Explainers

Go deeper on the latest education issues with these explainers from Education Week
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Education Issues, Explained
Browse research-based background explainers on the most important education issues.
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A student in Kalia Yang’s Hmong dual language immersion class reads a book in both Hmong and English at Lake View Elementary School in Madison, Wisc., on May 28th, 2025.
A student in a Hmong dual language immersion class reads a book in both Hmong and English at Lake View Elementary School in Madison, Wis., on May 28, 2025.
Narayan Mahon for Education Week
English Learners Explainer Does Speaking Two Languages Hurt Students? Experts Say No
Experts share insights on what research says about the effect of learning more than one language at once.
Ileana Najarro, May 30, 2025
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4 min read
Illustration of cutting dollar sign with scissors. Concept on the topic of devaluation of money.
iStock/Getty
Education Funding Explainer Trump’s Push to Slash Federal K-12 School Funds, Explained
A rundown of the biggest threats to federal funds for schools, what's allowed and what's not, and how Congress might intervene—or not.
Mark Lieberman, April 24, 2025
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12 min read
Illustration concept of chalkboard with a money symbol drawn and in the background are a people that represent teachers and administrators.
Liz Yap/Education Week and iStock/Getty
Teaching Profession Explainer Teacher Pay, Explained: Salary, Benefits, and Pensions
Learn how teachers are compensated, and the role that states and districts play in setting pay.
Madeline Will, Stephen Sawchuk & Maya Riser-Kositsky, April 17, 2025
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8 min read
Linda McMahon, former Administrator of Small Business Administration, speaks during the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.
Linda McMahon, former Administrator of Small Business Administration, speaks during the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. McMahon is now the nation's 13th secretary of education.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Federal Explainer Linda McMahon, U.S. Secretary of Education: Background and Achievements
Background and highlights of Linda McMahon's tenure as the 13th U.S. Secretary of Education.
Education Week Library Staff, March 4, 2025
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2 min read
Image of flags of the world.
tzahiV/iStock/Getty
Federal Explainer How Many Students May Be Affected by Trump's Immigration Policies?
Schools don't track student's immigration status due to federal law that grants undocumented students the right to a free, public education.
Ileana Najarro, February 24, 2025
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4 min read
Illustration of a middle school or high school age male sitting at the bottom of a staircase reading with hand drawn math formulas an the walls leading up the stairs to a brightly lit lightbulb.
iStock/Getty
Mathematics Explainer Why So Many Students Struggle With Math Anxiety—and How to Help
Math anxiety holds students back from reaching their potential. Experts share insights on the problem and strategies to combat it.
Elizabeth Heubeck, February 21, 2025
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6 min read
Students at Valencia Newcomer School wait to change classes Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, in Phoenix. Children from around the world are learning the English skills and American classroom customs they need to succeed at so-called newcomer schools. Valencia Newcomer School in Phoenix is among a handful of such public schools in the United States dedicated exclusively to helping some of the thousands of children who arrive in the country annually.
Students at Valencia Newcomer School wait to change classes Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, in Phoenix. Children from around the world are learning the English skills and American classroom customs they need to succeed at so-called newcomer schools. Under a 1982 Supreme Court precedent, public schools can't charge tuition to children who are new arrivals in the United States.
Ross D. Franklin/AP
Law & Courts Explainer Undocumented Students Have the Right to a Free Education. This Is Why
A landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling protected undocumented students' access to free public education. Some lawmakers seek to overturn it.
Ileana Najarro, November 15, 2024
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8 min read
Linear Style iconic illustration of mentoring and training in an abstract pattern.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty + Education Week
Recruitment & Retention Explainer 4 Things to Know About the Messy Landscape of Grow-Your-Own Teacher Prep
From residencies and apprenticeships to disparate grow-your-own programs, locally focused teacher preparation is in flux.
Sarah D. Sparks, October 28, 2024
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7 min read
The U.S. Department of Education, in Washington, D.C., pictured on February 21, 2021.
The U.S. Department of Education, in Washington, D.C., pictured on February 21, 2021.
Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via AP Images
Federal Explainer The U.S. Department of Education, Explained
There's a lot of talk—again—about eliminating the U.S. Department of Education. Here's what it does and how it works.
Libby Stanford, October 14, 2024
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11 min read
An adult holds a child's hand in front of a large grid representing neurodiversity. Some tiles are missing, where it's hard to explain.
Nix Ren for Education Week
Special Education Explainer Talking to Students About Their Learning Differences: A Guide for Teachers
Teachers who talk to kids about why learning is difficult equips students to understand themselves and become their own advocates.
Arianna Prothero, October 7, 2024
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13 min read
budget school funding
iStock/Getty
School Choice & Charters Explainer How States Use Tax Credits to Fund Private School Choice: An Explainer
Twenty-one states have programs that give tax credits for donations to organizations that grant private-school scholarships.
Mark Lieberman, October 4, 2024
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12 min read
Broken piggy bank with adhesive bandage on the table
iStock/Getty
Education Funding Explainer How One Grant Can Help Schools Recover From Shootings
Schools can leverage a little-known emergency grant to recover from violence or a natural disaster. Here’s how.
Olina Banerji, September 19, 2024
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9 min read
A collage of two faceless students sitting on an open book with a notebook and laptop. All around them are numbers, math symbols and pieces of an actual student transcript.
Nadia Radic for Education Week
Assessment Explainer What Is Standards-Based Grading, and How Does It Work?
Schools can retool to make instruction more personalized and student-centered. But grading is a common sticking point.
Matthew Stone, September 16, 2024
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11 min read
Montage of news photos highlight protestors of school choice, a bible on a classroom desk, the U.S. Capitol building and protestors of CRT
Getty + AP
Policy & Politics Explainer Education Debates You'll Likely Hear About in the Election, Explained
Brush up on key education policy issues that could show up in national, state, and local races.
Stephen Sawchuk, August 26, 2024
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4 min read
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