Policy & Politics

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the legislation, guidance, policies and people involved in federal and state government
Federal Inside Trump's Full-Force Approach to Ban Trans Athletes and DEI in Schools
Trump’s return to the White House has brought a new era of aggressive investigations of entities that flout the president's orders.
8 min read
Federal Letter to the Editor Public Education Benefits the American Worker and the American Economy
Our nation’s schools are central to our nation’s health and future, says this letter to the editor.
1 min read
Federal Opinion Federal Education Research Has Been 'Shredded.' What's Driving This?
How to understand why the Trump administration's axe fell so heavily on the Institute of Education Sciences.
8 min read
Education Funding White House Proposes Eliminating Head Start Funding in Sweeping Budget Cuts
The proposal highlights the Trump administration’s priorities as it seeks a greater overhaul of education in the United States.
3 min read
Family Educator Lisa Benson-Nuyen, addresses her students in a circle in the Northern Lights classroom at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska.
Family Educator Lisa Benson-Nuyen, addresses her students in a circle in the Northern Lights classroom at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, on Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska.
Lindsey Wasson/AP
School Choice & Charters Texas Is Poised to Create a Massive Private School Choice Program
The bill’s passage represents a major shift in the state.
budget school funding
iStock/Getty
Law & Courts Supreme Court Faces Big Test on Religious Students' Opt-Outs From LGBTQ+ Books
The justices will weigh whether a school district must allow parents with religious objections to LGBTQ+ books to excuse their children.
9 min read
Jeff Roman works on homework with his son.
Jeff Roman, a parent who has religious concerns about LGBTQ+ storybooks used in the Montgomery County, Md., school district, works on homework with his son.
Courtesy of Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
Federal Viral AI Gaffe and Ed. Dept. Cuts: How Educators View Linda McMahon So Far
Here's what educators think about the education secretary's performance so far.
6 min read
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon speaks at the ASU+GSV Summit at the Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego on April 8, 2025.
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon speaks at the ASU+GSV Summit at the Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego on April 8, 2025.
Ariana Drehsler for Education Week

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Deep Dive: Supporting Tutors So They Can Support Students
As tutoring gains traction in schools, district leaders face critical questions: where to find tutors and how to support them. Education experts share best practices for building effective, sustainable tutoring programs. The abridged article below is the first in an ongoing series focused on real-world challenges and solutions for implementing successful tutoring programs on a large scale.
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School & District Management Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Marketing To District and School Leaders at Conferences and Trade Shows?
Think you know what catches a K-12 leader’s eye at conferences? Take this quiz and test your marketing savvy.
Student Well-Being Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Student Mental Health & Well-Being?
Answer 7 questions about the state of student mental health & well-being.
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  • Secretary of Education Linda McMahon speaks at the ASU + GSV Summit at the Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego, Calif., on April 8, 2025.
    Secretary of Education Linda McMahon speaks at the ASU+GSV Summit at the Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego on April 8, 2025. She defended recent cuts to the federal Education Department and said she hoped an expansion of school choice would be part of her legacy.
    Ariana Drehsler for Education Week
    Federal Defending Ed. Dept. Cuts, Linda McMahon Says It's Time to 'Do Something Different'
    Linda McMahon told ed-tech entrepreneurs she wants to cut bureaucracy but keep key federal funds flowing to schools.
    Brooke Schultz, April 8, 2025
    8 min read
    Books sit on shelves in an elementary school library in suburban Atlanta on Aug. 18, 2023.
    Books sit on shelves in an elementary school library in suburban Atlanta on Aug. 18, 2023. The Trump administration's efforts to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the largest source of federal support for libraries, is throwing a number of library programs—including efforts to grow the ranks of school librarians—into a state of uncertainty.
    Hakim Wright Sr./AP
    Federal Trump Admin. Funding Cuts Could Hit Efforts to Restore School Libraries
    The Institute of Museum and Library Services is one of seven small federal agencies targeted for closure in a recent executive order.
    7 min read
    Erin Huff, a kindergarten teacher at Waverly Elementary School, works with, from left to right, Ava Turner, a 2nd grader, Benton Ryan, 1st grade, and 3rd grader Haven Green, on estimating measurements using mini marshmallows in Waverly, Ill., on Dec. 18, 2019. Huff, a 24-year-old teacher in her third year, says relatively low pay, stress and workload often discourage young people from pursuing teaching degrees, leading to a current shortage of classroom teachers in Illinois. A nonprofit teacher-training program is using a $750,000 addition to the state budget to speed up certification to address a rampant teacher shortage.
    Erin Huff, a 24-year-old kindergarten teacher at Waverly Elementary in Illinois, pictured here on Dec. 18, 2019, says low pay, high stress, and heavy workloads often discourage young people from entering teacher preparation programs. The U.S. Supreme Court on April 4, 2025, allowed the Trump administration to immediately terminate two federal teacher-preparation grant programs.
    John O'Connor/AP
    Law & Courts Supreme Court Allows Trump Admin. to End Teacher-Prep Grants
    The high court, over three justices' dissent, granted the administration's request to remove a lower court's block on ending the grants.
    Mark Walsh, April 4, 2025
    5 min read
    Person thinking to enter money maze puzzle.
    iStock/Getty
    Education Funding States Urge McMahon to Restore Federal Funds She Canceled Without Notice
    New York's education department threatened legal action if the federal government doesn't restore pandemic relief funds.
    Mark Lieberman, April 4, 2025
    10 min read
    Supporters gather outside the U.S. Department of Education in Washington to applaud Education Department employees as they depart their offices for the final time on Friday, March 28, 2025. The rally brought together education supporters, students, parents, and former employees to honor the departing staff as they arrived in 30-minute intervals to collect their belongings.
    Supporters gather outside the U.S. Department of Education in Washington to applaud Education Department employees as they depart their offices for the final time on Friday, March 28, 2025. Two organizations representing researchers are suing the department in an attempt to restore the agency's data and research arm, the Institute of Education Sciences.
    Moriah Ratner for Education Week
    Law & Courts Groups Sue Over Trump's Cuts to Education Department Research Arm
    This suit seeks the restoration of Institute of Education Sciences staff and contracts abruptly canceled by the Trump administration.
    Brooke Schultz, April 4, 2025
    3 min read
    Vector illustration of a large hand holding a contract and a smaller man with a large pen signing the contract while a woman in the background is clutching a gold coin and watching as he signs.
    DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
    Federal Trump Admin. Tells Schools: No Federal Funds If You're Using DEI
    A letter sent out Thursday is another Trump administration to curb diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools—and use funding as leverage.
    Brooke Schultz, April 3, 2025
    6 min read

EdWeek Market Brief

Meeting District Needs Exclusive Data School Boards' Role in Purchasing Is Poised to Grow. These Products Are Drawing Their Scrutiny
The panels are increasingly inserting themselves in decisions about curriculum, new EdWeek Market Brief survey data found.
5 min read
Meeting District Needs Industry Insight Mapping Out Where Math Resources Need to Go Next
The president of an association of math leaders sees a need for more practical lessons and richer assessments.
8 min read
Regulation & Policy Tracker Which Organizations' Contracts at the Education Department Have Been Terminated by DOGE?
As the Trump administration continues slashing the federal K-12 agency, the impact on organizations is just starting to come into focus.
Education Market K-12 Market News The U.S. Private School Market: An Explainer
As private school choice programs expand, the sector is on track to grow in enrollment and value to education companies.
6 min read