The ATPE Podcast

The ATPE Podcast: Parental Access to Education in Texas—What You Should Know

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.

Power in Numbers: How Voting in the General Election Benefits Public Education

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.

The State of Education Policy

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.

Recruiting and Retaining Teachers

As teacher recruitment and retention issues continue in districts all over Texas, the teacher preparation landscape has changed significantly in response. Many new teachers are transitioning from other careers, and we have seen numerous pathways for certification evolve to better fill growing vacancies. In turn, the rush to certify educators—and do so quickly—has created a bit of a gap between what early educators need and what they are getting.

If we want new educators to succeed and see the teaching profession as a sustainable career, perhaps the answer lies less in recruiting and more in retention. As the leading educator association in Texas, ATPE advocates for teachers both at the Capitol in August and in Washington, D.C., as well as with state agencies and regulatory boards such as the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). As a founding member of the Texas Coalition for Educator Preparation (TCEP), we are working to ensure that teacher candidates coming through the pipeline are being assessed fairly across the board.

Research shows that engagement with professional organizations is key for retaining quality teachers, but what exactly do new teachers want and need from an educator association? And what support and/or resources does ATPE provide to address both the changes to the teacher preparation landscape and the issue of growing vacancies across the state? 

In this episode of The ATPE Podcast, three ATPE staff members who are all former educators—Engagement & Learning Specialist Andrea Hutlock, Lobbyist Tricia Cave, and Membership Specialist Dr. Cynthia Villalovos—discuss the role of professional educator associations in addressing recruitment and retention issues in Texas.

Runoff Elections—You Must Be Present to Win

Following a disappointing Texas primary election in March, it appears the Texas House will be far less friendly to public education going forward. Some of these races have been tight, and in such a unique election season, we have seen millions of dollars poured in from out-of-state donors to spread anti-public education propaganda. Originally attracted to Texas races as voucher proponents, these non-Texans continue to run attack ad after attack ad against public education-friendly candidates on issues completely unrelated to public schools.

You’ve heard that voter turnout is the key to getting legislators to listen and take education issues seriously, so the maxim “You must be present to win” legitimately describes our situation in the May 28 runoff election. Educators need to consistently show up at the polls not just to support our candidates but also to send a message to lawmakers that our schools and educators deserve better funding and compensation, respectively.

So where can you find information on races and candidates in your area? And who can vote in which primary runoff race?

In this episode of The ATPE Podcast, ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter explains the how, when, and why of voting pro-public ed in the upcoming runoff election.

Upcoming School Board and Bond Elections

You might be asking yourself, “Didn’t I just vote in March?” Well, we hope the answer to that question is yes, but public education is always on the ballot, and there are two more elections in the month of May that are just as important for Texas educators.

Early voting for the May 4 election runs from April 22–30, and depending on where you live, you might have a school board trustee, bond, and/or an appraisal district board election on your ballot.

Bond dollars finance maintenance, new buildings, sports stadiums, technology, and more. This can be especially important for school staff, too, because you don’t want to work in a building without proper air conditioning or heat. Contrary to popular belief, bond money does not pay teacher salaries, but school board trustees do make decisions regarding teacher pay, as well as approving curriculum and district policy.

Some of you will also have a primary runoff election May 28, and early voting for this will run May 20–24. And in this race, many of our pro-public education legislators will need your support.

With the huge impact that bond, appraisal, and school board trustee elections can have on our public schools, what more do you need to know, and what resources are available to prepare you for these elections?

In this episode of The ATPE Podcast, ATPE’s newest lobbyist Heather Sheffield discusses the upcoming May elections—specifically, the difference between school board and bond elections and why they matter for Texas educators.

Rethinking Professional Learning

In preparation for the launch of a new online community and professional learning platform, ATPE has hired a new engagement and learning specialist to spearhead these projects and foster opportunities for ATPE members to engage with each other and take part in high-quality professional learning. Andrea Hutlock joined the ATPE team in the Marketing & Communications department in January.

Many educators have struggled with making teaching a viable and successful career, and a common cause for concern—especially for teachers in rural or smaller districts—is the feeling of being siloed. Having access to a mentor or professional community that knows and understands your position is the key to finding the support you need.

Additionally, without a shared definition for professional development, the amount of value that individual educators take from these sessions can vary wildly. And with the potential for disparity between what many districts offer and what teachers really need, how can ATPE look to bridge that gap? In what ways can we provide members an opportunity to supply feedback and engage with each other on this problem in a professional setting?

In this episode of The ATPE Podcast, ATPE’s Engagement and Learning Specialist Andrea Hutlock describes her new column in ATPE News magazine, learning opportunities at the upcoming ATPE Summit, and other ATPE initiatives to rethink professional learning for educators.

After Four Special Sessions, Are We Out of the Woods Yet?

The fourth special legislative session wrapped up Dec. 5 following a dramatic battle between lawmakers over Gov. Greg Abbott’s private school voucher agenda. Although the Legislature did not pass a voucher program, it also did not pass any increases in school funding, including funding for teacher pay raises or funding to help with the costs of implementing the regular session’s school safety bill.

So, what is the likelihood Abbott will call another special session, and is there any indication another vote on voucher legislation would turn out differently? And what ever happened to the school funding bills that received so much attention during the regular legislative session?

If anything is clear following the latest special session, it’s that the issues we face are driven less by policy than by politics and the only way to solve a political issue is at the ballot box. With the election rapidly approaching, this is the perfect opportunity to support public education by voting, engaging with your colleagues and community, and even thanking those lawmakers who helped stave off vouchers once again.

In this episode, ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter updates us on where we stand on vouchers and funding after the latest special session.

Social Media Behavior for Educators

As the popularity of social networking has grown, so too has the potential for its misuse. As an educator, you are held to a high standard of conduct, even when you are engaging with social media platforms outside of school, and expecting teachers not to use social networking is not realistic or fair. There are many educational benefits to engaging with these platforms as well.

With all the issues educators encounter in this digital space, it is important to know what social media behavior is considered appropriate and what can get you into trouble, as there can be a fine line between exercising your constitutional right to free speech and violating your district’s policies. So how do educators navigate the intersection between their personal lives and their workplaces when online? Can you share your opinion about politics or district policies? And under what circumstances should an educator “friend” or “follow” their students on a personal social media account?

In this episode of The ATPE Podcast, ATPE Staff Attorney Jeff Kelly reveals how educators can avoid violating the law and running afoul of district policies when using social media.

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.

Special Session Preview: The Fight Against Vouchers Is Just Getting Started

With the 88^th regular legislative session ending months ago and a special session beginning soon, lawmakers continue to battle over the future of public education policy in Texas. Again, private school voucher legislation will be the focus, and the magnitude of educator engagement will likely determine the results.

In the regular session, ATPE testified on a number of bills and worked with legislators in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle to craft and pass meaningful legislation. With the help of engaged educators from all over the state, we were able to reduce accelerated instruction burdens caused by HB 4545 in the previous session with HB 1416, secure a much-needed COLA and extra check for our retirees, and end the session without a voucher.

In the upcoming special session, what other education issues are we likely to see addressed? Will we see legislation concerning teacher pay and retention, school funding, or even testing reform? And if we do, what is the likelihood that we get any of those things without a voucher attached?

In this episode of The ATPE Podcast, ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave previews the upcoming special session, what educators can expect, and what you can do to be involved.