The school year is finishing up in districts around the country, the Education Department is busily reviewing reams of No Child Left Behind waiver-renewal applications, everyone in the universe is running for president ... and it’s Friday!

Here are some good reads and tidbits to get you through the weekend:

•Michael Yudin, who has worn a variety of hats, including acting assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education, at the U.S. Department of Education managed to get an honest-to-goodness Senate confirmation this week as assistant secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Education Secretary Arne Duncan send around a nice note about Yudin to Education Department staff.

“His wealth of personal experience and passion for equity have made Michael a major asset to the department since he joined us in 2010,” Duncan wrote. “As assistant secretary, Michael will continue his commitment to improving results and outcomes for people with disabilities of all ages.”

And in other Ed Department personnel news, have you been wondering where Jim Shelton, the former deputy secretary of education landed? My colleague Sean Cavanagh has the answer. And the Washington Post has more on recent hires at the Education Department, including Melissa Salmanowitz, who served as a spokeswoman for District of Columbia Public Schools and Rep. George Miller, and Matt Lehrich, who worked on edu-communications at the White House.

•Not exactly a political issue, but an important edu-question: Are online schools better for teen moms? The Hechinger Report explores.

•Fresh off its meeting with three contenders for the Democratic nomination this week, the American Federation of Teachers is launching a digital advertising buy in New Hampshire, in an effort to raise the profile of education issues in the 2016 primary. It will run on social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, as well as in local papers, like the Concord Monitor. How much did it cost? A “substantial” amount, AFT says. Check out the ad here.

•Teachers are more likely to support Democrats, but school bus drivers are more likely to lean GOP, according to Mike Antonucci of EIA. (Hat tip to super tweeter Mike Petrilli of the Fordham Institute for the link.)

•In case you missed it, my colleague Steve Sawchuk has a great summary of the Education Department’s long-awaited report on the distribution of highly qualified teachers. Spoiler alert: High poverty schools still don’t get their fair share.