News from AFT PSRP Archive

Current Issue - September 2026

Join us Sept. 8! We're stronger together!

Back-to-school town hall with AFT President Randi Weingarten

The Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools and Public School Strong are organizing back-to-school actions to show our elected officials that we demand fully funded public schools, and to envision together what public schools could be. Join AFT President Randi Weingarten for a virtual town hall on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m. EDT and hear from leaders from across the country on how we can make this back-to-school season a moment to build a stronger movement for public schools and a mandate for public education in this fall’s midterm elections. Sign up and share here.

Hot, hot, hot | Credit: MCCAIG / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Beware of extreme heat on the job

Whether you work in a school kitchen, keep up the campus grounds or are the first to respond when the air conditioning fails, you know what it’s like to work in extreme heat. Our parent union, the AFL-CIO, has been a leader in securing worker protections against heat on the job. But now some members of Congress are quietly trying to stop heat safety protections. Their bill, H.R. 6213, the grossly misnamed Heat Workforce Standards Act, would stop the federal government from creating or enforcing any national heat safety law. You can make a difference, though. Go to this page to call or fill out a form for your representatives, telling them to shield workers from high heat. Go to the AFT’s Health Hub for info on heat hazards. And spread the word on Facebook, Threads and Bluesky.

Professional learning for paras from Reading Universe

Paraprofessionals often work with students who need the most intensive reading support, yet many have limited access to specialized literacy training. Encourage your colleagues to register for “Reading Universe: Free Courses on Beginning Reading Instruction for Paraprofessionals and Their Supporters,” a free, for-credit webinar on Sept. 23. Reading expert Dr. Deborah Glaser will introduce Reading Universe’s new ParaReading collection—five free, self-paced courses that provide foundational Science of Reading knowledge and practical classroom strategies. Help us spread the word on Facebook, Instagram and Threads.

AFT survey shows members are stressed

The AFT released a new national survey yesterday that reveals a crisis among educators who are stressed out, working second jobs, battling rising costs and still forking over hundreds of dollars from their own pockets for classroom supplies and food for students. The troubling snapshot of more than 2,000 AFT K-12 members, taken in August, found that nearly two-thirds rate their weekly stress at 7 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10. Just 36 percent said they’d recommend their job to their own kids.

Measles is surging again. What does the science say?

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and the virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after that person leaves the room, according to the World Health Organization. For decades, widespread use of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine kept the disease uncommon in America. But vaccination rates have fallen. As U.S. measles cases surge, explore the science behind the MMR vaccine, why outbreaks happen, and what you need to know.

Taking action against unaffordable healthcare

Medical debt affects millions of Americans, including people with health insurance, as rising premiums, deductibles, denied claims and other costs make it increasingly difficult to afford care. Join public health expert Dr. Vin Gupta, AFT President Randi Weingarten and special guests Berneta Haynes of the National Consumer Law Center and Kati Bassler of the California Federation of Teachers on Monday, Sept. 14, at 6 p.m. EDT, for a Vital Lessons webinar on medical bills. Hear how AFT members took action to challenge inflated hospital costs and learn about strategies to fight abusive medical debt collection practices and expand financial protections for patients. Please share this free webinar with your colleagues and encourage them to register now.

School’s in. Target’s out.

The AFT has kicked off a nationwide campaign urging people to shop at retailers other than Target for their school supplies and connecting them to local stores and outlets that respect labor rights. The campaign was created in response to Target’s refusal to condemn the unlawful Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity that continues to roil communities around the country. AFT President Randi Weingarten said of the campaign, “We wrote letters, passed resolutions and reached out to [Target] management in good faith but have yet to see any meaningful movement.” Learn more and share at ShopSmart.AFT.org.

Tell us how you are Public School Proud

Our Public School Proud campaign celebrates the everyday moments that make public schools the heart of our communities. Whether it’s literacy nights or football games under the lights, these moments remind us that our public schools don’t just educate; they unite us and give every child a shot at a better life. Every week, we highlight great things happening in public schools. We hope you’ll share what makes you public school proud.