From jury duty to military service, educators may encounter unique situations that require time away from the classroom. But what happens if you are injured while breaking up a fight at school? Can a district require you to use personal leave when you are called for jury duty? How long can you be absent for military service and still return to your job with full benefits?

These are just a few of the questions educators may face when it comes to lesser-known types of leave. Knowing how they work and what protections are available can make all the difference in a difficult situation.

In this episode of The ATPE Podcast, ATPE Managing Attorney Lance Cain discusses assault leave, civic duty leave, military leave, administrative leave, and more. He explains what the law requires, what districts may offer at their discretion, and what educators should keep in mind if they ever need to use these forms of leave.

The legal information provided here is accurate as of the date of publication. It is provided here for informative purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly, and readers needing individual legal advice should consult directly with an attorney. Please note: Rights based on the Texas Education Code may not apply to all. Many Texas Education Code provisions do not apply to public charter schools, and public school districts may have opted out of individual provisions through a District of Innovation plan. Eligible ATPE members may contact the ATPE Member Legal Services Department.

The 2025 Texas legislative session was one of the most politically charged in recent memory. With pre-election pressure and influence from outside interest groups shaping the agenda, lawmakers clashed over key education issues and long-standing policy goals.

For the first time, voucher legislation became law in Texas, marking a significant shift with major implications for families, educators, and school districts. ATPE Governmental Relations Monty Exter explains the political machinations that ultimately broke through the public education community’s wall against vouchers, what it means going forward, and how quickly the effects might be felt.

The session also brought renewed debates over school funding. Many educators are left wondering whether public schools gained ground or lost support as lawmakers pushed to prioritize voucher programs. We examine the outcomes and what districts should expect as they plan for the new school year.

Another standout trend was the growing hostility toward groups that support public education, including ATPE and other educator advocacy organizations. Monty discusses how this rhetoric developed, its connection to the voucher push, and what educators can do to fight back.

And yet, despite the challenges, there were several bright spots. We highlight positive outcomes for educators and look ahead to what the next election cycle might bring.

In the latest episode of The ATPE Podcast, we’re excited to welcome back ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter to help us make sense of it all.

What makes in-person events so valuable for educators today? In an age where virtual meetings and webinars are more accessible than ever, why should you still consider showing up in person? Whether it’s for professional development, networking, or simply feeling a deeper sense of connection, these face-to-face moments can offer something uniquely impactful.

Joining the conversation is ATPE Engagement & Learning Specialist Andrea Hutlock, who recently attended SXSW EDU 2025. She shares reflections on what makes face-to-face experiences so energizing and meaningful, including thoughts on those spontaneous hallway chats and casual meetups that often leave the biggest impact.

In this episode, Andrea offers practical tips for navigating the cost and logistics of attending events and explains how educators can get the most out of each opportunity—from planning ahead to decompressing afterward. If you've ever questioned whether it’s worth the time and effort to show up in person, this episode is for you.

Have you ever wondered what it means for an educator to be "protected" while taking time off for medical or family reasons? Understanding what that entails is crucial when faced with a family emergency. This includes knowing the steps to request FMLA, eligibility requirements, the types of medical conditions that qualify, and the amount of leave you are entitled to under the law. Key benefits, such as job security during an absence, are also important to understand. Additionally, it's essential to know how Temporary Disability Leave (TDL) differs from FMLA and the potential consequences if an employee exhausts both of these resources.

In this episode of the ATPE podcast, ATPE’s Member Legal Services Department Managing Attorney Lance Cain continues his deep dive into educator leave, focusing specifically on protected leave and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

The legal information provided here is accurate as of the date of publication. It is provided here for informative purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly, and readers needing individual legal advice should consult directly with an attorney. Please note: Rights based on the Texas Education Code may not apply to all. Many Texas Education Code provisions do not apply to public charter schools, and public school districts may have opted out of individual provisions through a District of Innovation plan. Eligible ATPE members may contact the ATPE Member Legal Services Department.

In his push for voucher legislation, Gov. Greg Abbott recently released a list of arguments made by public education advocates against school voucher programs. By labeling these legitimate concerns as “myths,” the governor has created a misleading narrative that can confuse voters about the true impact of school voucher legislation.

Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to critically evaluate these claims and look beyond the rhetoric to understand the real-world consequences for Texas schools and students. Join us as we dive deep into the governor’s arguments, carefully fact-checking each one to uncover the truth behind his claims.

In the latest episode of The ATPE Podcast, we’re excited to welcome back ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter to fact-check the fact-checking in the ongoing debate over school vouchers in Texas.

As educators, taking time off when life requires it is a necessity. However, navigating the policies around leave can often feel overwhelming. For Texas educators, understanding the intricacies of leave types and policies is key to ensuring both your rights and responsibilities are respected.

You might have heard the terms “discretionary” and “nondiscretionary” leave thrown around, but do you know how they are typically applied and when they can be used? Are you changing districts and want to know if all or any of your leave will roll over? How about the difference in state and local leave and the benefits associated with them? If you have ever asked yourself any of these common questions, then we have answers to these and more.

In the first of a multipart series on educator leave, we sit down with ATPE Managing Attorney Lance Cain to unpack the often-confusing rules surrounding leave types and policies for Texas educators.

The legal information provided here is accurate as of the date of publication. It is provided here for informative purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly, and readers needing individual legal advice should consult directly with an attorney. Please note: Rights based on the Texas Education Code may not apply to all. Many Texas Education Code provisions do not apply to public charter schools, and public school districts may have opted out of individual provisions through a District of Innovation plan. Eligible ATPE members may contact the ATPE Member Legal Services Department.

On Jan. 5, President Joe Biden signed into law the Social Security Fairness Act, the result of more than 40 years of ATPE advocacy. The law repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), two offsets formerly in Social Security law that unfairly reduced the retirement benefits of some public servants, including many Texas educators.

David Pore, ATPE’s federal consultant and a partner at Hance Scarborough LLP, joins ATPE Marketing and Engagement Director Kate Johanns to discuss this momentous victory and the grassroots advocacy that resulted in the Social Security Fairness Act’s passage in the final moments of the 2024 congressional session. This is a must-listen for the many ATPE members who have written letters and emails, made phone calls, and even visited Washington, D.C., to advocate for repeal.

Understanding parental access to a child’s education in Texas is essential for public educators as it shapes how you engage with families and navigate the legal landscape surrounding education. Although parental involvement is encouraged, educators should be aware of important legal limitations and protocols regarding access to records and classroom visitation.

Parents have a fundamental right to access their children’s educational records, which include grades, assessments, and disciplinary records. This right is guaranteed under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a federal law designed to protect the privacy of student education records. Under FERPA, parents can review and request copies of their child’s records, ensuring they stay informed about their child’s academic progress and any concerns that may arise. With this in mind, it is important that educators understand that everything they communicate through email, in reports, in evaluations, in referrals, and perhaps even in text messages with other staff, can very likely be reviewed by the parent. So how can educators protect themselves, and what are the legal limits to what records parents can access?

Additionally, parents may be allowed to observe a classroom, but they don’t have the legal right to do so, and the school district may set parameters. But what happens when parental visits become disruptive to your classroom? And do stepparents and grandparents also have access?

In this episode of The ATPE Podcast, ATPE Staff Attorney Martha Moring explains what you should know about Texas parents’ rights to access their children’s education, including the limitations, confidentiality of records, and classroom visitation.

The legal information provided here is accurate as of the date of publication. It is provided here for informative purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly, and readers needing individual legal advice should consult directly with an attorney. Please note: Rights based on the Texas Education Code may not apply to all. Many Texas Education Code provisions do not apply to public charter schools, and public school districts may have opted out of individual provisions through a District of Innovation plan. Eligible ATPE members may contact the ATPE Member Legal Services Department.

Whether you're a teacher, an administrator, a student, or a parent, your voice matters, and this upcoming election is not just about picking a new president; it’s also about making decisions that affect our education system, funding for schools, teacher salaries, and essential programs.

While Texas educators help to shape the future of Texas, our elected officials, primarily the Legislature, help to shape the present and future of the Texas education system. The policies and budget that lawmakers pass affect almost every part of the school system, and districts all over the state need more resources to serve student populations, fund essential programs, and provide better benefits and pay for teachers.

History tells us that a large turnout in voting among parents and educators in a pro-public education fashion can make a huge impact on education policy in Texas. After a rough 2017 legislative session for public education, the 2018 election saw a huge turnout among educators and public education allies. This show of force set up a much more successful legislative session in 2019, when lawmakers passed a historic school finance bill as part of an $11.6 billion school finance measure.

So how can you make sure you’re registered to vote in the county where you live? And how can you as an educator and voter identify candidates who prioritize public education issues?

In this episode of The ATPE Podcast, ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter discusses the importance of registering to vote and showing up to the polls in the November general election.

It came as no surprise that the voucher conversation dominated the last legislative session, and as such much of our communications to members over that time frame was dedicated to fighting that battle. In addition to the long regular session, the entirety of the summer and fall felt like all vouchers all the time.

At the end of the day, we were able to hold off vouchers, and that's certainly a positive. Since then, unfortunately, the voucher issue has anything but subsided. Although passing vouchers has become Governor Abbot’s primary, if not only, education policy goal, it is certainly not the only concern out there for public educators.

There is no denying the teaching profession has become embroiled within culture wars in a way that it has never been before. However, many of these false flag issues that have created so much controversy are being ginned up for no other reason than to drive a wedge in support for public education and breaking the blockade against vouchers.

While the privatizers and voucher pushers continue to do their best to manufacture hate, outside the culture war trenches, there are plenty of non-voucher or voucher linked issues that public educators legitimately need to be focusing on. These issues have nothing to do with privatization, and they're real issues that need to be addressed within the public school system.

So which issues are we focused on right now and what are we doing to engage the broader community for support? And outside of voting, what tools can educators use to communicate with their elected representatives, expand the public education conversation, and make their voice heard on these issues?

In this episode of The ATPE Podcast, ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter explains how together we can impact Texas education policy beyond just the threat of vouchers.