Texas AFT Reveals Legislative Priorities to Retain Teachers, Help Students

Austin, Texas – Education policy has been a hot topic of discussion at the Texas Capitol this week.

One of the state’s largest teacher unions, the Texas American Federation of Teachers, has unveiled its legislative priorities, which they say are critical to retaining teachers and ensuring proper student behavior.

Tammy Conrad, board member of Education Round Rock, joins FOX 7 Austin’s John Krinjak for a discussion.

JOHN CRINJACK: Well, Tammy, I also want to mention that you are a summer elementary school teacher in Round Rock. Just from your own experience, what is your biggest concern right now regarding the state of K-12 education here in Texas?

TAMMY CONRAD: Well, I’m very concerned about the retention of teachers or staff, not just teachers. I see people leaving every year. I see people leaving in the middle of the year for various reasons. And the big one is the salary. I just know one woman who left about three weeks ago, a paraprofessional, and she couldn’t afford to live and support her family on the salary she was getting. So she went into the corporate world and makes twice as much money. And that’s great for her. But sorry for our students who lost their teacher and other staff who have to work harder until they hire someone else.

JOHN CRINJACK: So you think you’re talking about salary? This is a big thing. This is the main reason teachers leave.

TAMMY CONRAD: I think it’s a big deal. This is also all that has accumulated since the advent of COVID. I think it’s been three long years. First, teachers had to learn to adapt to online learning and teaching, and then some teachers had to do hybrid teaching with some children in the classroom and with some children virtual. And because of these things, year after year there is extra work.

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JOHN CRINJACK: Therefore, it is clear that many Texas AFT priorities center around this issue. Right. Trying to stop this shortage, stop such a mass exodus of public school teachers in our state. What do you think is the best way to do this? And what do you propose for this session?

TAMMY CONRAD: Well, Texans, they should, with their respect bail. One of the things they’re offering and asking for, and in fact we’re going to demand, is a $10,000 raise for educators and then a 15 percent increase for other staff. This is one way to keep employees if we can pay them more money. But of course we’re also asking the state to increase the base allocation for student funding right now, depending on which poll you’re looking at where the bottom is compared to other states across the country, we’re at about 39- m place per student. compared to other states. And that’s just not right for a great state like Texas that has so much funding available, so much surplus, that we need to fund our public schools accordingly.

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JOHN CRINJACK: The last thing I wanted to ask you, I know that this will not escape the attention of teachers. This is the first legislative session since Uvalde. How important is it for lawmakers to take action on things like mental health and school safety?

TAMMY CONRAD: And this is very important. One of the things that I respect is that we want every campus to have a school nurse and a mental health specialist, and that the number of these specialists on campus depends on the number of students. It just makes sense for our students to be safe and have people to talk to and help them. And, of course, we also provide school security. And it goes back to funding in many ways, if we’re properly funded. Then we can do something to make our schools safer. But of course, we also need to think about changing gun laws so that guns don’t fall into the hands of people who don’t need them.

JOHN CRINJACK: Everything is fine. Tammy Conrad of Education Round Rock. Tami, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your perspective. And thank you for your work as a teacher. We appreciate it.

TAMMY CONRAD: Thank you. I like it. Thank you.