AFT Pennsylvania | AFT Stateweb

A Message From The President of AFTPA

Click here to read a welcome message from AFTPA President Wendy G. Coleman about the critical work of our union and her vision for our future.

The newly-elected 2025-2027 Executive Council is photographed, with five people seated in the front and the rest standing behind them. They are in front of a beige wall with a tan carpet featuring a circular design with lighter tan and dark brown colors.

Meet the 2025-2027 AFT Pennsylvania Executive Council

On Sunday, July 13, 2025, leadership elections for AFT Pennsylvania were completed as part of the federation’s constitutionally required biennial reorganization. The senior leadership of President Wendy G. Coleman, Executive Vice President Billy Hileman, and Treasurer Erik Fleming were elected at their convention in Philadelphia, along with a diverse Executive Council slate comprising AFT Pennsylvania locals from across the Commonwealth.

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Professional Development Graduate Courses (up to nine credits) for $275

Did you know you can take discounted online courses to meet your professional development needs? For $275, you can take up to three online graduate courses (nine credits) per year, offered through a partnership with Misericordia University and Virtual Education Software (VESi).

Our tradition every year is to honor the outstanding work of local union leaders, educators, paraprofessionals, and school staff with awards recognizing their excellence. In 2023, we hosted our first-ever AFT Pennsylvania Education Champions Awards Celebration, and the 2025 awards were presented on Saturday, July 12, 2025. Read more about the awards here.

Esperanza Organizing Committe and President Coleman

AFT Pennsylvania Welcomes Esperanza High School Collective To Union

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Contact: Cindy Carr, ccarr@aftpa.org

AFT Pennsylvania Welcomes Esperanza High School Collective To Union

87 Percent of Educators, Staff From Esperanza Academy Charter High School Vote To Join AFTPA

PHILADELPHIA – This afternoon, 87 percent of educators and staff from the Esperanza Academy Charter High School in Philadelphia voted to affiliate with AFT Pennsylvania and the Alliance of Charter School Employees (ACSE) #6056. The Esperanza High School Collective, which now represents nearly 80 educators and staff at the school, is the tenth unionized

State, National Leaders Tour Allentown Dual Immersion School, Highlight ASD Paraprofessional Program

ALLENTOWN, PA – Earlier today, AFT Pennsylvania, AFT, the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), the Allentown School District, Rep. Peter G. Schweyer (D-134), Rep. Michael H. Schlossberg (D-132), Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (D-129), and leaders from the Allentown Federation of Paraprofessionals #1716 toured the Sonia Sotomayor Dual Language Immersion Academy as a part of a new AFTPA initiative with locals across the Commonwealth.

AFT Pennsylvania Endorses Governor Shapiro, Lieutenant Governor Davis For Reelection

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA – Today, the AFT Pennsylvania Executive Council announced that they voted to endorse Governor Josh Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis for reelection. Governor Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Davis formally launched their reelection campaign at events in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia today.

AFTPA Reacts To PA State Budget Passage

HARRISBURG – Today, after more than 130 days, both chambers of the Pennsylvania legislature passed a $50.1 billion state budget deal. The total amount is down from the $51.6 billion Governor Shapiro offered at his Budget Speech in February and the $50.6 billion House Democrats offered earlier this summer. The budget deal includes a $50 million increase for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program, which takes money earmarked for public school students and inequitably move it to private schools, as well as an overall 4.8 percent increase for Higher Education, which includes a 5 percent increase in general support for Lincoln University, a very small increase for the state-related universities, but no budget increases for Community Colleges.

AFTPA endorsements 2026

AFT Pennsylvania has made the following endorsements in the 2026 Pennsylvania special and primary elections. These endorsements are authorized by AFTPA, Wendy G. Coleman, president. AFT Pennsylvania does not ask for or accept authorization from any candidate or political committee and no candidate or political committee is responsible for its operations.

Photo of the front of an unnamed school with the U.S. flag flying from the roof on a vertical flag pole and three children with their backs to the camera walking toward the school. The full image is monochrome dark blue with a pale yellow tint overall. The text below reads "Breaking News" "We're suing the Trump-Vance admin for holding $6 billion in education funds hostage."

AFTPA Joins Coalition of School Districts, Parents, Educators, and Advocates Sue Trump-Vance Administration for Unlawfully Blocking Billions in Funding

RHODE ISLAND (July 21, 2025) — A coalition of school districts, parents, teachers’ unions, and nonprofit organizations represented by Democracy Forward, Jacobson Lawyers Group, and Deluca, Weizenbaum, Barry, and Revins filed a lawsuit today against the Trump-Vance administration for unlawfully withholding nearly $6 billion in education funding that Congress directed to support students for the 2025–2026 school year. A motion for immediate relief via a preliminary injunction will follow this week.