The swirl of media attention around the implementation of Texas’ new “critical race theory” legislation has created more questions than answers for teachers around the state. The confusion stems, in part, from the vague language of the law as well as the misreading of the law by some school districts.

At this early stage, a lot is unknown about how this law will play out in classrooms and school board meetings across Texas. TCTA will be monitoring developments closely. In the meantime, we’ve put together a Q&A with TCTA General Counsel Lonnie Hollingsworth to help teachers better understand the law and their own responsibilities. Click here to read the Q&A.

Are you a teacher with experience leading classroom conversations about controversial political issues? We’d like to talk to you for an article in the winter issue of The Classroom Teacher. Please email communications@tcta.org.

The third (and last?) special session of the 87th Legislature ended early Tuesday, with both the House and Senate adjourning after a day of last-minute maneuvering.

Among the legislation sent to Gov. Abbott is Senate Bill 8, which appropriates federal COVID-relief funds. TRS said its share of this funding will cover COVID-related claims for TRS-Care and TRS-ActiveCare. It will also ensure that there will be no premium increases for TRS-Care in 2022, and the plan may even be able to provide a “premium holiday” for eligible retirees for an as-yet-unspecified number of months. Click here to read more.

Join TCTA staff attorneys at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2, to get answers to your questions about planning and preparation time and extra duties — two popular topics members asked about during our Oct. 12 spotlight session. This free 30-minute session kicks off our new monthly webinar series, Tuesdays with TCTA. Click here to register and submit your questions.

Mark your calendars! Tuesdays with TCTA will start at 6 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month, giving members a chance to ask general questions about hot topics in education. Can't join us live? No problem. Sessions will be recorded so you can watch on demand later. Have an urgent issue? Call our Legal Department at 888-879-8282 to discuss your situation.

It's not too late to encourage your colleagues to join TCTA. Give them your member number and ask them to include it in the Take 2, Make $25 box on the application. You can earn $25 for every two eligible First-Time Active members who join by Dec. 31. Find all the details at tcta.org/take2.

The U.S. Department of Education has released a new resource — Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral and Mental Health — to provide information and resources to enhance the promotion of mental health and the social and emotional well-being of students. It highlights seven key challenges to providing school- or program-based mental health support across early childhood, K-12 schools, and higher education settings, and presents corresponding recommendations and real-world examples.

Early voting ends Friday, Oct. 29, in the Nov. 2 election. The last day to apply for a ballot by mail is Friday, Oct. 22. Voters statewide can weigh in on eight constitutional amendments that address topics ranging from religious freedom to taxes to judicial eligibility. Click here to learn more about the propositions.

Many school districts are electing trustees Nov. 2 and a few districts also have bond proposals. Click here to see what's on the ballot where you live.

Join Learning Forward at 2 p.m. CDT Thursday, Oct. 28, for a FREE webinar on how technology can support student learning. Panelists will share supports and strategies, focusing on lessons learned during the pandemic, favorite resources, and effective practices that can be sustained as schools move into a COVID-recovery phase. Click here to register.

This week, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley announced it will cover full tuition and fees for students whose family income is $100,000 or less, cementing itself as the highest income threshold for this type of tuition assistance program at a public university in the state.

UT San Antonio will boost its income limit to $70,000.