Policy & Politics

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the legislation, guidance, policies and people involved in federal and state government
Federal Trump Overhaul Could Gut Head Start Preschool Standards
The plan would shrink Head Start's 100-plus pages of regulations to about a dozen.
The Associated Press
•
5 min read
Education Funding From the Feds on Down, School Funding Is Uncertain. What to Know
Federal turbulence during the Trump administration highlights the precarity of state and local funding, too.
Mark Lieberman
•
7 min read
Education Funding Trump Cut Their Education Grants. Here’s What Happened Next
Grantees whose work ground to a halt last year lament broken promises and abandoned projects.
Mark Lieberman
•
15 min read
Federal Trump Signs Executive Order Calling for Spacing Out Childhood Vaccines
The order calls for splitting the MMR vaccine into three separate shots, a sequence not currently available in the U.S.
The Associated Press
•
3 min read
President Donald Trump speaks as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., right, and Jayme Franklin listen during a meeting to sign an executive order about vaccines, Monday, Aug. 10, 2026, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.
President Donald Trump speaks as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., right, and Jayme Franklin listen during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Aug. 10, 2026. Trump signed an executive order to change childhood vaccination schedules.
Jacquelyn Martin/ AP Photo
Law & Courts Judge Orders Meta to Build New Child Safeguards. Advocates Hope Other Courts Follow
The new online safety measures would include a monthly time limit and AI chatbot restrictions.
The Associated Press
•
6 min read
Mark Zuckerberg talks about the Orion AR glasses during the Meta Connect conference on Sept. 25, 2024, in Menlo Park, Calif.
Mark Zuckerberg talks about the Orion AR glasses during the Meta Connect conference on Sept. 25, 2024, in Menlo Park, Calif.
Godofredo A. Vasquez/AP Photo
Education Funding Video What's in Store for School Funding for 2026-27?
A new education tax credit, federal budget negotiations, and more are in store.
Mark Lieberman, Marvin Joseph & Yi-Jo Shen
•
1 min read
The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. on Friday, July 17, 2026.
The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. on Friday, July 17, 2026.
Eric Lee for Education Week
Education Funding Trump's Education Department Is Letting Tens of Millions of Dollars Expire
Education Week found the agency didn't spend its full budget last year and appears on track to do so again.
Mark Lieberman
•
10 min read
A collage-style illustration of images of the U.S. Department of Education building, the U.S. Capitol building, and dollar bills on top of a wooden school desktop with a pencil on it and a school bus underneath. The dollar bills appear to have been punched out with a hole punch in a few areas, and those missing circles are sprinkled on the desk and school bus below.
Illustration by Emily Wright for Education Week + Getty

Events

Tue., August 11, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar Grow Leaders, Keep Teachers: Leadership Development as a Staffing Strategy
Find out how to turn leadership development into a staffing strategy and grow your next generation of school leaders from within.
Content provided by Frontline Education
Register
Tue., August 18, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Teaching Webinar Closing the Practice Gap: Essential Insights for Leaders
Three instructional experts will share strategies for making students’ reading and math practice more engaging and impactful this year.
Content provided by Renaissance
Register
Tue., September 29, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar The Principal's Role in Collective Efficacy and Student Outcomes
Learn practical strategies that help principals translate their confidence into stronger collective teacher efficacy and student outcomes.
Content provided by Otus
Register
See More Events

More Policy & Politics

  • DFreeman EDW CH 041
    U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., listens as Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., speaks during a Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee session on July 30, 2026 in the U.S. Capitol in Washington. The committee voted to advance a measure that would block many of the Trump administration's transfers of Education Department programs to other agencies.
    Demetrius Freeman for Education Week
    Federal Senate Panel Advances Bill to Block Much of Trump Admin.’s Ed. Dept. Dismantling
    The bill pushes back, but only partially, against Trump's efforts to end the 46-year-old department.
    Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, July 30, 2026
    •
    5 min read
    CapitalCity004B
    Seniors line up during their graduation rehearsal at the Capital City Public Charter School in Washington on June 11, 2026. A new analysis breaks down the number of students in each state who could qualify for financial awards under the new federal tax-credit scholarship program launching next year. The awards could cover private school tuition as well as certain expenses for traditional public and charter school students.
    Marvin Joseph/Education Week
    School Choice & Charters Vast Majority of Students Could Qualify for Trump's School Choice Program
    Although most students are expected to be eligible, four factors will shape its ultimate size.
    Matthew Stone, July 30, 2026
    •
    7 min read
    FILE - A crowd fills the Wisconsin Capitol rotunda on the fifth day of labor demonstrations, Feb. 16, 2011, in Madison, Wis. Thousands came to protest the governor's proposal to eliminate collective bargaining for most public workers. Seven unions representing teachers and other public workers in Wisconsin filed a lawsuit Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, attempting to end the state's near-total ban on collective bargaining for most public employees.
    A crowd protesting legislation to significantly curb collective bargaining in Wisconsin fills the state Capitol rotunda on the fifth day of labor demonstrations on Feb. 16, 2011, in Madison, Wis. The proposal passed and has been in place for 15 years, and a lawsuit seeking to end it is now headed to the state's high court.
    Craig Schreiner/Wisconsin State Journal via AP
    Law & Courts Wisconsin's Appeals Court Overturns Ruling That Had Restored Collective Bargaining Power
    Unions are expected to appeal, sending the case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which is controlled by liberal justices.
    The Associated Press, July 30, 2026
    •
    4 min read
    Florida SexEd Curriculum 24267748051016
    Materials for teens and parents on pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections provided by Teen Health Mississippi are displayed on Sept. 26, 2023, in Jackson, Miss. Dozens of organizations nationwide that ran teen pregnancy prevention efforts had their federal funding abruptly terminated last month.
    Rogelio V. Solis/AP Photo
    Education Funding School Pregnancy Prevention Efforts Shut Down as Trump Emphasizes Abstinence
    The administration has canceled funding for more than 50 teen pregnancy prevention programs.
    Mark Lieberman & Lauraine Langreo, July 29, 2026
    •
    9 min read
    Hudson, 7, left, Callahan, 13, middle, and Keegan Pruente, 10, right, stand outside their school on their first Monday home during the new four-day school week on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023, in Independence, Mo. Hundreds of school systems around the country have adopted four-day weeks in recent years, mostly in rural and western parts of the U.S. Districts cite cost savings and advantages for teacher recruitment. Still, some experts question the effects on students who already missed out on significant learning during the pandemic.
    Three siblings stand outside their school on their first Monday home during a new four-day school week in Independence, Mo., on Sept. 11, 2023. Four-day school weeks have risen in popularity in recent years, though states have started to limit when school systems can switch to the abbreviated schedule.
    Nick Ingram/AP
    States States Start to Crack Down on 4-Day School Weeks
    Measures limiting when schools can adopt shortened schedules center on maintaining academic achievement.
    Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, July 28, 2026
    •
    4 min read
    A look at the state of teaching with English learner students in Antioch, Tenn.
    English learners work through disecting a speech at John F. Kennedy Middle School in Antioch, Tenn. on Dec. 3, 2025. National professional development grants focus on developing more teachers to work with these students.
    William DeShazer for Education Week
    Education Funding Federal English-Learner Grant Returns This Fall Under New Oversight
    The national professional development grant program has experienced upheaval in the last year.
    Ileana Najarro, July 27, 2026
    •
    4 min read

Resources

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Sponsor The Real Lesson From Students: Trust Is the New Premium
Students and educators use AI but trust human-authored sources, verifying information to build deeper understanding and confidence.
Content provided by Scribd
College & Workforce Readiness Spotlight Spotlight on What Works: How District Leaders Are Redefining Student Readiness
See how districts are balancing college prep, career pathways, AI, and academic rigor to prepare students for success.
Professional Development Spotlight Spotlight on the New Playbook for Professional Learning: Coaching, Collaboration, and Technology
Learn how sustained, collaborative PD, high-quality instructional materials, and emerging AI tools are reshaping educator learning.
Special Education Spotlight Spotlight on the Future of Special Education: Compliance, Data, and Transformation
Special ed is evolving fast, driven by compliance, data, accessible tech, and smarter supports for students with disabilities.
  • EL 20260717 EducationWeekAFT109
    The Department of Education headquarters in Washington on July 17, 2026. The Trump administration has been transferring day-to-day management of the agency's programs to other Cabinet-level departments. The administration recently announced the transfer of its civil rights enforcement arm to the Department of Justice.
    Eric Lee for Education Week
    Federal Ed. Dept. Shifts Civil Rights to the Justice Dept.: What It Means for Schools
    The office for civil rights has already changed dramatically. What more will change in the Justice Dept.?
    Alyson Klein, July 27, 2026
    •
    13 min read
    Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought testifies during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in Washington.
    Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought testifies during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill, on June 30, 2026, in Washington. Proposed changes to federal administration of grants have raised concerns among school groups.
    Mariam Zuhaib/AP
    Federal K-12 Community Urges Trump Administration to Rethink Grant Rule Changes
    About 500,000 public comments, including those from school districts, have poured in about proposed rule changes.
    Mark Walsh, July 21, 2026
    •
    8 min read
    Collage of a school building, files, maps, and pinpoints on the map.
    Collage by Laura Baker/Education Week + Canva
    Federal The Ed. Department Calls for a Crackdown on Teacher Sexual Misconduct
    The agency released new guidance for schools and launched 20 new probes into school districts.
    Caitlynn Peetz Stephens & Olina Banerji, July 17, 2026
    •
    5 min read
    A collage showing the dome top of the U.S. Capitol building and the facade of a high school building. An image of a hand holding a magnifying glass over a stack of documents is emerging between the two buildings.
    Illustration by Emily Wright for Education Week + Getty
    Federal Opinion Why Local Control Over Education Won't Work Without Federal Support
    The Trump administration's retreat leaves local education leaders vulnerable.
    Dan Goldhaber & Vivian Wong, July 16, 2026
    •
    6 min read
    APTOPIX America 250 26184689017796
    A flight of fighter jets fly past a picture of President Donald Trump hanging on the U.S. Department of Labor near the Great American State Fair on the National Mall on July 3, 2026, in Washington. The Labor Department has assumed day-to-day management of many K-12 programs as the Trump administration dismantles the Education Department.
    Nathan Howard/AP Photo
    Federal New GOP Bills Would Permanently Shift Ed. Dept. Programs to Other Agencies
    The bills represent the most significant step so far among Republicans to nix the Education Department.
    Alyson Klein, July 10, 2026
    •
    5 min read
    Commencement Ceremony 25353687159009
    Graduates of Maryland's Towson University celebrate their commencement during a ceremony on Dec. 17, 2025. A new analysis finds that educators studying to become administrators could be hit hardest by new federal caps on student borrowing for graduate students.
    Robyn Stevens Brody/Sipa via AP Images
    Federal The Principal Pipeline Could Contract Under New Federal Borrowing Caps
    A new analysis finds that new student loan limits would hit prospective administrators hardest.
    Mark Walsh, July 9, 2026
    •
    4 min read

EdWeek Market Brief

Strategy & Operations Exclusive Data Should K-12 Vendors Reach Out to Districts For Feedback After Losing An RFP?
New EdWeek Market Brief survey data explores whether records requests, phone calls, or other outreach after the buying process ends hurts a vendor relationship.
Emma Kate Fittes
•
5 min read
Product Development Industry Insight What Education Products Do Students Say are Worth Using? We Asked Them
Students share about what they value in the products they use, where those tools fall short, and how companies can better design for end users.
Alexandria Ng
•
6 min read
Education Market Market Analysis New York’s K-12 Market: Districts Face New Policies, Priorities, and Pressures
School districts are facing new graduation requirements, a push for evidence-based literacy, and new financial pressures.
Alexandria Ng
•
11 min read
Strategy & Operations K-12 Dealmaking Engage2learn Acquires Instructional Coaching Group; DeweyLearn Raises $5M Series A
AI literacy-focused company Imagi also raised $4.5 million in its seed round, including from angel investor Will.i.am.
Alexandria Ng
•
3 min read
Read More