Register today to attend our union’s most exciting biennial conference providing both worksite leader and professional development workshops. Texas AFT's Bridges Institute hosts our biennial Regional Leadership Conferences. Our Bridges Institute is a 501(c)3 nonprofit devoted to providing professional development opportunities for Texas public school employees.

DETAILS TO ATTEND
- $35 per person registration (includes lunch, beverage service, and networking reception)
- Payment via credit card and/or choose "Invoice My Local Union" for local union direct billing
- Deadline to register for each RLC is 24-hours prior to the start of the event
- No refunds will be provided; however, a credit will be applied for an alternate participant
- RLC activities are provided for Texas AFT members

IT TAKES ALL OF US: COLLECTIVE POWER WINS
Our fight to thrive is about creating respectful working conditions with more planning time, fewer added duties and extra paperwork, resources to prevent burnout before it starts, and a defined workday that doesn’t require us to sacrifice our personal lives for our jobs. Our union’s professional development and advocacy programs help members create a school culture that allows both employees and students to thrive. Visit our ALL-IN campaign website today.

LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS

Worksite Leaders 1 (Full Day Workshop)
This session is designed for new and emerging worksite leaders who want to strengthen union power at their workplace. We will begin by focusing on the one-on-one organizing conversation—a core skill for engaging potential members, activating current members, and developing activists into leaders. Using raps, participants will have opportunities to practice these conversations and receive feedback.

The session will then cover the essential responsibilities of a building representative, including:

- Mapping the worksite to understand relationships and member connections
- When and how to highlight member benefits in the context of organizing
- Leading effective 10-minute meetings

By the end, participants will leave with practical tools and strategies to build stronger, more organized worksites.

Worksite Leaders 2 (Full Day Workshop)
This session is designed for experienced worksite leaders who already understand the fundamentals of the role. Participants should have a track record of keeping members informed about issues and events, demonstrating commitment to their union, and engaging in at least some organizing around workplace concerns.

The session will strengthen their ability to build union power at the worksite by:

- Refining one-on-one organizing conversation skills
- Developing and supporting a strong worksite team
- Learning how to assess and engage members effectively
- Organizing around key worksite issues
- Designing and launching a worksite campaign

By the end, participants will leave with advanced strategies to deepen member involvement and drive collective action.

Ensuring Due Process for Support Professionals (Full Day Workshop)
This session is designed specifically for support staff and will focus on understanding and protecting due process rights in the workplace. Participants will explore what due process means, why it matters, and how it applies to support staff in disciplinary or evaluative situations. The session will provide practical tools to help staff recognize when due process is at risk, strategies to advocate for fair treatment, and guidance on navigating policies and procedures effectively.

By the end of the session, participants will:

- Understand the principles of due process and how they apply to support staff
- Learn how to document and respond to workplace concerns
- Gain strategies for ensuring fairness and transparency in disciplinary actions
- Build confidence in advocating for themselves and their colleagues

This session empowers support staff to safeguard their rights and strengthen their role within the workplace community.

Elected Leaders: Together at the Table, Together in the Fight (Officers and Executive Board Only | Full Day Workshop)
The elected leaders course explores how unions can move from transactional “servicing” models to transformational organizing that builds lasting solidarity. Leaders will learn to craft compelling Stories of Self and Us to inspire collective action, recognize functional and dysfunctional group roles using the framework of Benne and Sheats, and apply strategies for engaging executive boards through clear expectations, barrier removal, and practical systems that foster a culture of action. Designed for elected leaders, the course blends theory with hands-on tools to strengthen leadership and drive meaningful change.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS BY RLC LOCATION

AI for Educators: Empowering the Profession Through Innovation and Advocacy (Houston, TX / CPE Credit Provided)
Discover how Artificial Intelligence can enhance teaching, support students, and strengthen professional practice. This interactive session introduces practical AI tools that improve instruction while highlighting how AFT is advocating for educators in the evolving digital landscape. Participants will explore classroom applications, discuss ethical considerations, and learn how collective action ensures AI serves as a tool for empowerment rather than replacement. This session is perfect for members interested in innovation, equity, and professional growth that enhances their AI user skills.

Please bring your tablet or laptop to enjoy a complete hands-on experience.  

Empowering Educators with Share My Lesson & Colorín Colorado: Explore, Adapt, and Collaborate (Houston, TX / CPE Credit Provided)
This course guides educators through the vast and dynamic virtual resource ecosystem of Share My Lesson and Colorín Colorado, enabling you to discover high-quality instructional materials, adapt them to meet your learners’ needs, and engage in a community of practice that fosters continuous growth. Whether you teach PreK or higher education, work in special education or as a paraprofessional, or support learners as a caregiver or instructional support professional, you will gain the tools, strategies, and networks to enrich your classroom, enhance student engagement, and deepen your professional practice.

Please bring your tablet or laptop to enjoy a complete hands-on experience.  

Transforming Your Teacher Identity - Who am I as an Educator? (San Antonio, TX / CPE Credit Provided)
Using a variety of interactive strategies, educators will explore how various aspects of their personal and social identities uniquely form who they are as professionals and impact teaching and learning, Course resources will support professional growth through an examination of research-based approaches to building teacher efficacy and agency and working collectively with all stakeholders to foster successful relationships with students, peers and families. This learning module is designed to activate self-reflection, spark thought-provoking discussion and transform how educators prepare to meet the demands of the profession while making a collaged culture tree.

Building in Brain Breaks (San Antonio, TX / CPE Credit Provided)
Learn about fun, creative and musical ways to build in productive brain breaks for your students and classroom community. This dynamic and interactive professional development workshop is designed for early childhood and educators of all experience levels, including those with no prior musical background. It provides practical strategies and a research-based curriculum to help teachers integrate music and movement activities into their daily routine.

Mindfulness and Meditation (McAllen, TX & Dallas, TX / CPE Credit Provided)
In this class, you will be guided through powerful techniques that are proven to calm the nervous system and foster emotional resilience.

What You Will Learn:

- Gratitude Meditation
- Self-Compassion Practices
- Targeted Breathing Exercises

Leave the session feeling more centered, refreshed, and equipped with valuable tools to bring a sense of peace and balance into your everyday life.

Share My Lesson: Empowering Educators with Share My Lesson: Explore, Adapt, and Collaborate (McAllen, TX & Dallas, TX / CPE Credit Provided)
This course guides educators through the vast and dynamic virtual resource ecosystem of Share My Lesson, enabling you to discover high-quality instructional materials, adapt them to meet your learners’ needs, and engage in a community of practice that fosters continuous growth. Whether you teach PreK or higher education, work in special education or as a paraprofessional, or support learners as a caregiver or instructional support professional, you will gain the tools, strategies, and networks to enrich your classroom, enhance student engagement, and deepen your professional practice.

Please bring your tablet or laptop to enjoy a complete hands-on experience.