Congress

Read more about members of Congress and the polices they enact that impact K-12 education
An art teacher uses the AI tool Google Gemini in her high school classroom, on Jan. 22, 2026, Riverside, Calif.
An art teacher uses the AI tool Google Gemini in her high school classroom, on Jan. 22, 2026, Riverside, Calif.
Damian Dovarganes/AP
Artificial Intelligence Teachers Want 'Guardrails and Guidance' on AI Use, Experts Tell Congress
Technology is evolving faster than policy can keep up, experts tell Congress.
Sarah D. Sparks, February 24, 2026
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3 min read
In this image provided by NAESP, elementary school principals gathered on Capitol Hill recently to meet with their state's congressional delegations in Washington
Elementary school principals gathered on Capitol Hill on Feb. 11, 2026,<ins data-user-label="Madeline Will" data-time="02/12/2026 11:53:27 AM" data-user-id="00000175-2522-d295-a175-a7366b840000" data-target-id=""> </ins>to meet with their state's congressional delegations in Washington. They advocated for lawmakers to protect federal K-12 investments.
John Simms/NAESP
School & District Management On Capitol Hill, Relieved Principals Press for Even More Federal Support
With the fiscal 2026 budget maintaining level K-12 funding, principals look to the future.
Olina Banerji, February 12, 2026
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7 min read
Students look at books during a book fair at Schaumburg Elementary, part of the ReNEW charter network, in New Orleans, Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana have seen a promising turnaround in their student reading scores after passing a series of similar literacy reforms.
Students look at books during a book fair at Schaumburg Elementary, part of the ReNEW charter network, in New Orleans, Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana have seen a promising turnaround in their student reading scores after passing a series of similar literacy reforms.
Gerald Herbert/AP
Reading & Literacy Congress Wants to Know What Makes the 'Science of Reading' Work
Experts noted states' careful implementation—and the key role of federal investment in reading research.
Sarah Schwartz, February 10, 2026
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6 min read
Congress Shutdown 26034657431919
Congress has passed a budget that rejects the Trump administration’s proposals to slash billions of dollars from federal education investments, ending a partial government shutdown. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and fellow House Republican leaders speak ahead of a key budget vote on Feb. 3, 2026.
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
Education Funding Congress Has Passed an Education Budget. See How Key Programs Are Affected
Federal funding for low-income students and special education will remain level year over year.
Mark Lieberman, February 3, 2026
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2 min read
The US Capitol is seen on Jan. 22, 2026, in Washington. Another federal shutdown that could impact education looms and could begin as soon as this weekend.
The U.S. Capitol is seen on Jan. 22, 2026, in Washington. Another federal shutdown that could affect education looms if senators don't pass a funding bill by this weekend.
Mariam Zuhaib/AP
Federal Could Another Federal Shutdown Affect Education? What We Know
After federal agents shot a Minneapolis man on Saturday, Democrats are now pulling support for a spending bill due by Friday.
Mark Lieberman, January 26, 2026
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5 min read
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, strives for a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, pictured on Capitol Hill on Dec. 9, 2025, has asked for details from colleges and universities about whether matriculants possess adequate math skills.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Mathematics Are Students Prepared for College-Level Math? A Senator Wants to Know
Cassidy has asked 35 institutions about incoming students' math abilities, citing a "crisis" in K-12 math education.
Sarah Schwartz, January 23, 2026
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3 min read
Photo collage of U.S. Capitol building and currency.
iStock
Education Funding Rebuking Trump, Congress Moves to Maintain Most Federal Education Funding
Funding for key programs like Title I and IDEA are on track to remain level year over year.
Mark Lieberman, January 20, 2026
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8 min read
Image of students using laptops in the classroom.
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Classroom Technology Should Schools Curtail the Use of Technology? Congress Fuels Debate
Experts told lawmakers ed tech hurts student mental health without improving learning outcomes.
Alyson Klein & Lauraine Langreo, January 15, 2026
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9 min read
Art teacher Lindsay Johnson, center, has students explore how to use generative AI features in Canva at Roosevelt Middle School, on June 25, 2025, in River Forest, Ill. The Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing on Wednesday over the lack of federal regulation and guidance for how schools and other organizations should use AI.
Art teacher Lindsay Johnson, center, has students explore how to use generative AI features in Canva at Roosevelt Middle School, on June 25, 2025, in River Forest, Ill. The U.S. House of Representatives' Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing on Wednesday over the lack of federal regulation and guidance for how schools and other organizations should use AI.
Nam Y. Huh/AP
Artificial Intelligence Fed Regulation of AI Is Virtually Nonexistent. Is This a Problem for Schools?
The Trump administration wants to unleash AI to let it innovate in education and other sectors.
Jennifer Vilcarino, January 14, 2026
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4 min read
Learning helps to achieve goals and success, motivation or ambition to learn new skills, business education concept, smart businessman climbing on a stack of books to see the future.
Fahmi Ruddin Hidayat/iStock/Getty
Federal The Ed. Dept.'s Research Clout Is Waning. Could a Bipartisan Bill Reinvigorate It?
Advanced education research has bipartisan support even as the federal role in it is on the wane.
Sarah D. Sparks, December 12, 2025
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5 min read
Molly Kaldahl (right) and Ava Nkwocha, who attend Millard South High School in Omaha, Neb., meet with their senator’s legislative staff to discuss the National Student Council’s federal legislative agenda on Oct. 28, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Molly Kaldahl, right, and Ava Nkwocha, who attend Millard South High School in Omaha, Neb., meet with the legislative staff of U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., to discuss the National Student Council’s federal legislative agenda on Oct. 28, 2025, in Washington.
Courtesy of Allyssa Hynes/NASSP
Education Funding Students Make Appeals to Congress to Protect K-12 Funding
National Student Council representatives shared perspectives on challenges schools are facing.
Lauraine Langreo, October 30, 2025
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6 min read
Photo of the United States Capitol with overlayed computer circuitry and the letters "AI".
iStock/Getty
Artificial Intelligence Congress Wants to Protect Kids Using AI. Are Their Ideas the Right Ones?
Two bills in Congress aim to build guardrails for kids' use of artificial intelligence.
Alyson Klein, October 30, 2025
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5 min read
North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler announces the gathering of a task force to look into future options the state has for the assessment of students during a press conference May 8, 2015, at the state Capitol in Bismarck, N.D.
North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler speaks at a press conference on May 8, 2015, at the state capitol in Bismarck, N.D. Baesler will serve as assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education after her Tuesday confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP
Federal Senate Confirms Longtime North Dakota Schools Chief for Top Ed. Dept. Role
Senators approved a batch of Trump nominees that also included others to top Education Department posts.
Brooke Schultz, October 7, 2025
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3 min read
The Capitol is seen during rainy weather just days before federal money runs out which could trigger a government shutdown, in Washington, Sept. 25, 2025.
The Capitol is seen during rainy weather on Sept. 25, 2025, just days before federal money runs out, which could trigger a government shutdown. A shutdown that lasts even a few days could have ripple effects for schools across the nation.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Federal How Will a Federal Shutdown Affect Schools? 5 Big Questions, Answered
School funding could experience yet another setback this year if the federal government closes up shop.
Mark Lieberman, September 29, 2025
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9 min read
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