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. 

• What do ATPE members think about teacher pay, ed tech, and special education?  
• STAAR EOC scores show statewide gains 
• Check out ATPE’s interview with TEA Inspector General Levi Fuller and more on atpenews.org 
• ATPE to sponsor Texas Tribune education symposium on July 1 
• Use your teacher voice with ATPE’s member advocacy tools 

SURVEY: ATPE recently began conducting short surveys on specific policy issues Texas legislators are—or should be—addressing. This member feedback informed ATPE’s testimony during the May 11 and June 1 House Public Education Committee interim hearings.  

In this blog post, ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter highlights some of the survey results regarding teacher pay, ed tech, and special education and encourages more members to participate as ATPE continues using these brief surveys to gather feedback on important issues.  

STAAR: Texas students showed improvement in every end-of-course exam (EOC) this year, demonstrating that teachers and students are overcoming obstacles set by significant changes in curriculum, accountability, staffing, and school funding. Notably, statewide scores also increased for emergent bilingual students, special education students, and economically disadvantaged students, suggesting that schools are making progress in reaching student groups that have historically faced additional barriers to student success. ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave has more in this blog post. 

ATPE NEWS: In the latest collection of content on atpenews.org, ATPE talks with Texas Education Agency’s Levi Fuller about the agency’s goals for the newly created position of inspector general and what educators should know about the current approach to reports of educator misconduct. Plus: In “Capitol Comment,” ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter explains ATPE’s approach to ongoing interim hearings ahead of the 90th Texas Legislature. Read these stories and more on atpenews.org. 

SYMPOSIUM: ATPE is thrilled to sponsor the upcoming Texas Tribune symposium "What Makes a Great School?" on July 1 at The Holdsworth Center in Austin and streaming online. This event is a unique opportunity for public school teachers, administrators, and leaders to dive deep into the changing landscape of Texas education—from legislative shifts to technological advancements in the classroom. ATPE is incredibly proud to support Texas educators by providing continuing professional education (CPE) credits for those attending. Don't miss this chance to collaborate, grow, and shape the future of our classrooms. Register today at https://whatmakesagreatschool.splashthat.com/ATPE to secure your spot and claim your hours! 

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: 

• ATPE Mobile App: Check out the new ATPE mobile app to conveniently access member benefits and advocacy tools.  
• Advocacy Central: Get in touch with your elected officials about the legislation impacting your profession.  
• Judy: Chat with ATPE’s 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.    
• 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.