Parents

Education news, analysis, and opinion about how parents and other family members interact with schools and their children’s education
Photo illustration of Supreme Court building and U.S. Constitution.
Education Week + Getty
Law & Courts Opinion How the Supreme Court Is Making Public Education Itself Unconstitutional
In a recent ruling, the high court took a step toward effectively outlawing public schools.
Johann Neem, July 9, 2025
5 min read
Demonstrators are seen outside the Supreme Court as oral arguments are heard in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor on April 22, 2025. The case contends that forcing students to participate in LGBTQ+ learning material violates First Amendment rights to exercise religious beliefs.
Demonstrators are seen outside the Supreme Court as oral arguments are heard in the case of <i>Mahmoud</i> v. <i>Taylor</i> on April 22, 2025. The justices ruled that parents can exercise their religious right to have their children excused from LGBTQ-themed lessons, which has prompted new logistical and practical concerns among teachers.
Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP
Teaching Profession Teachers Face New Burdens After Supreme Court LGBTQ+ Opt-Out Ruling
A Supreme Court ruling allowing parents to opt their children out of certain lessons could add new challenges for teachers.
Elizabeth Heubeck, July 8, 2025
6 min read
Aarnavi Gupta, 8, and her father, Chanchal, review a coding project about a family trip to the beach at “Creative Coding: A Morning of Making” as part of a Remake Learning Days program held at South Fayette Intermediate School on May 23, 2022 in McDonald, Pa.
Aarnavi Gupta, 8, and her father, Chanchal, review a coding project about a family trip to the beach at South Fayette Intermediate School on May 23, 2022 in McDonald, Pa. Providing opportunities for parents and students to learn together can help increase their engagement with the school; some districts are featuring tech tools in these kinds of activities.
Jeff Swensen for Education Week
Families & the Community How One District Uses Tech Nights to Bring Families Into Learning
A technology resource teacher provides tips for creating events that parents will actually attend.
Lauraine Langreo, July 1, 2025
2 min read
Illustration of a grid of closed classroom doors drawn on notebook paper. Door at center of the illustration is open to reveal the orange silhouette of an educator interacting with an orange silhouette of a mother and son shown in a positive and warm landscape environment of greenery and blue skies.
Taylor Callery for Education Week
English Learners ESL Teachers Want More PD on Curriculum and Family Engagement
EdWeek Research Center survey data on teacher morale found English-as-as-second-language teachers seeking specific PD for morale.
Ileana Najarro & Alex Harwin, June 30, 2025
4 min read
Kimberly Thompson, center, listens as Francis Howell School Board members talk in favor of rescinding all previously passed resolutions, including an anti-racism resolution, during a meeting on July 20, 2023 in O'Fallon, Mo. The Francis Howell School Board on Dec. 21, 2023, voted to drop elective Black history and literature courses at the district's high schools. Researchers found an uptick in conflict in school board meetings since 2020, but determined it was most concentrated in large urban and suburban districts.
Kimberly Thompson, center, listens as the school board of the Francis Howell district speak in favor of rescinding all previously passed resolutions, including an anti-racism resolution, on July 20, 2023, in O'Fallon, Mo. New research confirms an uptick in school board conflict in recent years, which peaked during claims beginning in 2021 that schools were teaching critical race theory.
David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP
School & District Management Are School Board Meetings Really Getting More Heated? What a New Study Says
Researchers analyzed video of 100,000 school board meetings to track conflict in education politics.
Evie Blad, June 30, 2025
4 min read
Vegetables and school supplies stir-fry tossed expertly in a wok style pan.
Zara Picken for Education Week
Teaching Profession Opinion No, Teaching Isn’t Customer Service
Treating students and parents as “customers” often means asking teachers to endure disrespect and inflate grades.
Jherine Wilkerson, June 30, 2025
4 min read
D. M. Therrell High School student Ja'Marion Hulin, 17, who runs the school's record company, Panther Records, laughs with another student in the school's podcast recording room on Jan. 27, 2025, in Atlanta.
D. M. Therrell High School student Ja'Marion Hulin, 17, who runs the school's record company, Panther Records, laughs with another student in the school's podcast recording room on Jan. 27, 2025, in Atlanta. Podcasts can be another way for schools to increase family engagement.
Brynn Anderson/AP
Families & the Community Q&A Want to Reach Parents? Try a Podcast
A district technology leader discusses the value of podcasts and how to start one.
Lauraine Langreo, June 30, 2025
3 min read
A group of students work together to solve the problems in their textbook during their precalculus class.
A researcher planned to present his findings about the shortage of Hispanic English learners in schools' gifted and talented programs, at the ISTE Live 25 + ASCD Annual Conference 25 in San Antonio June 29 to July 2.
Allison Shelley for EDUimages<br/>
English Learners Q&A Hispanic English Learners Are Underrepresented in Gifted Programs. What Can Help
A researcher outlines what schools need to do to provide better support for Hispanic English learners and their parents.
Jennifer Vilcarino, June 27, 2025
4 min read
Demonstrators are seen outside the Supreme Court as oral arguments were heard in Mahmoud v. Taylor on April 22, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The case contends that forcing students to participate in LGBTQ+ learning material violates First Amendment rights to exercise religious beliefs.
Demonstrators stand outside the Supreme Court as oral arguments are heard in <i>Mahmoud</i> v. <i>Taylor</i> on April 22, 2025, in Washington. The case contends that forcing students to be exposed to LGBTQ+ curricular material violates parents' First Amendment rights to exercise their religious beliefs.
Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images
Law & Courts Supreme Court Sides With Parents in LGBTQ+ Curriculum Opt-Out Case
The justices ruled in a case on whether parents with religious objections may excuse their children from some curriculum materials.
Mark Walsh, June 27, 2025
7 min read
People walk past the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on June 25, 2025.
People walk past the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on June 25. The court on June 27 is expected to issue the last merits rulings of the term, including in several pending education cases.
Aaron Schwartz/Sipa via AP Images
Law & Courts Supreme Court to Rule on Major K-12 Education Cases Friday
The U.S. Supreme Court will issue its last opinions of the term, including on religious parents opting their children out of the curriculum
Mark Walsh, June 26, 2025
4 min read
Miranda Scully, Director of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) for Fayette County Public Schools, serves food to students and parents during a ACT prep class held at the Family Connection Center on Dec. 12, 2024, in Lexington, Ky. The Family Connection Center offers programs like ESL classes, college preparation, and household budgeting and money management classes. Family engagement is crucial for COVID recovery, but not all in the education field define it in the same way.
Miranda Scully, director of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) for Fayette County Public Schools, serves food to students and parents during a ACT prep class held at the Family Connection Center on Dec. 12, 2024, in Lexington, Ky. The Family Connection Center offers programs like ESL classes, college preparation, and household budgeting and money management classes.
Michael Swensen for Education Week
Families & the Community How to Go Deeper on Family Engagement
There is a discrepancy in understanding what family engagement is and how it can be utilized to support schools in their COVID recovery efforts, according to a new report.
Jennifer Vilcarino, June 23, 2025
5 min read
Image of a parent and child reading together at home.
iStock/Getty
Reading & Literacy Fewer Parents Are Reading Aloud to Their Kids. Why That Matters
Pleasure reading is the best way for emerging readers to maintain their skills in the summer. Getting parents on board can be challenging.
Elizabeth Heubeck, June 12, 2025
5 min read
Los Angeles police officers with batons and riot gear attempt to move back protesters in downtown Los Angeles on June 9, 2025.
Los Angeles police officers with batons and riot gear attempt to move back protesters in downtown Los Angeles on June 9, 2025. Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the district's police force planned to set up "perimeters of safety" around graduation ceremonies this week amid immigration raids in the city, protests, and the activation of National Guard troops and Marines.
Eric Thayer/AP
School & District Management How Los Angeles Schools Are Responding to the ICE Raids and Protests
The school year in Los Angeles is ending amid immigration raids, protests, and the activation of National Guard troops and Marines.
4 min read
Photograph of the front of a schoo lbus driving on a country road with trees, fencing, and a yellow sign reading School Bus Stop Ahead.
iStock/Getty
Families & the Community The Low-Cost, Low-Lift Way These Districts Used to Reduce Student Absences
Dozens of districts tested this strategy as one component of their absenteeism-fighting strategy.
Caitlynn Peetz, June 6, 2025
6 min read