In the final episode of a four-part series on educator contracts, ATPE Managing Attorney Paul Tapp outlines what you can expect at the end of the school year when you are asked to sign a contract for the next school year. Important timelines apply—including deadlines that make it a good idea to go ahead and sign a contract for next year even if you’re not sure you want to return to the district.

The legal information provided here is for general purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly, and listeners 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.

What's the difference between a supplemental duty and an additional duty? Are additional duties always required? And is working the concession stand a reasonable expectation for an educator? ATPE Managing Attorney Paul Tapp answers these questions and more in the third episode of a multipart series on contracts.

The information provided here is for general purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly, and listeners 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 the second episode of a multipart series on teacher contracts, ATPE Managing Attorney Paul Tapp explains the three types of educator contracts in Texas and what the renewal (and nonrenewal) process looks like for each.

The information provided here is for general purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly, and listeners 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 the first of a multipart series on teacher contracts, ATPE Managing Attorney Paul Tapp explains the legal definition of contract, why the public education system relies on contracts, and why they are beneficial to both educators and school districts.

The information provided here is for general purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly, and listeners 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.

It’s been called “The Great Resignation”: a massive number of individuals who are quitting their jobs due to the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public education is not immune to this phenomenon. The ATPE Member Legal Services Department is receiving a high number of calls from members who have been pushed to the brink by pandemic-era problems and new legislative requirements.

So before an educator calls it quits, what should they know? And what happens to your employment contract? In this third episode of The ATPE Podcast, ATPE Managing Attorney Paul Tapp explains the differences in resignation for contract and non-contract employees and what the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) considers “good cause” to leave an educator contract in the middle of the school year.

Show notes:

Educator Resignations and Requests for Contract Release

ATPE’s Teach the Vote: SBEC adopts ATPE-backed changes to contract abandonment rules at December 2021 meeting

The legal information provided here is for general purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly, and listeners 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.

If you’re working in a Texas public school, you’re probably experiencing the effects of a pandemic-exacerbated staffing shortage. And based on the calls we’re receiving from ATPE members, there’s a good chance this staffing shortage is eating into your planning time.

In the second episode of The ATPE Podcast, ATPE Managing Attorney Paul Tapp explains what the Texas Education Code requires in terms of planning time, how this area of the law has evolved through commissioner’s decisions, and what teachers should consider if their supervisor asks them to spend their planning time covering a class or attending a meeting.

The legal information provided here is for general purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly, and listeners 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.

House Bill 4545 during the regular session of the 87th Legislature requires "supplemental accelerated instruction" for students who fail the STAAR test. Such students can either be assigned to a master, exemplary, or recognized teacher, or they can be provided at least 30 hours of supplemental instruction. This raises many questions for Texas educators—most notably, where are the extra 30 hours supposed to come from? ATPE Managing Attorney Paul Tapp answers this question and more.

The information provided here is for general purposes only. Individual legal situations vary greatly and viewers needing individual legal advice should consult directly with an attorney. Eligible ATPE members may contact the ATPE Member Legal Services Department.