Celebrating 40 Years of ATPE

On April 1, 1980, two independent educator associations merged to create what would become the state’s largest community of educators, and the rest is history.

It’s been a wonderful 40 years of YOUR ATPE!

In 1980, two fledgling groups dedicated to the advancement of public education and educators in Texas merged to form the Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE).

Thanks to the forward-thinking members from the Association of Texas Educators (ATE) and Texas Professional Educators (TPE), ATPE has been a champion, an ally, and a voice for the past 40 years, and today is the largest education association in Texas.

Between now and April 1, 2021, please join me and your fellow ATPE members in our yearlong celebration of all things ATPE as we reflect on the past 40 years of our existence and look forward to supporting the educators of Texas for another 40 years and beyond.

Sincerely,

Tonja Gray,
2019-20 State President

A Brief History of ATPE

In 1975, the Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA), then the largest educator organization in Texas, united with the National Education Association (NEA), a national teacher union. This move troubled many of its members. Many felt that a labor union model did not properly serve or represent the concerns of a professional community of educators in Texas and feared there could come a time when they would be forced to leave their classrooms and students to participate in a strike or work stoppage.

Disillusioned with the changes they saw coming, many members of TSTA left to join either the Association of Texas Educators (ATE) or Texas Professional Educators (TPE). These organizations were established as an alternative to the unified TSTA/NEA association and shared similar philosophies and inclusive membership criteria, serving teachers, administrators, and support personnel alike.

Both organizations focused on needs and goals common to all professional educators. So, it was no surprise that by 1977 they would find themselves in consolidation talks—only a year after they were chartered.

In 1980, the groups merged to create the Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE)—a larger, more influential professional association that was built upon ATE and TPE’s inclusive, member-first philosophies.

Since 1980, Texas public education, the conversations around it, and the issues it faces have all grown and changed, and ATPE has grown and changed along with them. Today, ATPE represents Texas’ largest community of educators, with approximately 100,000 members statewide.

Every step of the way, ATPE has worked to advocate for educators and deliver affordable, high-quality products and services that give members the peace of mind needed to inspire student success.

From now until April 1, 2021, ATPE will be celebrating its 40-year history, its accomplishments, and you, its members.

Commemorate ATPE40 with Us

On April 1 of this year, ATPE launched atpe.org/40, a new web page dedicated to all things ATPE40.

On atpe.org/40, you’ll find:

An interactive history and timeline of ATPE
A section detailing important content from
ATPE archives
Photos from throughout ATPE’s 40 years
News related to ATPE40 
A form where ATPE members can submit stories or testimonials about ATPE

The page will be updated regularly with new content, submissions from ATPE members, information about events, and more.

ATPE will also share 40th anniversary content on its social media channels using #ATPE40. Be

sure to follow ATPE on Twitter (@OfficialATPE), Facebook (Facebook.com/OfficialATPE), and

Instagram (@OfficialATPE).

Between now and April 1, 2021, tune into ATPE News for special ATPE40 coverage in our upcoming issues!