Policy & Politics

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the legislation, guidance, policies and people involved in federal and state government
Federal Trump Admin. Terminates Several Agreements to Protect Transgender Students
The Education Department terminated civil rights agreements under Title IX with five school districts and a college.
The Associated Press
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1 min read
Federal Moms for Liberty Wanted School Board Seats. They Got a Voice in the White House
Moms for Liberty is being embraced by the Trump administration and gaining new influence in national decisions.
The Associated Press
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6 min read
States 'Success Sequence' Urges Marriage, Then Parenthood. These States Want Schools to Teach It
The decades-old concept is getting new attention, largely from Republican lawmakers.
Evie Blad
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6 min read
Law & Courts Minn. Districts Ask Judge to Restore Immigration Enforcement Limits by Schools
Two districts say the policy change hurt attendance and cost them students.
The Associated Press
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3 min read
Fridley Superintendent Brenda Lewis speaks during a news conference in February at the Minnesota State Capitol.
Superintendent Brenda Lewis of the Fridley, Minn., school district speaks during a news conference in February 2026 at the Minnesota State Capitol. The Fridley district is one of two Minnesota school districts suing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in an effort to restore restrictions on immigration enforcement in and near schools.
Carlos Gonzalez/Minnesota Star Tribune via TNS
States Texas' Bible-Infused Reading List Gets an Earful at Public Hearing
The proposal to add Bible stories reflects increasing debate over religion in public school classrooms.
The Associated Press
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4 min read
Three bibles sit on a couch on Nov. 24, 2025, in Brooklyn, New York.
Three bibles sit on a couch on Nov. 24, 2025, in Brooklyn, New York. A selection of Bible stories could be part of a K-12 reading list being debated in Texas.
David Crary/AP
Education Funding Trump's Budget Proposes Billions in K-12 Cuts. Will They Happen?
Trump is proposing level funding for Title I, a modest boost for special education, and major cuts elsewhere.
Mark Lieberman
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6 min read
A third-grade teacher at the Mountain View Elementary School's Global Immersion Academy in Morganton, N.C. works with her students in the Spanish portion of the program. With the inaugural class of the Global Immersion Academy (GIA) at at the school entering fourth grade this year, Burke County Public Schools is seeing more signs of success for its dual language program.
A teacher in a North Carolina dual-language program works with her students. In his latest budget proposal, President Donald Trump once again proposes to eliminate the $890 million fund that pays for supplemental services for English learners. Schools can use Title III funds for costs tied to dual-language programs that educate English learners.
Jason Koon/The News-Herald via AP
School Choice & Charters Opinion Can School Choice Programs Stamp Out Fraud While Staying Flexible?
With the rollout of the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program, transparency is vital.
Rick Hess
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7 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

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More Policy & Politics

  • Stonewall Jackson High School in Shenandoah County.
    The Shenandoah County, Va. school board voted in May 2024 to rename Mountain View High School as Stonewall Jackson High School and Honey Run Elementary as Ashby Lee Elementary four years after the names had been removed. Now, a judge has found the decision to rename the high school violated students' free speech rights.
    <a href="https://virginiamercury.com/2025/09/10/federal-judge-says-restoring-stonewall-jackson-name-at-shenandoah-school-violates-students-rights/" target="_blank" link-data="{&quot;cms.site.owner&quot;:{&quot;_ref&quot;:&quot;00000173-0561-d1f0-a17f-adef4bee0000&quot;,&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;ae3387cc-b875-31b7-b82d-63fd8d758c20&quot;},&quot;cms.content.publishDate&quot;:1757538383770,&quot;cms.content.publishUser&quot;:{&quot;_ref&quot;:&quot;00000173-e988-d25a-a7ff-f9cb2a4c0000&quot;,&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;6aa69ae1-35be-30dc-87e9-410da9e1cdcc&quot;},&quot;cms.content.updateDate&quot;:1757538383770,&quot;cms.content.updateUser&quot;:{&quot;_ref&quot;:&quot;00000173-e988-d25a-a7ff-f9cb2a4c0000&quot;,&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;6aa69ae1-35be-30dc-87e9-410da9e1cdcc&quot;},&quot;link&quot;:{&quot;disableUtmTracking&quot;:false,&quot;target&quot;:&quot;NEW&quot;,&quot;attributes&quot;:[],&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://virginiamercury.com/2025/09/10/federal-judge-says-restoring-stonewall-jackson-name-at-shenandoah-school-violates-students-rights/&quot;,&quot;_id&quot;:&quot;00000199-3573-d4d3-a7db-f77343390000&quot;,&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;ff658216-e70f-39d0-b660-bdfe57a5599a&quot;},&quot;linkText&quot;:&quot;Courtesy of Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury&quot;,&quot;theme.brightspot-theme-default.:core:enhancement:Enhancement.hbs.enhancementAlignment&quot;:null,&quot;theme.brightspot-theme-default.:core:link:Link.hbs._template&quot;:null,&quot;theme.brightspot-theme-default.:core:link:Link.hbs.type&quot;:null,&quot;theme.brightspot-theme-default.:core:link:Link.hbs._preset&quot;:null,&quot;theme.brightspot-theme-default.:core:enhancement:Enhancement.hbs._preset&quot;:null,&quot;_id&quot;:&quot;00000199-3573-d4d3-a7db-f77342e50001&quot;,&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;809caec9-30e2-3666-8b71-b32ddbffc288&quot;}">Courtesy of Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury</a>
    Law & Courts School's Confederate Name Violates Students' Free Speech, Judge Says
    The district was the first to reverse course and bring back Confederate names for its schools. The litigation is ongoing.
    Brooke Schultz, September 10, 2025
    •
    3 min read
    Vector illustration of a man in a suit with flashlight looking into hole in the shape of a dollar sign.
    DigitalVision Vectors
    Law & Courts Schools Sue Trump, But It's Getting Harder for Them to Recoup Money
    Judges have recently ruled against districts as they challenge Ed. Dept. funding cuts and threats in court.
    Brooke Schultz, September 10, 2025
    •
    7 min read
    A stylized, faceless student has a smooth, open head with a glowing smartphone rising from it, symbolizing the smart phone and social media's impact on NAEP scores.
    Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Getty Images
    Standards & Accountability Opinion Student Test Scores Keep Falling. What’s Really to Blame?
    There’s strong circumstantial evidence pointing to a particular culprit. (Hint: It’s not the pandemic.)
    Martin R. West, September 9, 2025
    •
    5 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 Biggest Things People Don’t Know About School Choice
    The school choice debate is rife with urban myths and dubious claims.
    Rick Hess, September 9, 2025
    •
    8 min read
    A teacher at Audrey H. Lawson Middle School in Houston, Texas, marks a grade on a class worksheet on Sept. 6, 2023.
    A teacher at Audrey H. Lawson Middle School in Houston marks a grade on a worksheet on Sept. 6, 2023. Texas lawmakers have passed a bill that would drop the state's once-a-year STAAR test in favor of a model in which students are tested three times a year.
    Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via AP
    States The Future of Annual State Testing Is in the Trump Admin.’s Hands
    The Ed. Dept. has invited states to request waivers from accountability requirements.
    Brooke Schultz, September 8, 2025
    •
    7 min read
    Hundreds of students stand together in prayer during an Ash Wednesday service at Flint Powers Catholic High School on March 5, 2025, in Flint, Mich.
    Hundreds of students stand together in prayer during an Ash Wednesday service at Flint Powers Catholic High School on March 5, 2025, in Flint, Mich. President Donald Trump on Monday said the U.S. Department of Education will issue guidance about the right to prayer in schools.
    Jake May/MLive.com/The Flint Journal via AP
    Federal Trump Says Ed. Dept. Will Release New Guidance on School Prayer
    The federal agency will wade into an intensified debate over the place of religion in schools.
    Brooke Schultz, September 8, 2025
    •
    2 min read
    Load More ▼

Resources

School & District Management Quiz Quiz Yourself: Can You Decode the Latest K-12 Buzzwords and Acronyms?
Education-speak evolves daily—can you translate the latest K-12 terms and trends?
Special Education Spotlight Spotlight on MTSS in Practice: From Life Skills to Learning Strategies
This Spotlight focuses on MTSS, providing a framework to support both students and educators across a range of needs and settings.
Student Achievement Spotlight Spotlight on Unlocking Potential: How Interventions Transform Learning
This Spotlight explores how interventions can shape student outcomes, with a focus on supporting older students who struggle with reading.
School & District Management Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Well Do You Speak K-12?
Find out if you can keep up with the evolving language of education leaders—and what it means for your marketing strategy.
Load More ▼
  • Illustration of the arm of Statue of Liberty with various speech bubbles coming out of the top of her torch
    DigitalVision Vectors
    Law & Courts Court Rejects Discipline of Student Whose Post Mocked George Floyd's Death
    An appeals court ruled that a student's off-campus social media post is constitutionally protected.
    Mark Walsh, October 31, 2025
    •
    4 min read
    Molly Kaldahl (right) and Ava Nkwocha, who attend Millard South High School in Omaha, Neb., meet with their senator’s legislative staff to discuss the National Student Council’s federal legislative agenda on Oct. 28, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
    Molly Kaldahl, right, and Ava Nkwocha, who attend Millard South High School in Omaha, Neb., meet with the legislative staff of U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., to discuss the National Student Council’s federal legislative agenda on Oct. 28, 2025, in Washington.
    Courtesy of Allyssa Hynes/NASSP
    Education Funding Students Make Appeals to Congress to Protect K-12 Funding
    National Student Council representatives shared perspectives on challenges schools are facing.
    Lauraine Langreo, October 30, 2025
    •
    6 min read
    Pictures show what mouth shape different sounds make on the walls of Diana Oviedo-Holguin’s class at Heritage Elementary School in San Antonio, Texas, on Sept. 3, 2025.
    Pictures show what mouth shape different sounds make on the walls of Diana Oviedo-Holguin’s class at Heritage Elementary School in San Antonio, Texas, on Sept. 3, 2025. Texas officials are getting closer to launching a new bilingual special education certification that will help teachers better understand the intersecting needs of English learners who are also students with disabilities.
    Noah Devereaux for Education Week
    States How One State is Leading the Way for English Learners With Disabilities
    Advocates hope Texas can set an example with a forthcoming bilingual special education certificate.
    Ileana Najarro, October 30, 2025
    •
    3 min read
    A copy of the Ten Commandments hangs alongside other historical documents at the Georgia Capitol on June 20, 2024, in Atlanta. Similar displays in schools are now at the center of court battles in Texas and Louisiana.
    A copy of the Ten Commandments hangs alongside other historical documents at the Georgia Capitol on June 20, 2024, in Atlanta. Similar displays in schools are now at the center of court battles in Texas and Louisiana.
    John Bazemore/AP
    Law & Courts Appeals Court Heightens Stakes Over Ten Commandments School Laws
    A full federal appeals court will review Texas and Louisiana laws requiring Ten Commandments displays in schools.
    Mark Walsh, October 29, 2025
    •
    2 min read
    Social worker Mary Schmauss, right, greets students as they arrive for school on Oct. 1, 2024, at Algodones Elementary School in Algodones, N.M.
    A social worker greets students as they arrive for school on Oct. 1, 2024, at Algodones Elementary School in Algodones, N.M. A judge on Oct. 27 said the Trump administration couldn't cancel about four dozen mental health grants that funded school district hiring of school social workers, counselors, and psychologists to boost school mental health services.
    Roberto E. Rosales/AP
    Law & Courts Ed. Dept. Can't Cancel Dozens of School Mental Health Grants, Judge Rules
    The grants, valued at $1 billion, help schools employ more mental health professionals.
    Matthew Stone, October 28, 2025
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    5 min read
    Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog and Botley the Coding Robot (bottom right), two educational toys created by Learning Resources Inc.
    Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog and Botley the Coding Robot (bottom right), two educational toys created by Learning Resources Inc. The Illinois company is one of two related educational toy makers challenging President Donald Trump’s tariffs before the U.S. Supreme Court.
    Courtesy of Learning Resources
    Law & Courts Educational Toy Companies Lead Supreme Court Battle Over Trump Tariffs
    Two Illinois family-owned educational toy companies are challenging the president’s tariff policies.
    Mark Walsh, October 28, 2025
    •
    8 min read
    Load More ▼

EdWeek Market Brief

Strategy & Operations Market Analysis When to Bring in a Consultant — and How to Make it Pay Off
Industry advisors and business officials discuss the factors that contribute to a successful engagement.
Alexandria Ng
•
8 min read
Meeting District Needs K-12 Insider What Made a Middle School's First-Ever ELA Curriculum Launch a Success
The process that Principal Anne Heck led in Lake Geneva Middle School offers one vision for how professional development and procurement can pair to improve student learning.
Emma Kate Fittes
•
10 min read
Education Market Exclusive Data Vendors Are Pairing Assessment And Curriculum. Is That What K-12 Officials Want?
New EdWeek Market Brief data explores the ideal number of companies that district and school leaders say they want to work with, and whether they're open to a single provider for both curriculum and assessment products.
Emma Kate Fittes
•
8 min read
Regulation & Policy K-12 Market News EdMarket Recap: Feds Move to Rewrite Grant Rules; States Pitch Funding Changes
EdWeek Market Brief staff writers dissect significant news of the week and identify the most important takeaways for companies serving K-12 districts.
Scott Elliott
•
3 min read
Read More