Teachers News | December 2025

In the Winter 2025-2026 issue of American Educator, learn how the AFT is committing to creating safe, relevant and engaging public schools and highlighting core concepts that support all students. AFT President Randi Weingarten highlights how we can fight for a better future for working families, and AFT members in Chicago share how they protect LGBTQIA+ and Black students’ well-being. Also, learn from educators and researchers how reading whole books develops students’ comprehension, curiosity, and joy; how short-term academic performance compares with deep learning; how to make elementary math less scary and more enjoyable; the truth about what IQ scores mean; and how to boost English language learners’ academic language proficiency.

 

In New Lexington, Ohio, students are getting a debt-free head start on high-paying careers before they even graduate, thanks to a union-backed career and technical education program. Watch this video to see how one innovative public school has partnered with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers to build a brighter future, one apprentice at a time.

 

Florida could soon become the first state to eliminate all vaccine requirements, including those that protect children attending public schools. The proposal would undo decades of proven public health safeguards and, according to educators and health experts, open the door to the return of measles, mumps, polio and chickenpox which can cause serious illness, disability and even death. Educators across the state are sounding the alarm.

 

Nov. 29 marked 50 years since Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act—the landmark 1975 law that would later become the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Before IDEA, students with disabilities were routinely excluded from neighborhood schools, denied basic services, or sent to separate institutions that offered little learning and even less dignity. On this 50th anniversary, the AFT is recommitting to securing full funding, strengthening inclusive practices, supporting the educators who make this work possible and ensuring that all students with a disability receive the high-quality, individualized education they deserve. Learn more about the crucial role IDEA has played in our education system here.

We know becoming an officially certified teacher is a big step! But we're here to help. Our eight-week online licensure preparation course is available to all AFT members preparing for teacher certification. You'll get live instruction, guided practice and effective test-taking strategies that will help you on your way to becoming a successful, licensed teacher. We even help you deconstruct test items and build skills for the math and reading portions of the Praxis, or for a white paper exam. Learn more and register here.

 

For a long time, Target was everyone’s darling, and its diversity, equity and inclusion programs won customer loyalty, especially among Black and Latino shoppers. But shortly after President Trump took office in January 2025, Target abandoned those policies. Customers are not having it, and as the holiday season approaches, the AFT has joined a renewed Target boycott that is gaining momentum, inspired in part by its own success.

 

You’ve probably heard the cliche about “damned lies and statistics.” The widening gap between recorded statistics and the reality of student behavior is a perfect example, and it’s not just a crisis for teachers and support staff. When students act out with no consequences, their behavior gets worse, the school district fails them, and this snowballing issue erodes educator recruitment and retention. Special education paraprofessional Jeff Whittle lays out the problem and offers practical solutions in this AFT Voices post.