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School & District Management Special Report

New School Year Brings Big Challenges

There’s a lot weighing on educators’ minds heading into the 2026-27 school year, and most expect their jobs to be more difficult this fall.

Results from an exclusive EdWeek Research Center survey show that the top challenges educators anticipate all have to do with students themselves: their behavior, engagement with learning, well-being and mental health, and achievement.
Systemic challenges loom, too.

  • Federal policy turbulence and enrollment declines have magnified the precarity of the state and local funds school districts depend on for the lion’s share of their budgets.
  • Educators think a backlash to technology use in classrooms that’s intensified over the past year will continue to grow.
  • And struggles to boost students’ achievement in reading and math persist, with the “math wars” restarting and schools working to implement still-new laws reforming literacy instruction.

In this special report, Education Week’s expert beat reporters dive into their specialty areas to dissect these challenges and offer educators a preview of 2026-27.




  • Image of a person on a unicycle juggling icons representing: computers, calendar, planning documents, financial documents, desk with lunch bag and coffee mug.
    75% of Educators Expect Student Behavior to Be a Challenge This Year. What Else?
    Students themselves are top of mind, even as districts face financial headwinds and broader uncertainty.
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    An illustration of a teacher and student overlooking blocks that represent bar charts going up, filled with illustrations of numbers, letters, math problems and books.
    The ‘Science of Reading’ Movement Is Evolving. Is Math Next?
    Schools can expect more change—and continued debate—as the push for evidence-based instruction continues.
    Read the Story
    Image of a teacher and student balancing digital and traditional schoolwork approaches.
    Schools Brace for Growing Backlash to Classroom Screen Time
    Many school leaders think a tech reset is overdue, but don't want to dump what's helping kids learn.
    Read the Story
    An illustration of three school leaders at a desk and one is holding an umbrella. They are all looking up into the sky where a sun is peeking through several clouds that are depicting dollar bills.
    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.
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