Policy & Politics

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the legislation, guidance, policies and people involved in federal and state government
States Q&A 'Politics Does Not Belong in Education,' Says a Departing State Schools Chief
Improving student outcomes requires finding common ground, says Missouri's long-serving education commissioner, Margie Vandeven.
Libby Stanford
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9 min read
Federal Explainer What Is Title IX? Schools, Sports, and Sex Discrimination
Title IX, the law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, is undergoing changes. What it is, how it works, and how it's enforced.
Libby Stanford
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2 min read
School Choice & Charters Video Private School Choice: A Video Explainer
We're tracking the proliferation of school choice policies around the country. Here's how to get up to speed.
Libby Stanford & Jaclyn Borowski
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2 min read
School Choice & Charters Why Jay-Z Is a Key Figure in the School Voucher Debate
Jay-Z's backing of school vouchers in Pennsylvania has public education advocates worried it will divert funds.
Brooke Schultz
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6 min read
Jay-Z arrives at the premiere of "The Book of Clarence" on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. Jay-Z is putting his weight behind an effort to fund private school vouchers in Philadelphia. The entertainment mogul’s Roc Nation announced it is funding a campaign in June 2024 to drum up support for the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success.
Jay-Z arrives at the premiere of "The Book of Clarence" on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. Jay-Z is putting his weight behind an effort to fund private school vouchers in Philadelphia. The entertainment mogul’s Roc Nation announced it is funding an outreach campaign to drum up support for the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success.
Richard Shotwell/Invision via AP
Law & Courts Court Backs School That Barred Student's 'Two Genders' Shirt
The court said the shirt could be understood to demean transgender and gender-nonconforming students, and administrators could prohibit it.
Mark Walsh
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5 min read
ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of U.S. Litigation David Cortman, left, and Liam Morrison speak at a press conference following oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit on Feb. 8, 2024.
David Cortman, senior counsel and vice president of Alliance Defending Freedom, left, and middle school student Liam Morrison speak to reporters following oral arguments over Morrison's "There Are Only Two Genders" T-shirt before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit in Boston on Feb. 8, 2024.
Courtesy of Alliance Defending Freedom
Federal Opinion Federal Education Reform Has Largely Failed. Unfortunately, We Still Need It
Neither NCLB nor ESSA have lived up to their promise, but the problems calling for national action persist.
Jack Jennings
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4 min read
Red, Blue, and Purple colors over a fine line etching of the Capitol building. Republicans and Democrats, Partisan Politicians.
Douglas Rissing/iStock
Federal A More Complete Picture of Immigration's Impact on U.S. Public Schools
House Republicans say a migrant influx has caused "chaos" in K-12 schools. The reality is more complicated.
Libby Stanford
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10 min read
Parents and community members rally outside P.S. 189 to protest New York City Mayor Eric Adam's plan to temporarily house immigrants in the school's gymnasium, seen in the background on May 16, 2023, in New York.
Parents and community members rally outside P.S. 189 to protest New York City Mayor Eric Adam's plan to temporarily house immigrants in the school's gymnasium, seen in the background on May 16, 2023, in New York.
John Minchillo/AP

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Student Achievement Whitepaper Seen and Heard: Voice of Educators Survey
Find out how educators are prioritizing flexible learning spaces to boost learning recovery and meet the growing list of physical, emotio...
Content provided by School Outfitters
School & District Management Quiz What Do You Know About the Most Influential People in School Districts? Take Our Quiz
Answer 7 questions about the superintendent profession.
Caitlynn Peetz & Gina Tomko
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1 min read
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Student Achievement Sponsor Navigating Learning Loss: The Vital Role of Live Tutoring with Certified Teachers
Amidst growing concerns about the persistent lack of learning loss recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, there's a noteworthy success pattern emerging: live tutoring with state-certified teachers
Content provided by Stride Tutoring
School & District Management Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About the School District Technology Leader?
The tech director at school districts is a key player when it comes to purchasing. Test your knowledge of this key buyer persona and see how your results stack up with your peers.
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    Federal New Title IX Rule Could Actually Simplify Some Things for Districts, Lawyers Say
    School districts could field more harassment complaints, but they can streamline how they handle them, according to legal experts.
    Libby Stanford, May 1, 2024
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    7 min read
    Demonstrators advocating for transgender rights and healthcare stand outside of the Ohio Statehouse on Jan. 24, 2024, in Columbus. Four Republican-led states filed a lawsuit Monday challenging the Biden administration's new Title IX regulation, which among other things would codify protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Demonstrators advocating for transgender rights and healthcare stand outside of the Ohio Statehouse on Jan. 24, 2024, in Columbus. Four Republican-led states filed a lawsuit Monday challenging the Biden administration's new Title IX regulation, which among other things would codify protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
    Patrick Orsagos/AP
    Law & Courts Republican-Led States Sue to Block New Title IX Rule
    A pair of lawsuits focus on the rule's protections for students' gender identity.
    Mark Walsh, April 29, 2024
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    5 min read
    Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters presides over a special state Board of Education meeting on April 12, 2023, in Oklahoma City.
    Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters presides over a state Board of Education meeting about Title IX regulations on April 12, 2023, in Oklahoma City. The state is among several whose leaders plan to defy new Biden administration regulations on Title IX, which covers sex discrimination.
    Sue Ogrocki/AP
    States States Direct Districts to Defy New Title IX Rule on Transgender Students
    Some districts could be in a perilous legal squeeze play between their states and the feds.
    Evie Blad, April 26, 2024
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    4 min read
    Photo of superintendent meeting with staff.
    E+ / Getty
    States Superintendent Vacancies Are High. Is Loosening Requirements a Good Idea?
    Wisconsin's governor, a former educator, vetoed a bill that would have waived licensure requirements for district leaders.
    Evie Blad, April 22, 2024
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    3 min read
    Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
    DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
    Policy & Politics Opinion Where Do Democrats Stand on Education?
    The politics of education reform have shifted drastically since the Obama era. How has one Democratic education group responded?
    Rick Hess, April 22, 2024
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    7 min read
    Demonstrators advocating for transgender rights and healthcare stand outside of the Ohio Statehouse on Jan. 24, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. The rights of LGBTQ+ students will be protected by federal law and victims of campus sexual assault will gain new safeguards under rules finalized Friday, April19, 2024, by the Biden administration. Notably absent from Biden’s policy, however, is any mention of transgender athletes.
    Demonstrators advocating for transgender rights and healthcare stand outside of the Ohio Statehouse on Jan. 24, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. The rights of LGBTQ+ students will be protected by federal law and victims of campus sexual assault will gain new safeguards under rules finalized Friday, April19, 2024, by the Biden administration. Notably absent from Biden’s policy, however, is any mention of transgender athletes.
    Patrick Orsagos/AP
    Federal New Title IX Rule Has Explicit Ban on Discrimination of LGBTQ+ Students
    The new rule, while long awaited, stops short of addressing the thorny issue of transgender athletes' participation in sports.
    Libby Stanford, April 19, 2024
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    6 min read
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EdWeek Market Brief

Education Market Special Report What's Next for the K-12 Reading Market? New Special Report Reveals Shifting Demands
EdWeek Market Brief's analysis looks at projected district spending on core and supplemental curriculum, PD, assessment, and more.
Sean Cavanagh
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3 min read
Sales & Marketing Exclusive Data Do District Leaders Get Peeved When Vendors Point Them to Funding Sources?
EdWeek Market Brief surveyed K-12 officials on how they react when vendors suggest specific pools of money to pay for products or services.
Emma Kate Fittes
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6 min read
Education Market Market Analysis Beyond LAUSD’s Massive Rollout, School District Appetite Grows for Deals With AI Companies
Has the ambitious partnership struck by the nation's second-largest K-12 system lain the foundation for similar agreements?
David Saleh Rauf
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9 min read
Meeting District Needs Purchasing Alert Calif. School District Looks for Online Learning Platforms; S.C. System Needs College and Career Readiness Support
A second California district is looking for educational research associated with professional development.
Michelle Caffrey
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2 min read
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