GARLAND EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

AFFILIATED WITH TSTA /NEA

Texas Pulse: Political News of Texas

  • Houston Chronicle (02/11/11) - Democrats to Perry: Let's help the school children of Texas, end stalemate over federal education aid - The political war between Texas Democrats and Gov. Rick Perry heated up again today as the state's entire Democratic congressional delegation sent a letter to the Republican governor asking for a truce to allow the warring factions to work "to constructively help our schools to avoid closures and layoffs." The Democrats said they'd be willing to work with Perry to file the paperwork necessary for Texas to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in federal education aid.


  • Houston Chronicle (02/11/11) - Lawmakers Says Texans Need To Speak Out - A recent exchange between State Rep. Jose Menendez and an unnamed San Antonio educator about the severe budget crisis facing Texas allowed the San Antonio Democrat to give his standard response: Get involved. Contact state leaders and legislators. State photoRep. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio According to Menendez, the educator said it was hogwash to blame a recession on the state's hefty budget problems. Menendez agrees and points to the school property tax cut pushed by Gov. Rick Perry during a 2006 special legislative session that resulted in a revised business tax, along with a $1 per pack increase on cigarettes.


  • San Antonio Express-News (02/11/11) - Lloyd Doggett And Dems Fire Back At Perry Over Ed Funding - An ongoing political tiff involving federal funding for Texas schools saw congressional Democrats fire back Thursday at Gov. Rick Perry and Republican colleagues in the House and Senate. In a letter to the governor, the Texas Democrats accused Perry of trying to use $830 million in federal education funds to replace state funds as Texas grapples with budget deficits. “We continue to seek your cooperation to ensure that new federal aid to education dollars actually aid Texas public schools,” the Democrats said in the letter sent by Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin.


  • Tstaweb.org (10/22/10) - TRS Has Not Been "Cleared" - Judging from a call to the office this morning, there is a misperception among some educators and retirees that Gov. Rick Perry and his appointees on the Teacher Retirement System board have been “cleared” of allegations that the pension fund has been abused to benefit some of the governor’s major political donors.

    It is true that no one has been prosecuted. But the ethical propriety of Perry’s TRS appointees disregarding the advice of investment professionals to direct business to investment firms run by Perry donors hasn’t been thoroughly vetted. And, the extent of the risk to educators’ pensions is still unknown.


  • TSTA.org (10/22/10) - Early Voting Ends Oct. 29 - Go vote and take your friends and family with you. Early voting runs through Oct. 29, and Election Day is Nov. 2. See your latest Advocate for a list of candidates endorsed by TSTA-Political Action Committee.


  • TEA.state.tx.us (10/22/10) - Online Resources For STAAR - The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) will replace the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), beginning with the 2011-12 school year. STAAR includes the 12 end-of-course assessments mandated by SB 1031 in 2007, and the new grade 3-8 assessments mandated by HB 3 in 2009.


  • TSTA.org - Five Things You May Not Know About Bill White
    • TSTA Public Affairs Specialist Clay Robison's interview with White, our endorsed candidate for governor, will run in the fall 2010 Advocate which you should receive the first part of October. In the meantime, you can watch clips from the interview on TSTA's website at www.tsta.org/news/current/billwhite.shtml.


  • NEA.org (08/28/10) - NEA President Is In Texas Today - NEA President Dennis Van Roekel ends his five-day, seven-city media tour today with appearances in San Antonio and Austin. His mission is to raise public awareness about what NEA members are doing to rejuvenate public education. TSTA President Rita Haecker is traveling with him.


  • TSTA.org (08/26/10) - What Qualities Should The New TRS Executive Director Have? - This week, the search committee for a new Teacher Retirement System executive director met with Korn Ferry, the firm that will screen applicants, to discuss the qualities the perfect candidate should possess. Korn Ferry will present a list of candidates to the committee Sept. 2, and interviews begin in October. TRS also asked the Legislative Budget Board for a one-half percent increase in the state contribution each year of the biennium, moving the state contribution to 7.2 percent and 7.7 percent, respectively.


  • Waco Tribune (08/26/10) - Waco ISD Able To Offer Pay And Benefits Increases Thanks To Money From Federal Jobs Bill - "Waco Independent School District employees will see a pay increase this year, thanks largely to money promised to the school district by the federal government. The Waco ISD board of trustees approved a pay plan for 2010-11 at its regular meeting Wednesday that gives teachers, librarians, counselors and other campus professionals an average salary increase of 2.1 percent. It also raises starting teacher pay from $39,250 to $40,000. Paraprofessional and auxiliary employees also will see a pay bump with a midpoint of 2.1 percent."


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