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Politics K-12

Politics K-12 kept watch on education policy and politics in the nation’s capital and in the states. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: Federal, States.

Federal Roy Moore on Fair School Funding, Doug Jones on DeVos in the Ala. Senate Race
Republican Roy Moore has previously weighed in on a controversy involving segregationist language in the Alabama Constitution, while his Democratic opponent Doug Jones says education is the key for 21st century success.
Andrew Ujifusa, November 13, 2017
3 min read
Federal School Choice Would Get Boost From Proposed Amendments to Senate Tax Bill
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., introduced the amendments to the Senate tax bill that could create federal incentives for increasing private school choice.
Andrew Ujifusa, November 13, 2017
2 min read
Education Is Testing the Only Way a Student Can Achieve Success Under ESSA?
The Every Student Succeeds Act kept in place the testing regimen from the law it replaced, the No Child Left Behind Act. But states must bring in other factors, too.
Alyson Klein, November 13, 2017
1 min read
Budget & Finance Senate Tax Bill Ends Deductions for State and Local Taxes, Classroom Supplies
A national teachers' union says the House bill would jeopardize nearly $250 billion in education funding over the next decade, but the Senate bill could put even more pressure on revenue for schools.
Andrew Ujifusa, November 9, 2017
3 min read
Federal Comments About Muslims, Women in Science Sink Trump Education Nominee
Tim Kelly, the pick for assistant secretary for career and technical education, authored a personal blog that, among other things, made pointed statements about Muslims, Head Start parents, and federal efforts to recruit women into the sciences.
Alyson Klein, November 9, 2017
1 min read
Federal Betsy DeVos Urged to Reject Florida's ESSA Plan by Civil Rights Groups
Florida's ESSA plan would give state tests only in English, and it would also leave English-language proficiency out of the state accountability system. Civil rights activists have a problem with those approaches.
Andrew Ujifusa, November 9, 2017
1 min read
Federal Betsy DeVos to Visit Schools in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
DeVos will visit a school in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Wednesday, and then a school on St. Thomas later in the day.
Andrew Ujifusa, November 8, 2017
1 min read
President-elect Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech during his election night rally on Nov. 9 in New York.
President-elect Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech during his election night rally on Nov. 9 in New York.
John Locher/AP
Federal How Do Trump's K-12 Campaign Promises Hold Up a Year After His Election?
Now-President Donald Trump had pledged a new school choice initiative, a slimmed down Education Department, and the end of the common core.
Alyson Klein, November 7, 2017
3 min read
Federal Raging Tax Debate Sucks In Teachers' Deductions, School Choice
Congressional debate over the Republican-backed proposal to change the tax code is under way in Congress, and education issues are getting a share of the spotlight.
Andrew Ujifusa, November 7, 2017
2 min read
Federal Want to Protect Money for Teachers in Trump's Washington? Good Luck.
Nearly 10 months into a Trump administration and a Republican-dominated Congress, the potential changes to policies impacting teachers are starting to become clear and more numerous.
Andrew Ujifusa, November 6, 2017
2 min read
Federal The GOP Has a New Vehicle for School Choice, But Are the Wealthy at the Wheel?
Recent data shows that most Americans are not aware of the savings plans that could be used to expand private school choice in the proposed Republican rewrite of the tax code.
Andrew Ujifusa, November 6, 2017
4 min read
Federal Special Ed. Advocates to DeVos: Don't Let New York Get Out of ESSA's Testing Rules
Special education advocates are not fans of New York's plan to The Empire State, to give students with significant cognitive disabilities a test that matches their instructional level, not their age.
Alyson Klein, November 5, 2017
2 min read
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos speaks with members of the media in Washington.
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos speaks with members of the media in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
Federal Trump Ed. Dept. Offers 255 Employees Buy Outs, Early Retirement
It's not clear if the offers are part of U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' plan to trim the federal footprint on K-12, since these types of buyouts aren't unique to the Trump administration.
Alyson Klein, November 2, 2017
1 min read
Federal Teacher Deduction for Classroom Expenses Scrapped in GOP Tax Bill
The bill would let families use up to $10,000 from 529 college savings plans for K-12 expenses, including private school tuition, but would scrap state and local income and sales tax deductions.
Alyson Klein & Andrew Ujifusa, November 2, 2017
7 min read