Teach the Vote's Week in Review: Oct. 16, 2026

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.

• Early voting begins Monday—talk to your family and friends now about voting pro-public ed
• Protect National Board Certification as a TIA pathway in Texas
• Congratulations to the 2027 Texas Teachers of the Year!
• ATPE officers and staff attend annual gathering of independent educator associations
• Prepare for the 2027 Texas Legislature with ATPE’s advocacy tools

VOTING: Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 19, in the 2026 midterm elections and continues through Friday, Oct. 30. The latest polls show statewide races are essentially tied, so those who work the hardest to turn out the vote will ultimately win. ATPE encourages all public education supporters to spend time this weekend intentionally speaking with family, friends, and neighbors about the importance of voting pro-public education. Find more information about block walking and helpful links to prepare for voting next week in ATPE’s Advocacy Central. Remember: We must be present to win!

NBCT: ATPE and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) hosted a panel discussion Thursday titled "Why the Fight for National Board Certification Matters for Every Texas Educator!" to bring critical attention to an issue currently facing Texas teachers. Despite the fact that National Board Certification is the only pathway to a Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) designation for many educators, the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) is currently weighing whether to reauthorize or revoke NBCT as a Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) pathway. House Bill 2 passed by the 89th Legislature requires SBEC to make this decision by Dec. 31. Learn more about this issue and how to watch the on-demand webinar in this blog post by ATPE Engagement & Learning Specialist Andrea Hutlock.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR: Congratulations to 2027 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year Denise Caldera, a kindergarten bilingual teacher in Corpus Christi ISD, and 2027 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year Caleb Gamblin, an agricultural sciences teacher in Bangs ISD! Caldera and Gamblin were announced as the Texas Teachers of the Year during a celebration Friday in Round Rock. Caldera will represent Texas in the National Teacher of the Year competition. Thank you to the Texas Association of School Administrators for facilitating this annual celebration of Texas public education excellence. ATPE is proud to be a long-time sponsor of this program. Learn about the ATPE members who were named Regional Teachers of the Year on atpenews.org.

CIEA: ATPE State President Eli Rodriguez, State Vice President Teresa Millard, Executive Director Dr. Shannon Holmes, and other staff members participated in the annual Coalition for Independent Educator Associations (CIEA) conference Monday and Tuesday in Oklahoma City. This annual gathering of nonunion professional associations offers ATPE and philosophically similar organizations an opportunity to share ideas and network. Speakers include U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (R), who represents Oklahoma’s Fourth Congressional District and serves as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Cole spoke about legislation he has introduced in multiple Congresses to address the coming shortfall in the Social Security trust fund. ATPE thanks the Professional Oklahoma Educators staff for their hospitality in hosting this annual gathering. The ATPE team was also honored to recognize retiring Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA) Executive Director Bruce Moe, who—in over 38 years of service to MSTA—has had an immense positive impact on public education throughout the United States and the professionals and educators in the CIEA community.

MEMBER ADVOCACY: As we gear up for the 2027 legislative 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.