Pressroom
TSTA’s Officers
Scroll down for TSTA officer bios and photos. For interviews or deadline comments, please contact TSTA Public Affairs Specialist Clay Robison at (512) 535-8994, or clayr@tsta.org.
News Releases:
- TSTA: Trump’s Department of Education firings are an attack on millions of school children (3-12-25)
- TSTA: Trump’s attacks on Department of Education are attacks on students and educators (2-13-25)
- TSTA: Voucher bill will balloon in cost, reduce chances for future teacher pay raises, well‐funded classrooms (2-5-25)
- TSTA: Senate, House budgets spend $1 billion on private schools, fail to meet needs of public school students and educators (1-22-25)
- TSTA: Vouchers are not opportunities for most students; they are about crippling or killing public education (8-12-24)
- Morale among Texas teachers remains low. Survey shows almost two-thirds of TSTA teacher-members were seriously considering quitting as school ended last spring (8-6-24)
- TSTA announces the passing of Richard Kouri (7-1-24)
- Education commissioner asks board to approve lackluster charter applications that will cost school districts additional millions of dollars (6-25-24)
- TSTA: Public education is not Sunday school (6-5-24)
- Texas teachers, on average, now earn a staggering $9,000 less than the national average (4-30-24)
- TSTA/NEA endorse Colin Allred for U.S. Senate (4-15-24)
- TSTA applauds House members who stood up for public schools with anti-voucher vote (11-17-23)
- TSTA: Make no mistake. House Bill 1 is a voucher bill, and we will fight it on the House floor (11-10-23)
- TSTA applauds Texas voters for passing Proposition 9 (11-7-23)
- As long as the governor continues to bully lawmakers to pass vouchers, TSTA will fight back (11-7-23)
- TSTA will not sacrifice the future of public education for taxpayer-funded vouchers (10-31-23)
- Dallas ISD improves employment rights for at-will support workers; needs to do more (10-26-23)
- TSTA opposes House Bill 1 and any other bill that includes taxpayer-funded vouchers (10-20-23)
- TSTA: Gov. Abbott doesn’t listen to educators; he bullies educators, families and legislators for vouchers (10-18-23)
- TSTA: We will do everything we can to kill vouchers (10-5-23)
- TSTA: State leaders must quit changing school accountability rules in the middle of the game and adequately fund our public schools (9-12-23)
- Large Majority of Texas Faculty Express Concern About Higher Education; More than a Quarter Consider Leaving Next Year, Survey Finds (9-7-23)
- TSTA and TSTA-Retired endorse Proposition 9 to provide much-needed financial relief to retired school employees (9-7-23)
- HEA: Open classroom doors are unsafe and have nothing to do with improving student outcomes (8-28-23)
- TSTA: Legislature must invest more in public schools and teachers, say no to vouchers (8-22-23)
- TSTA: $18 billion for tax relief, but not an additional penny for public education (7-10-23)
- HEA: HISD teachers are ready to work with Supt. Miles, but more state funding is essential (6-5-23)
- TSTA applauds death of voucher bill, remains angry at state leaders who put vouchers over funding for public schools, teachers and students (5-28-23)
- New public education budget is shameful (5-25-23)
- TFA: House version is better, but tenure bill is unnecessary and a threat to higher education (5-24-23)
- Senate’s latest voucher ploy is effort to enrich private schools, under-fund public schools and deceive teachers (5-22-23)
- TSTA: Vouchers will cost educators’ jobs, shortchange most students and threaten the survival of some school districts (5-15-23)
- Teacher pay in Texas trails national average by $7,700; average ADA near bottom nationally (4-24-23)
- TSTA applauds House for approving anti-voucher amendment; calls Senate Bill 8 an assault on public education (4-6-23)
- TSTA: Voters support teacher raises (4-4-23)
- TSTA: Senate voucher bill creates a private-school entitlement program for the wealthy; will soon cost taxpayers and public schools $1 billion a year (3-28-23)
- TSTA applauds Democrats’ proposed investments in public education (3-5-23)
- TSTA: State takeover is an injustice to HISD students and educators (3-5-23)
- TSTA: Public schools are about duty; vouchers are about politics and shortsightedness (2-16-23)
- TSTA: Retired educators need a cost-of-living adjustment, and teachers need a significant pay raise (12-1-22)
- TFA, TSTA welcome reinstatement of fired Collin College faculty member (11-3-22)
- TSTA: Less than one-third of 1 percent of Texas teachers earn six-figure salaries (10-12-22)
- TSTA: Extremist attack on history curriculum is an attack on teachers and may worsen educator shortage (8-31-22)
- TSTA survey indicates a record 70 percent of teachers on the verge of quitting as teacher morale sinks; political attacks, pandemic, years of state neglect to blame (8-8-22)
- Houston Education Association urges HISD to keep paid COVID leave for employees (7-18-22)
- TSTA: House report on Uvalde shooting highlights many issues, but gun reform still essential to school safety (7-18-22)
- TSTA: Gun reform bill in Washington is a small step toward public safety; inaction in Austin is appalling (6-22-22)
- TSTA: We don’t need more committees on school safety. The Uvalde victims’ families and all Texans need more gun reform (6-1-22)
- TSTA and NEA devastated by loss of lives in the Uvalde school shooting; demand policymakers address gun violence (5-24-22)
- TFA: Faculty group calls for A&M and other universities to protect and expand tenure for librarians to protect against political demands for book censorship (5-23-22)
- Average teacher salary in Texas trails national average by more than $7,000; most experienced teachers are even farther behind (4-26-22)
- Killeen Educators Association seeks pay raises for all Killeen ISD employees (4-8-22)
- TSTA: Task force must propose higher teacher pay (3-10-22)
- Texas State Teachers Association and National Education Association Presidents jointly respond to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s attack on transgender students (2-25-22)
- TFA: We deplore Patrick’s attacks on academic freedom (2-18-22)
- TFA: When will Collin College quit attacking the First Amendment? (2-8-22)
- North East educators want careful review of challenged books, not censorship (12-8-21)
- TSTA: Rep. Krause’s letter smacks of a witch hunt (10-26-21)
- NEA and TSTA respond to Texas school district official advising educators to offer books with an “opposing” perspective when discussing the Holocaust in public schools (10-15-21)
- TSTA statement on Timberview school shooting (10-6-21)
- TSTA supports federal investigation of Texas mask policy (9-22-21)
- TSTA applauds Dallas ISD for defying governor and requiring masks in schools (8-9-21)
- TSTA calls on Abbott to allow school districts to require masks when students go back to school (7-27-21)
- Texas Supreme Court orders commissioner to hear NEA-Dallas’ grievance over Dallas ISD teacher appraisal system (6-15-21)
- TFA: Faculty group urges governor to allow higher ed to continue mask requirements (5-18-21)
- TSTA: Abbott’s ban on masks in schools premature (5-18-21)
- TSTA, faculty group urge conferees to use higher revenue estimate to budget $1.2B more for higher education and free up another $6.7B in federal funds for K-12 (5-10-21)
- Voting suppression bill is a shameful, desperate attempt at political survival (5-5-21)
- Teacher Appreciation Week (May 2-8) is extra special this year; tell educators they are extra special too (5-3-21)
- TSTA members’ efforts to get federal stimulus funds to districts starting to pay off for school children (4-28-21)
- Texas Faculty Association urges budget conferees to add another $1.2 billion for higher education to final appropriations bill (4-26-21)
- Texas falls farther behind most states in two key indicators of education funding (4-26-21)
- TSTA applauds House anti-voucher vote and amendment requiring Legislature to spend federal stimulus funds to increase school budgets, not replace state funding (4-23-21)
- TSTA: Educators are angry at the Senate’s failure to appropriate federal education stimulus money; school kids need the extra resources (4-6-21)
- TSTA: Another reason STAAR testing during a pandemic is absurd (4-6-21)
- TSTA suspects legislative scheme to ignore federal directives for stimulus funds, including much‐needed education money (3-31-21)
- TSTA calls for Abbott to restore mask mandate for all schools, following change in CDC social distancing guidelines (3-19-21)
- TSTA poll: Legislature should use federal stimulus money to increase public education budget, not replace state funding (3-15-21)
- Hold-harmless decision on school funding may have a catch (3-4-21)
- TSTA: President Biden acted, while Governor Abbott failed educators on COVID vaccines (3-3-21)
- Faculty group urges governor to keep mask mandate in place for university campuses (3-3-21)
- TSTA: Don’t let your guard down, governor. Educators and voters still want safe schools and vaccine priority for school employees (3-2-21)
- TSTA: Poll shows overwhelming support among Texas voters for teacher priority for COVID vaccine
- TSTA: House Bill 3 didn’t solve the school funding and educator pay problem; more school funding is urgent (2-1-21)
- Texas Faculty Association outraged over Collin College firings; exploring legal options (2-1-21)
- TSTA: Until educators are vaccinated, Gov. Abbott must allow districts to end in-person instruction without losing state funding (1-11-2021)
- TSTA: Legislature must provide virtual testimony option (1-11-21)
- TSTA urges Gov. Abbott to allow schools to end in-person instruction until every educator who wants a COVID-19 vaccine can get one (12-22-2020)
- TSTA: Cancel STAAR. Don’t use it to add more stress for children and educators (12-10-20)
- TSTA: Ordering students to campuses for end-of-course exams is dangerous during a pandemic (12-4-20)
- TSTA calls on Gov. Abbott to stop bullying and keep schools fully funded and safe (12-2-20)
- TSTA applauds legislators seeking STAAR cancellation (11-18-20)
- TSTA agrees with physicians: Virtual learning must remain an option (11-12-20)
- TSTA: Even with raises, teacher pay in Texas still falls short (10-29-20)
- Educators file grievance over North East ISD reopening (10-27-20)
Exhibit A–Employee Complaint Form
Exhibit A Attachment - TSTA: With IDEA charter expansion, commissioner expands raid on taxpayers (9-30-20)
- TSTA: State must fix the school COVID tracker and provide infection data for every district and campus (9-30-20)
- TSTA: Extend virtual learning option statewide (9-24-20)
- TSTA sues San Antonio ISD, education commissioner over Democracy Prep charter takeover (9-16-20)
—22sa (petition to district court) - TSTA files grievance over unsafe COVID-19 policies, practices in Killeen ISD
- TSTA members report hundreds of violations of COVID safety guidelines in schools (9-14-20)
- TSTA: State education board charter decision inflicts more damage on public schools (9-11-20)
- TSTA: Governor overemphasizes size of likely pay raises under new selective teacher program (9-8-20)
- The digital divide in Texas is wide but can be corrected, TSTA study confirms (8-21-20)
Closing the digital divide brief
Closing the digital divide compilation - New Trump COVID guidelines for teachers are dangerous (8-20-20)
- Commissioner is wrong to approve new charters during unprecedented financial emergency for public schools (8-19-20)
- TSTA: Ysleta school nurse from El Paso will address Democratic National Convention (8-17-20)
- TSTA: Governor, you are responsible (8-4-20)
- TSTA: State must prohibit school openings before Sept. 8 (7-31-20)
- TSTA: We trust health experts, not the attorney general when children’s lives are at stake (7-28-20)
- TSTA: Governor must suspend STAAR-related accountability, teacher evaluation (7-27-20)
- TSTA sues education commissioner over charter rules that illegally remove teacher certification, contractual requirements (7-22-20)
Original petition
Exhibit 1
Exhibit 2 - TSTA: Schools must reopen when it is safe, not to meet a state deadline (7-17-20)
- TSTA: Governor must act to protect students and educators (7-15-20)
- Molina, Estrada take office as TSTA’s new top leaders (7-15-20)
- Demand to start the school year with remote learning expands among San Antonio-area educators (7-14-20)
- Pflugerville, Del Valle teachers demand remote learning for start of school year (7-13-20)
- Pediatricians, Educators and Superintendents urge a safe return to school this fall (7-10-20)
- TSTA: Slow down and put safety first in school reopenings (7-7-20)
- Oped: High-stakes testing now? Cut STAAR, spend on extra costs of education during the pandemic (7-7-20)
- TSTA: Let’s continue the time out on STAAR testing (6-30-20)
- New study: Despite increases in school funding, Texas still trails many states in teacher pay, per-student spending (6-26-20)
- TSTA: State needs to order mask use on school campuses (6-23-20)
- TSTA: Governor in too big a hurry to reopen schools while pandemic is still raging (6-18-20)
- TSTA applauds Supreme Court’s DACA decision as “huge blow” for democracy, humanity and decency (6-18-20)
- TSTA wins court victory protecting teachers’ rights in charter takeovers (6-13-20)
- We need to make a greater effort to educate children against racism (6-3-20)
- TSTA: June 1 too early to reopen schools; demands enforcement of strict safety requirements (5-20-20)
- TSTA applauds Gov. Abbott for keeping all school buildings closed during health emergency (4-17-20)
- TSTA demands the governor shut down schools for the year, take other steps to protect Texans’ health (4-1-20)
- TSTA says school closures necessary, urges districts to pay support staff (3-19-20)
- TSTA urges state to cancel STAAR testing this year (3-16-20)
- Texas State Teachers Association and NEA recommend Joe Biden for president (3-15-20)
- TSTA: Support staffers need to be paid while schools are closed during the coronavirus outbreak (3-13-20)
- TSTA supports Ruben Cortez for Senate; deplores misleading mailer for Lucio campaign (2-27-20)
- TSTA statement on President Trump’s voucher plan (2-5-20)
- TSTA sues Longview ISD for exceeding charter enrollment limit (1-30-20)
–Petition for review
–Exhibit A
–Exhibit B - TSTA endorses Ruben Cortez for the Texas Senate, District 27 (1-29-20)
- Dallas ISD teachers appeal pay cuts under district’s appraisal system (1-16-20)
-Petition for review - TSTA opposes relaxation of charter expansion rules (1-13-20)
–Charter rules letter from education groups - TSTA: Proposition 4 repeals dedicated education funding; vote against it (10-14-19)
- Port Arthur school bus driver added to National Memorial to Fallen Educators (6-20-19)
- Texas per-student funding dropped during the current school year (4-29-19)
- Del Valle school board to vote on pay raises for all employees (4-15-19)
- TSTA poll: Most Texas voters want an across-the-board teacher pay raise (3-21-19)
- Texas teacher pay slipping farther behind; even worse for support staff (3-14-19)
- Thousands of teachers and public education supporters rally at Capitol as Red-for-Ed movement comes to Texas (3-11-19)
- Thousands of teachers, school employees expected for Capitol rally (3-6-19)
- TSTA on House Bill 3 (3-5-19)
- TSTA: All school employees have earned a pay raise (3-4-19)
- SAISD school board illegally denies teachers a public hearing over Democracy Prep grievance (3-1-19)
- TSTA: House Democratic Caucus addresses important educational priorities (2-21-19)
- TSTA: School finance reform must include additional state funding (1-15-19)
- Former TEA Associate Commissioner joining TSTA legislative team (12-18-18)
- Teachers unions sue Education Commissioner Mike Morath for making an unlawful power grab to promote charter school expansion in our public school districts (8-30-18)
- TSTA: Letter grades are a way to blame children and educators for the failure of state leaders 8-15-18
- TSTA: School safety recommendations require more state funding (8-6-18)
- TSTA: Teachers taking extra jobs and subsidizing under‐funded education budget (8-6-18)
- TSTA asks Abbott, Morath to begin planning education services for immigrant children (6-19-18)
- San Antonio Alliance statement on judge’s ruling in SAISD, Democracy Prep case (6-4-18)
- Texas State Teachers Association President Noel Candelaria responds to Abbott’s school safety plan (5-30-18)
- Santa Fe Response (5-18-18)
- Teachers sue San Antonio ISD to block Democracy Prep charter contract (5-4-18)
- TSTA: New survey shows how deeply Texas shortchanges students, educators (4-23-18)
- TSTA: Voters demand more state funding for schools (3-19-2018)
- TSTA files grievance against SAISD over Stewart charter (3-7-18)
- SAISD education leader questions lack of transparency in charter school selection (2-12-18)
- Educators endorse Sylvia Garcia for Congress (2-12-18)
- Educators endorse Beto O’Rourke for the US Senate (2-8-18)
- School Finance: Another Chance to Meet the Challenge (2-2-18)
- TSTA: Show us the money (1-16-18)
- TSTA: Congress must act now to protect the Dreamers (12-14-17)
- Movie looks at the price that privatization poses for El Paso schools, students (12-7-17)
- TSTA applauds Straus for ordering study of Harvey impact on public education (9-14-17)
- Texas State Teachers Association President Noel Candelaria issued the following statement at the rally in support of DACA (9-5-17)
- TSTA urges Congress to reauthorize DACA; ending the program would be cruel and short-sighted (9-5-17)
- TSTA joins the National Education Association to establish Harvey relief fund for members (8-30-17)
- Abbott’s, Patrick’s most harmful missed opportunity (8-16-17)
- TSTA on School Finance: It’s time for a start, not a study (8-3-17)
- TSTA president’s remarks for Texans for Public Education rally (7-17-17)
- TSTA on Patrick “plan” (7-13-17)
- TSTA: Senate puts narrow ideology over best interests of school children (5-22-17)
- TSTA: Per-student spending drops in Texas; Rainy Day Fund would help (5-10-17)
- TSTA: Education commissioner drops test scores as requirement for teacher evaluations (5-3-17)
- TSTA: Phasing out franchise tax could undermine school funding in the future (4-27-17)
- TSTA: House members represented constituents on anti-voucher amendment (4-6-17)
- TSTA: Voucher bill is as shameful as the Senate budget (3-30-17)
- TSTA: Senate Bill 13 is a selective attack on educators and other public servants (3-31-17)
- TSTA: Dan Patrick’s Senate budget is a slap in the face of 5.3 million Texas school children (3-28-17)
- TSTA bipartisan poll: spend Rainy Day money on schools; stop ESAs; and reduce impact of high stakes testing on A-F school grading system (3-23-17)
- TSTA: ESAs are entitlements without accountability; may be worst voucher idea yet (3-21-17)
- TSTA: Trump’s proposed education cuts are shameful; Texas children could lose $328 million (3-17-17)
- TSTA urges House to reject “bathroom bill” (3-15-17)
- Ysleta educators, students and the Cat in the Hat to celebrate Read Across America (3-2-17)
- San Antonio educators, students and the Cat in the Hat to celebrate Read Across America (3-1-17)
- Lily Eskelsen García: Children are fearful to go to school as a result of immigration raids (2-10-17)
- TSTA: With DeVos confirmation, real fight for public schools just beginning (2-7-17)
- TSTA: Vouchers are an attack on public education, not a parental “choice” (1-20-17)
- TSTA: Senate budget is shameful; school kids need help now (1-24-17)
- Post Election Statement by TSTA President Noel Candelaria (11-9-16)
- TSTA: School “choice” is about vouchers and under-funding public education (10-17-16)
- TSTA: 49,000 Texas teachers could lose jobs under Trump plan (9-21-16)
- TSTA opposes vouchers, other schemes that steal from public schools (9-14-16)
- TSTA urges state board to reject inaccurate, harmful textbook (9-13-16)
- TSTA: One-third of teachers moonlight to support families (8-25-16)
- TSTA: Legislature must give educators relief from rising health insurance costs (6-16-16)
- TSTA: Supreme Court ruling wrong for our kids (5-13-16)
- TSTA: New figures show Texas falling farther behind in commitment to education (5-6-16)
- Districts of Innovation must justify their waivers from state educational standards (4-25-16)
- TSTA sues education commissioner over teacher evaluations (4-20-16)
- TSTA: Teacher evaluations should encourage professional development, not punish educators (1-11-15)
- TSTA: Mike Morath should be replaced with a teacher on new study commission (12-15-14)
- Students and educators freed from the chains of NCLB (12-9-15)
- TSTA urges TRS to ask Legislature to double state contribution to educator health care (10-22-15)
- TSTA president, other educators will discuss crisis in teacher health care (10-21-15)
- TSTA comment Michael Williams’ resignation (10-15-15)
- TSTA: While state leaders talk about fixing school finance, Texas students pay the price (9-1-15)
- TSTA: New budget improves education funding, but not enough (5-29-15)
- TSTA launches statewide, “Invest, not Test” media campaign (5-4-15)
- TSTA supports teacher pay raise proposal (4-30-15)
- TSTA member chosen as National Teacher of the Year (4-27-15)
- TSTA: Vouchers harm public school students (4-20-15)
- TSTA School Bell Award winners (4-11-15)
- TSTA: Fund public schools; don’t waste tax dollars on vouchers (3-26-15)
- TSTA opposes virtual school vouchers, privatization (3-12-14)
- TSTA: Senate education plan misses the mark (3-3-15)
- TSTA endorses community schools (2-25-2015)
- TSTA’s response to the state of the state (2-17-15}
- BTA: Beaumont Teachers Association, Educators and Community Rally to Maintain Multi‐Year Contracts for BISD Contract Employees (1-22-15)
- TSTA: Van de Putte advocates for schools; Patrick poses a disaster (9-29-14)
- TSTA: Abbott wrong to appeal school finance decision (9-26-14)
- TSTA: Greg Abbott lied about school finance appeal (9-22-14)
- TSTA: Wendy Davis the clear winner for public education (9-19-14)
- TSTA endorses Houston, Collier for attorney general, comptroller (8-17-14)
- TSTA: TEA budget is inadequate (8-9-14)
- TSTA: Get to work on a school finance solution now (8-28-14)
- TSTA: Charter operators seek end run around charter law (7-25-14)
- New TSTA president, vice president take office (7-15-14)
- TSTA: Legislature must increase state contribution to teacher health care (7-10-14)
- TSTA: Abbott playing politics with school finance (6-24-14)
- TSTA urges halt to increases in educator health insurance premiums, seeks legislative funding (6-5-14)
- Beaumont teachers ask state education commissioner to block layoffs (6-3-14)
- TSTA: Clear contrast on education in governor and lieutenant governor races (5-28-14)
- TSTA applauds Davis debate proposal, focus on education (5-21-14)
- TSTA applauds Davis plan to reduce standardized testing (4-30-14)
- TSTA: Abbott continues to tinker while education needs grow (4-23-14)
- TSTA: Pre-kindergarten works for children; Abbott doesn’t (4-1-14)
- TSTA: Abbott hypocritical on early childhood education (3-31-14)
- TSTA: Texas women deserve equal pay and a governor who will advocate for it (3-10-14)
- Faculty group sues over Brownsville job losses (2-20-14)
- TSTA Urges TRS Board to Hold the Line on Teacher Health Care Premiums, Support Legislative Action (2-12-14)
- TSTA Applauds Davis Plan (2-12-14)
- TSTA Endorses Wendy Davis, the Education Candidate for Governor (1-23-14)
- TSTA: Dewhurst out of touch with teachers (1-16-14)
- TSTA applauds Davis’ teacher proposals (1-9-14)
- Remarks by TSTA President Rita Haecker at the Texas Hold ‘Em Accountable Rally (12-6-13)
- “Abbott Budget Plan” another Slap at Texas School Children (10-29-13)
- More teachers forced to moonlight (10-7-13)
- Ysleta teacher featured in TV spot (4-19-13)
- Laredo teacher featured in TV spot (4-19-13)
- TSTA: Most voters want to use Rainy Day money to restore school funding (4-11-13)
- TSTA reaction to revenue estimate 2013 (1-7-13)
- TSTA: Public schools need real solutions, not political sideshows (10/4/12)
- Jefferson County Educators Back Lampson (9/10/12)
- Texas State Teachers Association endorses Joe Moody (9/5/12)
- TSTA: The governor, not the commissioner, is the problem for Texas schools
- TSTA: Students can’t do more with less (6/27/12)
- Candidate promotes anti-school lawsuit (5/17/12)
- San Antonio legislators, educators to demand relief from school cuts (3/21/12)
- Stop the cuts (2/1/12)
- TSTA: Close corporate tax loopholes
- TSTA: Perry starving public education
- TSTA: Worst public education budget it at least 27 years
- TSTA: Senate budget also fails education
- TSTA demands Legislature find new tax revenue for education
- TSTA House budget a “slap” at Texas children
- House Appropriations approves devastating budget
- TSTA: No leadership from Perry
- House budget guts public schools, sacrifices future
- House budget could cost 100,000 education jobs
About TSTA/NEA:
High Res Photos and Graphics
Advertise in the TSTA Magazine
