Press

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

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."

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.

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.

PHILADELPHIA – On Sunday, AFT Pennsylvania elected Wendy G. Coleman president of the statewide teachers union at the conclusion of their Biennial convention. Coleman is the first Black person elected to lead the union. Coleman and her slate of officers from across the state, representing educators and support staff from early childhood education through higher education as well as state professional employees, were elected to two-year terms.

PA House Reps. Heather Boyd, Lisa Borowski, and Napoleon Nelson.

DELAWARE COUNTY (March 4, 2025) – Members of the American Federation of Teachers in communities stretching from Philadelphia to Allegheny counties took part in a national day of action to inform and activate members of the public about looming federal education cuts that would hurt Pennsylvania students. Nearly 90% of K-12 students in Pennsylvania are enrolled in public schools, many of which benefit from funding and programmatic support from the U.S. Department of Education.

2024 GENERAL ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS

American Federation of Teachers, Pennsylvania (AFT Pennsylvania)’s 41-member Executive Council on Tuesday released its list of endorsed candidates for federal, statewide, and legislative offices across the Commonwealth. AFT Pennsylvania represents 36,000 educators, paraprofessionals, school staff, nurses, charter school employees, community college faculty, and state employees across 64 locals in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

PFT, AFTPA MEMBERS FIRED UP FOR KAMALA HARRIS-TIM WALZ TICKET

Following is a statement from Arthur Steinberg, president of the American Federation of Teachers Pennsylvania (AFTPA) and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT), on Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris' selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate:

AFT PENNSYLVANIA STATEMENT ON FY24-25 PA BUDGET

Plymouth Meeting, PA – Arthur Steinberg, President of AFT Pennsylvania, issued the following statement on behalf of the more than 36,000 members of the Commonwealth’s statewide affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers on Friday on the FY 2024-2025 state budget signed into law last night:

“The Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget contains significant wins for long-underinvested public-school districts as well as for taxpayers. I’m particularly proud that our members, in coalition with public education supporters across the Commonwealth, blocked an expensive, unaccountable new private-school

AFT Pennsylvania General Counsel Irwin Aronson Remarks at No Vouchers Rally as prepared—June 10, 2024

AFT Pennsylvania General Counsel Irwin Aronson Remarks at No Vouchers Rally as prepared—June 10, 2024

I am Irwin Aronson. I join you today as Counsel to AFT Pennsylvania, a state federation representing 36,000 teachers, paraprofessionals, school staff, higher education faculty and staff, and state workers in 64 local unions, I have the pleasure of counting among our membership the dedicated and committed educators from Pennsylvania’s two largest school districts, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. On behalf of AFT Pennsylvania President, Arthur Steinberg, Secretary/Treasurer, LeShawna Coleman, Our

Remarks at No Vouchers Press Conference as prepared—April 26, 2024

Remarks at No Vouchers Press Conference as prepared—April 26, 2024

As the President of AFT Pennsylvania, a state federation representing 36,000 teachers, paraprofessionals, school staff, higher education faculty and staff, and state workers in 64 local unions, I have the pleasure of counting among our membership the hardworking educators from Pennsylvania’s two largest school districts, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

The COVID-19 pandemic shone a light into the inequities in our public education, inequities that, as has been stated, we know to be in violation of Pennsylvania’s

AFT PENNSYLVANIA STATEMENT ON CYBER CHARTER MORATORIUM LEGISLATION

Arthur Steinberg, President of AFT Pennsylvania, issued the following statement on behalf of the more than 36,000 members of the Commonwealth’s statewide affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers on Wednesday following Pennsylvania Senator Lindsey Williams’ announcement that she will introduce a moratorium on cyber charter approvals:

AFT Pennsylvania Statement on Shapiro Budget Proposal

Plymouth Meeting, PA, Tuesday, February 6, 2024 – Arthur Steinberg, President of AFT Pennsylvania, issued the following statement on behalf of the more than 36,000 members of the Commonwealth’s statewide affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers on Tuesday following Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2024 Budget Address: