Policy & Politics

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the legislation, guidance, policies and people involved in federal and state government
States A Bus Driver Blacked Out. Middle School Students Prevented a Crash
A group of Mississippi students grabbed the wheel and hit the brakes after their driver passed out on a highway.
The Associated Press
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1 min read
Every Student Succeeds Act These States Want to Move Away From a 'College for All' Approach to Testing
Two states have pitched changes to their high school assessments to emphasize workforce preparation.
Alyson Klein
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7 min read
Federal McMahon Still Wants to Relocate Special Ed.—And Other Budget Hearing Takeaways
The education secretary also told skeptical lawmakers that Ed. Dept. program transfers are working.
Mark Lieberman
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6 min read
Education Funding Trump Holds Back $2 Billion for Education Grants. What Will Happen Next?
The White House is keeping congressionally approved money locked up through a little-known process.
Mark Lieberman
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11 min read
050626 funding cuts trump schools lieberman fs 2270953986
Getty
Federal Trump Brings the Presidential Physical Fitness Award Back, Reviving Annual Test
Trump is bringing back a competitive fitness test that was a public-school fixture for decades.
The Associated Press
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2 min read
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks as President Donald Trump listens before the signing of a proclamation in the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Education Funding A School Wants a Tornado Shelter. A Federal Grant Keeps Getting in the Way
The district still can't spend a FEMA grant it was originally awarded in 2022.
Mark Lieberman
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9 min read
FemaGrant Maiorella 02
A new gym under construction in Wisconsin's Cuba City school district, pictured April 16, 2026, would have also served as a tornado shelter, thanks to an $8.8 million FEMA grant. But nearly four years after it was awarded the grant, the district still doesn't have the money.
Arthur Maiorella for Education Week
Federal Trump Admin. Doesn't Deem Education Degrees 'Professional' in Student Loan Rule
The regulation confirms new limits on graduate student borrowing under Trump's major policy bill.
Evie Blad
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3 min read
Financial literacy and education concept. A woman looks up at a broken ladder to knowledge.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + iStock/Getty

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Reading & Literacy Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Helping Struggling Students Get Back on Track?
Too many students struggle with reading. Test your knowledge of what works—and discover strategies to help them get back on track.
Science Spotlight Spotlight on STEM That Sticks: How Schools Spark Curiosity and Build Future Skills
Find out how schools are cultivating enthusiasm for STEM learning through family STEM nights, low-cost innovations, and more!


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  • Students use their cellphones as they leave for the day the Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts High School in downtown Los Angeles on Aug. 13, 2024.
    Students use their cellphones as they leave for the day the Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts High School in downtown Los Angeles on Aug. 13, 2024.
    Damian Dovarganes/AP
    Federal A Federal School Cellphone Policy? Big Barriers Stand in the Way
    Other countries have nationwide restrictions, but in the U.S., states and districts have set the agenda.
    Lauraine Langreo, April 21, 2026
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    6 min read
    Remaining letters on the Department of Education on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in Washington.
    Remaining letters on the U.S. Department of Education building in Washington on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Despite the agency's efforts to shift management of many of its programs to the U.S. Department of Labor, key K-12 funds will continue to flow through the Education Department's grants system this summer.
    Allison Robbert/AP
    Education Funding Federal Funds for Schools Will Still Flow Through Ed. Dept. System—For Now
    The Trump administration has been touting its transfer of K-12 programs to the Labor Department.
    Mark Lieberman, April 21, 2026
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    5 min read
    Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer speaks with a reporter at the White House, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Washington.
    Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer speaks with a reporter at the White House, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Washington. Chavez-DeRemer, whose department is in the process of taking over day-to-day management of dozens of federal education programs, resigned from her post on April 20, 2026, amid allegations that she abused her position's power.
    Evan Vucci/AP
    Federal Trump's Labor Secretary Leaves Cabinet After Abuse of Power Allegations
    The department she led has been taking on day-to-day management of dozens of federal K-12 programs.
    The Associated Press, April 21, 2026
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    6 min read
    The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
    Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
    School Choice & Charters Opinion The Forgotten History of the School Choice Movement
    Long before vouchers or charter schools, Americans were already clashing over education options.
    Rick Hess, April 21, 2026
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    9 min read
    Image of the Supreme Court in the background, an LGBTQ flag waving, and symbols of wedding rings with a male and female sign incorporated in the ring shapes.
    Laura Baker/Education Week + Canva
    Law & Courts Supreme Court to Consider Whether Catholic Preschools Can Reject LGBTQ+ Families
    Catholic preschools say Colorado violated religious rights by excluding them from a state-funded program over admission policies.
    The Associated Press, April 20, 2026
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    2 min read
    Democratic Senator Raumesh Akbari hugs a young demonstrator as people gather to protest an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, in Nashville, Tenn. The bill would allow public school systems in Tennessee to require K-12 students without legal status in the country to pay tuition or face denial of enrollment, which is a challenge to the federal law requiring all children be provided a free public education regardless of legal immigration status.
    Democratic state Sen. Raumesh Akbari hugs a young demonstrator as people protest an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol on April 10, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. The legislation is part of a broader push in Tennessee to require schools to collect students’ immigration status, raising concerns among educators about trust, access, and compliance with federal law.
    John Amis/AP
    States 'Not Our Job': Principals Decry a Proposal to Track Student Immigration Status
    A principals group has publicly opposed efforts to require schools to track immigration status.
    Ileana Najarro, April 17, 2026
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    5 min read

EdWeek Market Brief

Education Market Market Analysis Budget Strain, Enrollment Losses and Policy Shifts Complicate Texas’ K–12 Market for Vendors
Deep in West Texas — near the epicenter of the Lone Star State’s oil country — one school system is grappling with a consequential shift: fewer students, tighter budgets, and the process of downsizing.
David Saleh Rauf
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14 min read
Meeting District Needs Exclusive Data What PD Do Teachers Need Right Now? A State-by-State Breakdown
When asked what professional development they need most right now, educators in different states offer a range of answers.
Michelle Caffrey
•
8 min read
Education Market Tracker Curriculum Adoption Cycles: Which States Are Building Approved Lists?
A state-by-state look at which curriculum adoption cycles are up next, and which subjects will be up for review and approvals, tracked by EdWeek Market Brief
Emma Kate Fittes & Maya Riser-Kositsky
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2 min read
Meeting District Needs K-12 Market News Does Virtual Professional Development Tie Directly To Young Students' Academic Outcomes?
A new study explores whether virtually-provided professional development for teachers moves the academic needle for young students
Emma Kate Fittes
•
3 min read
Read More