News from AFT Teachers Archive

Current Issue - August 2026

AFT back-to-school survey

We’re conducting an official survey of classroom educators. We want to hear from teachers and other classroom educators about a range of topics from the cost of school supplies, to educator stress, to how artificial intelligence is being implemented in your school. Having this data is vital to our advocacy. Once the survey is complete, we’ll report back with the data. This poll will be open until Aug. 21.

AFT launches ‘Shop Smart, Not Target’ campaign for back-to-school season

As the new school year begins, the AFT is asking our 1.875 million members as well as families and allies to shop at local businesses that stand with workers and communities rather than shopping at Target. Target still refuses to call for an end to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s occupation of the Twin Cities, the community in Minnesota where the company is headquartered. That’s a deal breaker for us. Shop at local businesses when you can, and use our new tool to find other retailers that stand with workers and our communities.

Student debt: The hidden affordability crisis

Summer should be a time to take a well-earned vacation and enjoy being with family and friends. But for millions of Americans, summer arrived with a surprise bill from President Donald Trump that jacks up their student loan payments, AFT President Randi Weingarten writes in her latest column. Hidden in Trump’s so-called Big Beautiful Bill were several costly student loan provisions that took effect on July 1. This “revamping” of the federal student loan system forced borrowers into expensive repayment programs.

Teens explore the trades in upstate New York

Through our partnership with Micron Technology Inc., the AFT funded a one-week paid summer pre-apprenticeship program for students in the Baldwinsville Central School District in upstate New York to get hands-on experience in the trades. During the program, students learned a variety of skills related to construction, so they could explore different career paths in the trades. Students also got to put their new skills to the test by building a farm stand for a local farmer and connecting with the local community. 

Why the AFT is fighting screens with books

Under the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals’ signature red tent at a Juneteenth celebration in Portland, children sifted through stacks of free books while nurses offered blood pressure screenings. For members of OFNHP, an affiliate of the AFT, the giveaway was more than outreach—it was a part of addressing a much larger problem: falling literacy rates and waning attention spans.

Active-learning models help students discover who they are

Lee Rain Wallin, a teacher at Whittier Elementary School in Washington, D.C., uses a teaching model that enables students to use their talents to discover who they are. Students showcase the work they’ve done based on this model during the school’s annual award ceremony, called the Correspondents’ Dinner. For Voices, Wallin writes about how active-learning models can help students explore what they are passionate about.