The ATPE Governmental Relations team recaps the past week’s education news, legislative and election updates, and regulatory developments. ATPE members: Share your thoughts and ask our lobby team questions in The Rotunda on the ATPE Online Community. 

• Texas voters approve 17 constitutional amendments, including three education-related amendments
• Make plans to attend TribFest, Nov. 13–15 in Austin
• TEA issues updated guidance on AP/IB exam subsidies
• TEA continues steady release of To the Administrator Addressed (TAA) correspondence
• Check out resources for observing Veterans Day with students
• Apply for ATPE state committee service by Nov. 21
• Make the most of ATPE’s member advocacy tools

ELECTION RESULTS: Texas voters approved a slate of 17 amendments to the Texas Constitution Tuesday, including several changes to current tax structures and making investments in water, dementia prevention, and the Texas State Technical College. The two property tax amendments will lower tax bills for many homeowners but will likely increase pressure on the state’s ability to maintain current levels of school funding. A third education-related amendment adds language to the Texas Constitution affirming that parents are the primary decision-makers for their children. ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave recaps the election results in this blog post.

TRIBFEST: ATPE is proud to be a supporting sponsor of the 2025 Texas Tribune Festival this Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Educators will find plenty of exciting opportunities at TribFest—and, thanks to ATPE’s partnership with the Tribune, the ability to earn continuing professional education (CPE) credit at select sessions. The Tribune has curated a list of education-related sessions, many of which are CPE-eligible. Students and educators may purchase TribFest tickets for only $65 using education-affiliated email addresses. ATPE is also participating in the Open Congress portion of TribFest, which is free! No TribFest badge is required; just head to Congress Avenue in Austin on Saturday, Nov. 15, for special programming and activations. Be sure to stop by the ATPE tent to learn more about Judy, our new AI assistant for ATPE and all things #txed. See you at TribFest!

AP/IB GUIDANCE: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has issued updated guidance regarding state subsidies for Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exam fees. The new guidance clarifies eligibility requirements and outlines the process for districts to access funding, ensuring more equitable opportunities for students to participate in these rigorous academic programs. ATPE encourages educators to review the updated guidance and work with their campus testing coordinators to maximize student participation in AP and IB exams. Read more in this blog post from ATPE Lobbyist Heather Sheffield.

TEA: This week and last, Texas Education Agency (TEA) has continued its steady weekly release of To the Administrator Addressed (TAA) correspondence. You can view these and other TAA letters on TEA’s website. 

VETERANS DAY: With Veterans Day on the horizon (Nov. 11), we’re spotlighting meaningful classroom resources and ways to engage students around service, history, and community on atpenews.org. November is also National Veterans & Military Families Month, making it timely for educators to incorporate veterans into lesson plans, invite veteran guest speakers, and facilitate student service projects. Schools serving or employing military-connected families can also explore the Purple Star campus designation for additional supports. ATPE thanks our nation’s veterans for their service and sacrifice.

STATE COMMITTEE SERVICE: ATPE members across Texas are encouraged to apply for winter/spring state committee service by Nov. 21. Open committees include Public Information, Resolutions, ATPE Political Action, Educator of the Year, and Leader of the Year, which offer opportunities to help shape association policy, communications, awards and advocacy efforts. If you’ve ever wanted a larger role in supporting public education and fellow educators, this is a chance to step up. Learn more about how to apply on atpenews.org.

MEMBER ADVOCACY:

 Even when the Legislature’s not in session, we urge you to stay informed and engaged. Here are a few advocacy resources to check out: 

• Advocacy Central: Get in touch with your elected officials about the legislation impacting your profession.
• Judy: Chat with ATPE’s new AI assistant for Texas educators, ready to help you with all things ATPE and all things #txed. 
• ATPE Member Advocate Program (ATPE-MAP): Enroll in ATPE-MAP to earn state-level and local-level advocacy microcredentials, as well as earn continuing professional education (CPE) credit. ATPE-MAP is included in your member benefits, so be sure to check it out today.    
• ATPE Professional Learning (PL) Portal: Three sessions from the 2025 ATPE Summit are available in the ATPE PL Portal: an HB 2 compensation overview, the ATPE lobby team’s advocacy update and the closing keynote by Jonathan Alsheimer. Log in to watch the recordings and earn 1.5 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) credit. (Jonathan Alsheimer’s appearance arranged through Gotham Artists.) 
• The Rotunda: Don’t forget, members, that you can interact with your ATPE lobby team throughout the week when you log in to the ATPE Online Community.