The ATPE Governmental Relations team recaps the past week’s education news, legislative and election updates, and regulatory developments. 

• Don’t miss your chance(s) to vote in May
• Follow the ATPE lobbyists on X 
• State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) meets 
• Register for TEA’s April 30 webinar on FAFSA 
• Don’t miss the advocacy update at the ATPE Summit—registration is now open!

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ELECTIONS: Early voting began Monday for the May 4 local election in which many local school board, appraisal district, and bond elections will take place. These local elections will have a tremendous effect on your day-to-day life as an educator, so don’t miss them. In the latest episode of The ATPE Podcast, ATPE Lobbyist Heather Sheffield—an elected school board member—explains the significance of these local elections. And if you live in a district with a primary runoff race, don’t forget to mark your calendar May 28, when voters will decide which public education allies continue to serve in the Texas Legislature. Early voting in the primary runoff election takes place May 20–24.

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LOBBYISTS: Are you following the ATPE lobbyists on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter? In addition to following @OfficialATPE and @TeachtheVote, be sure to follow the lobbyists from their ATPE-specific accounts: @ATPE_MontyE (Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter), @ATPE_MarkW (Senior Lobbyist Mark Wiggins), @ATPE_TriciaC (Lobbyist Tricia Cave), and @ATPE_HeatherS (Lobbyist Heather Sheffield). The lobbyists often live-tweet from the meetings and hearings they’re covering, so it’s a great way to stay on top of breaking news.

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SBEC: The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) met Friday in Austin to discuss new proposed teacher pedagogy standards as well as the path forward for a Texas-specific performance assessment. ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave will have a full report next week.

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FAFSA: The Texas College Access Network (TxCAN) is holding a webinar at 10 a.m. CT April 30 to brief district administrators and counselor leaders on the challenges associated with the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) rollout and its implications for counselors as they help students complete their FAFSA. Register here.

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ATPE SUMMIT: Registration for the ATPE Summit, July 8–10 at the Sheraton Dallas, is now open! This year, we’ve opened registration to members and nonmembers, and all attendees can earn up to seven hours of continuing professional education (CPE) credit. One CPE-eligible session you won’t want to miss is the annual Advocacy Update & Awards, where the ATPE Lobby Team, including our federal contract lobbyists, will share the latest on how public educators can advocate for their students and their profession. Our keynote speakers are leadership expert Alyson Van Hooser and Ron Clark Academy co-founder Kim Bearden, and we’re offering your choice of more than 20 professional learning breakouts.  The member registration fee is $225, and nonmembers may attend for $275. Learn more and register at atpesummit.org. (Van Hooser and Bearden artist appearances arranged through Gotham Artists.)

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