The TRS Board of Trustees approved next year’s premiums for ActiveCare health insurance at its April 2022 meeting. Rates were originally expected to increase by an average of 9.5% statewide, but state leadership, concerned about the impact on school employees, committed to additional funding totaling $435 million to ensure that no ActiveCare participants will see a base premium increase during the 2022-23 school year.

The individual effect on employees will vary throughout the state due to a new regional pricing model, under which premiums in some areas will at worst remain flat, while those in some parts of the state will decrease — significantly, in some cases. TRS will be publishing the specific rates for each level of coverage in each region of the state on Monday. Click here to read more.

TCTA thanked state leaders for the increased funding in a statement today, noting that lawmakers must include increased health insurance funding as a top priority for the 2023 legislative session.

TRS recently launched an enhanced version of the MyTRS portal on its website with more self-service options. MyTRS can help you plan for retirement and keep track of your personal account. Click here for a look at what you can do with MyTRS.

TRS Chief Benefit Officer Barbie Pearson mentioned the updated MyTRS portal when she discussed retirement during the April 5 Tuesdays with TCTA webinar (you can watch it here). Existing MyTRS users will need to create a new username and password. Click here to enroll in MyTRS or learn more.

Several alternative approaches have been presented to the board for consideration, and TCTA and other stakeholders sent a joint letter to SBEC urging it to delay moving forward with edTPA until alternatives are considered.

Click here to read more. TCTA will provide updates online after the meeting.

We hope you can join us at 6 p.m. CDT May 3 for the next Tuesdays with TCTA webinar. Our staff attorneys will review what should be on your end-of-year checklist and discuss summer/off-calendar professional development and training. They will also save time for members' questions. Click here to register.

Can't join us Tuesday? Register and we'll send you a link to view the replay.

We've heard from several members recently who are being asked to sign contracts early as districts try to mitigate ongoing staffing shortages. As always, members with questions about their contract should call our Legal Department at 888-879-8282 for answers from a TCTA staff attorney.

Here are some things to keep in mind for certified educators in school districts when signing contracts (this does not apply to charter school educators):

A student sued a police officer, alleging that the officer violated his Fourth Amendment rights because he arrested the student without probable cause. The federal trial court dismissed the case and the student appealed to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The court of appeals reviewed the undisputed facts. The officer worked as a campus police officer at a high school. The principal showed the officer a picture of the student posing with a caricature of himself drawn on a whiteboard with the words "future school shooter" written above it. The picture had been posted on social media and parents were calling the school to take their students out of class. The police officer restrained the student in handcuffs and took him to the police station. Click here to read more.

Voters statewide will decide whether to amend the Texas Constitution to lower some property taxes in a May 7 special election.

The Texas Legislature has ensured that school district funding will not be affected by raising the school homestead exemption. 

Many school districts and city councils also have seats on the May 7 ballot. Early voting ends Tuesday, May 3. Click here to see what's on your ballot.

TCTA's 2021-22 statewide awards program honors those who have made outstanding contributions to public education, the teaching profession or TCTA during the past year.

Nominations are due Sunday, May 1. Click here for criteria and forms.

Read the Spring 2022 issue of The Classroom Teacher now

The Spring 2022 issue of The Classroom Teacher was mailed to members last week.

Don't miss the cover story on SBEC's new rules regarding sanctions for contract abandonment and the new video series that goes with it. Other features include a look at efforts to ban books, the role school vouchers have in 2022 elections and a reminder to review your TRS service record.

Check your mailbox or click here to read the issue online now.

TEA's Texas Complex Access Network website provides resources and professional development for educators working with students with significant cognitive disabilities.

The document library contains free downloadable implementation guides, templates, rubrics, fidelity checklists, and more. The library allows educators to filter by topic or course alignment to quickly find what they need. Topics include administration, behavior, classroom climate, communication, inclusion, IEPs, instruction, teaming and transition. Click here to explore the resources.

TEALearn recently added free dyslexia training for teachers and teacher candidates. The four-part course was developed to empower educators to serve and advocate for students with or at risk for dyslexia.