Remember to vote!

Texas’ primary election day is May 29

Every public school employee in the state should take it upon himself to use his vote to support candidates who support public education. In the last legislative session alone, the Legislature cut more than $5.4 billion in education funding, resulting in massive losses in education programs and jobs. Now, with several lawsuits challenging the state’s school finance system in the works, education funding is sure to take center stage when the Legislature reconvenes in 2013. Your vote counts now more than ever. More

Summer advocacy

Now is a great time to explore ATPE’s resources

As you prepare for your summer break, don’t forget that being an advocate for your profession is a year-round job. Read on for ways to stay dialed in this summer. More

Retirement news

The case against converting TRS to a defined contribution plan

Talk of converting the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) pension plan from a defined benefit plan (DBP) to a defined contribution plan (DCP) has been going on for years. Now, the TRS Board of Trustees has been instructed by the Texas Legislature to evaluate the actuarial and fiscal impact of potential changes to the TRS pension plan, including the creation of a hybrid plan that includes DBP and DCP features. More

Be Proud, Texas

A new campaign shows the many successes of Texas public education

Be Proud, Texas is a new campaign aiming to show the general public the positive contributions of Texas public education. The campaign is creating a series of videos that illustrate “the real story” of Texas public school performance. More

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Join ATPE  |  May 2012  |  © 2012 ATPE

Essentials contains legislative advertising contracted for by Doug Rogers, Executive Director, Association of Texas Professional Educators, 305 E. Huntland Dr., Suite 300, Austin, TX 78752-3792, representing ATPE.