SB 9

April 6, 2023: Educators are being asked to take trade-offs in exchange for a meager one-time $2,000 stipend for only some teachers

A voucher is bad for public school students

March 21, 2023: A week of pro-voucher public relations does not change the facts.

ATPE applauds filing of House teacher retirement bills

March 9, 2023: Largest educator association in Texas supports House leadership approach to ensuring the financial security of retired educators.

Hundreds of Texas educators to meet with legislative offices Tuesday

Feb. 16, 2023: Largest educator association will visit the Capitol to express opposition to vouchers and advocate for school safety, better pay, retiree benefits, and more.