Policy & Politics

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the legislation, guidance, policies and people involved in federal and state government
Federal Changes to Student Loans Took Effect July 1. Here's What to Know
The changes mean the end of some payment plans and new limits for graduate loans.
The Associated Press
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5 min read
Federal Ed. Dept. Leaves Most K-12 Fields Off Expanded List of 'Professional' Degrees
Whether a degree is considered "professional" now determines how much graduate students can borrow.
Matthew Stone
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4 min read
Law & Courts Judges Strike Down Trump Admin.'s Student Loan Forgiveness Overhaul
Two judges sided with advocates who said the program risked becoming a tool for political retribution.
The Associated Press
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3 min read
Education Funding Explainer Big Changes to Federal Grants Are Coming: What They Could Mean for Schools
The White House is proposing sweeping regulatory changes for federal grantmaking.
Mark Lieberman
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11 min read
The Eisenhower Executive Office Building is seen from the Washington Monument, on May 26, 2026, in Washington.
The Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which houses the White House Office of Management and Budget, is seen from the Washington Monument, on May 26, 2026, in Washington. OMB has proposed a sweeping set of regulatory changes would add new restrictions on grant-funded efforts that clash with Trump administration policy positions and give political appointees new powers in federal grantmaking.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Law & Courts What Schools Need to Know About the Supreme Court’s Transgender Sports Ruling
The justices upheld two state laws that bar transgender girls from participating in female sports.
Mark Walsh
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10 min read
A group prays outside of the Supreme Court ahead of the court's ruling on whether transgender girls and women can play on school athletic teams, on June 30, 2026, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
A group prays outside of the U.S. Supreme Court ahead of the court's ruling on whether transgender girls and women can play on school athletic teams, on June 30, 2026, in Washington. The court upheld two state laws barring transgender girls from joining girls' school sports teams.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
Federal See What's in Trump Commission's Religious Freedom Agenda for Schools
Panel recommends federal guidance on parents' opt-out rights, Ten Commandments displays, and other features.
Evie Blad
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8 min read
West Bloomfield team members huddle as defensive line coach Justin Ibe leads a team prayer before the game against Eisenhower, Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in West Bloomfield, Mich.
West Bloomfield team members huddle as defensive line coach Justin Ibe leads a team prayer before a game Oct. 21, 2022, in West Bloomfield, Mich. A federal religious liberty commission recently called for "know your rights" posters to inform public school students of their rights to prayer and religious expression.
Carlos Osorio/AP
States The Nation's Largest State Strips Most Power From Elected Schools Superintendent
The state superintendent's authority will transfer to an appointee of the governor starting next year.
Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times
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5 min read
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, gives his last May revise in the Swing Space on Thursday, May 14, 2026 , in Sacramento, Calif.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks in Sacramento, Calif., on May 14, 2026. Newsom and legislative leaders pushed for a policy passed as part of the state budget that will scale back the authority of the elected state superintendent.
Hector Amezcua/The Sacramento Bee via TNS

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More Policy & Politics

  • An empty Chicago Public Schools classroom is seen on Dec. 15, 2025 .
    An empty Chicago public school classroom is seen on Dec. 15, 2025. Schools in Illinois are preparing to lay off staff as fallout from federal grant cuts continues.
    Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via TNS
    Education Funding Schools Lay Off Staff as Lawsuits Challenging Federal Grant Cuts Continue
    Recent lawsuits have challenged federal grant cuts affecting special education and English-learner teachers.
    Mark Lieberman, July 1, 2026
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    6 min read
    Katherine Alfaro works with students at Russellville Elementary School, in Russellville, Ala., Aug. 9, 2022. Alfaro is an aide for English Language Learner students, many of whom speak Spanish at home. Russellville schools have the highest percentage of English Language Learners of any district in the state, and officials there have invested in aides and teachers who know how to work with those students.
    Katherine Alfaro works with students at Russellville Elementary School, in Russellville, Ala., Aug. 9, 2022. Alfaro is an aide for English learners, many of whom speak Spanish at home. English-learner education is not immune to anti-DEI policies and politics, according to a new research study.
    Rebecca Griesbach/AL.com via AP
    States Anti-DEI Efforts Reshape How States Serve English Learners
    A new research study shed light on how anti-DEI policies affect English-learner education.
    Ileana Najarro, June 30, 2026
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    5 min read
    Members of the Supreme Court sit for a group portrait in Washington, Oct. 7, 2022. Bottom row, from left, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Samuel Alito and Justice Elena Kagan. Top row, from left, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Justice Neil Gorsuch, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. The Supreme Court justices will take the bench Monday, July 1, 2024, to release their last few opinions of the term, including their most closely watched case: whether former President Donald Trump has immunity from criminal prosecution.
    Members of the Supreme Court sit for a group portrait in Washington, Oct. 7, 2022. Bottom row, from left, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Samuel Alito, and Justice Elena Kagan. Top row, from left, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Justice Neil Gorsuch, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. The high court, on June 30, 2026, rejected President Donald Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship.
    J. Scott Applewhite/AP
    Law & Courts Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship, Rejecting Trump's Proposed Limits
    The justices relied on the 14th Amendment and federal law to rule that anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen.
    The Associated Press, June 30, 2026
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    4 min read
    People advocate for a ban on transgender women and girls participating in women's and girls' sports outside the U.S. Supreme Court building as the court announced decisions in Washington, on June 29, 2026.
    People advocate for a ban on transgender women and girls participating in women's and girls' sports outside the U.S. Supreme Court building as the court announced decisions in Washington, on June 29, 2026. The Supreme Court ruled on June 30, 2026, that states may enforce laws restricting transgender athletes’ participation on girls’ and women’s sports teams.
    Francis Chung/Politico via AP
    Law & Courts States Can Ban Transgender Athletes, Supreme Court Decides
    The court ruled that state bans in Idaho and West Virginia don’t violate the Constitution or Title IX.
    The Associated Press, June 30, 2026
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    3 min read
    Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., conducts a news conference with members of the Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC), during the House Democrats 2025 Issues Conference at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Va., on March 14, 2025. Reps. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., left, and Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., are also pictured.
    Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., conducts a news conference with members of the Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC), during the House Democrats 2025 Issues Conference at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Va., on March 14, 2025. Reps. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., left, and Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., are also pictured.
    Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP
    Federal Oregon Rep. Says Linda McMahon Has ‘Betrayed Students,’ Pushes Impeachment
    The Democratic lawmaker cited the transfer of programs to other agencies as reason to oust the ed. secretary.
    Alissa Gary, oregonlive.com, June 25, 2026
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    1 min read
    Graduates in the School of Education hold up books as their degrees are conferred during Harvard's 371st Commencement, on May 26, 2022, in Cambridge, Mass.
    Graduates in the School of Education hold up books during Harvard's 371st Commencement on May 26, 2022, in Cambridge, Mass. The Trump administration excluded education fields when it set a definition of "professional" degree to implement a new law instituting graduate student borrowing limits.
    Mary Schwalm/AP
    Law & Courts Judge Voids Trump Admin. Rule Excluding Education From ‘Professional’ Degrees
    A judge ruled the agency didn't have the authority to adopt such a narrow definition.
    Matthew Stone, June 25, 2026
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    4 min read

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EdWeek Market Brief

Meeting District Needs Exclusive Data How Steep Enrollment Declines Are Now — And What It Means for District Decisionmaking
A significant portion of K-12 administrators across the country say the decisions they make moving forward will be shaped by the enrollment declines their districts are experiencing, a new EdWeek Market Brief survey finds.
Emma Kate Fittes
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5 min read
Strategy & Operations Industry Insight Why Evidence-Backed Ed-Tech Tools Often Struggle to Reach Scale
School districts spend billions of dollars each year on ed-tech tools and learning resources intended to improve student outcomes.
David Saleh Rauf
•
7 min read
Meeting District Needs Special Report What's Next for K-12 Assessment: The Demand For Innovation In K-12 Testing
EdWeek Market Brief's new special report looks at the growing demand among K-12 officials for new and different approaches to assessment, and the new momentum behind these efforts to innovate.
Emma Kate Fittes
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1 min read
Meeting District Needs K-12 Market News The Phrase K-12 Officials Are Sick of Hearing When Talking About Innovating on a Budget
A panel at ISTELive offered insight into just how sensitive discussions about efficiency and funding can be for district, state, and federal education leaders.
Emma Kate Fittes
•
4 min read
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