Policy & Politics

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the legislation, guidance, policies and people involved in federal and state government
Federal Will the Ed. Dept. Act on Recommendations to Overhaul Its Research Arm?
An adviser's report called for more coherence and sped-up research awards at the Institute of Education Sciences.
Stephen Sawchuk & Matthew Stone
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6 min read
Education Funding The Trump Admin. Says It Supports Career-Tech. Ed. It Canceled CTE Grants Anyway
Nineteen projects—many in rural areas—lost funding that was helping students prepare for college and careers.
Mark Lieberman & Lauraine Langreo
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12 min read
Education Funding Educators Warn Flat English Learner Funding Falls Short of Growing Demand
Educators remain uncertain about the future of federal funds for English learners.
Ileana Najarro
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3 min read
Law & Courts Supreme Court Backs Parents in School Gender Disclosure Fight
The Supreme Court restored an injunction blocking California policies on student gender transitions
Mark Walsh
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8 min read
Teacher’s aide Amelia Mester, wrapped in a Pride flag, urges Escondido Union High School District not to have employees notify parents if they believe a student may be transgender in November 2025. A policy on the issue in the city’s elementary school district is the subject of a federal class-action lawsuit in which a judge just sided against the district.
Teacher’s aide Amelia Mester, wrapped in a Pride flag, urges Escondido Union High School District not to have employees notify parents if they believe a student may be transgender at a meeting in November 2025. Two parents and two teachers from the district sued in 2023, challenging California state guidance concerning student gender transitions and parental notification. The U.S. Supreme Court has now reinstated a lower-court decision overturning those state policies.
Charlie Neuman for The San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS
Federal Ed. Dept. Hangs Banner of Charlie Kirk Alongside MLK Jr., Ben Franklin
It's part of a celebration of the nation's 250th anniversary.
Matthew Stone
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1 min read
New banners of Booker T. Washington, Catharine Beecher and Charlie Kirk hang from the Department of Education, Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Washington.
New banners of Booker T. Washington, Catharine Beecher, and Charlie Kirk hang from the U.S. Department of Education on March 1, 2026, in Washington.
Allison Robbert/AP
Federal Ed. Dept. Wants to Revamp Assistance Program It Calls 'Duplicative,' 'Confusing'
The department's Comprehensive Centers have already been through a year of shakeups.
Matthew Stone
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3 min read
A first grade classroom at a school in Colorado Springs, on Feb. 12, 2026.
A 1st grade classroom at a school in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Feb. 12, 2026. The U.S. Department of Education released a proposal to rework a decades-old program charged with helping states and school districts problem-solve and deploy new initiatives, calling the current structure “duplicative” and “confusing.”
Kevin Mohatt for Education Week
States Los Angeles School Superintendent Placed on Paid Leave During Federal Probe
Alberto Carvalho's home and office were searched by the FBI last week.
The Associated Press
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3 min read
Los Angeles District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, at podium, holds a news conference as SEIU Local 99 Executive Director Max Arias, left, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, right, listen, in Los Angeles City Hall, on March 24, 2023.
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho holds a news conference at Los Angeles City Hall on March 24, 2023. The FBI searched the district leader's home and office last week, and LAUSD, the nation's second-largest school district, has placed him on paid leave.
Damian Dovarganes/AP

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More Policy & Politics

  • State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley speaks during a news conference at the Knock Knock Children's Museum, in Baton Rouge, La., on Aug. 11, 2021.
    Louisiana schools Superintendent Cade Brumley holds a news conference in Baton Rouge on Aug. 11, 2021. The U.S. Department of Education has approved the state's request for modest flexibility over how districts use federal education funds issued under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
    Bill Feig/The Advocate via AP
    Every Student Succeeds Act Another State Gets Modest Leeway From Ed. Dept. Are More Waivers Coming?
    The Trump administration gave another state more authority to let school districts manage their federal funds.
    Alyson Klein, February 25, 2026
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    4 min read
    Media stage outside the home of Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in San Pedro, Calif.
    News media stage outside the home of Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in San Pedro, Calif. The FBI searched his house and LAUSD headquarters but has not detailed what prompted the search.
    William Liang/AP
    States FBI Searches Los Angeles District's Headquarters and Superintendent Alberto Carvalho's Home
    The FBI would not comment on the nature of the investigation.
    The Associated Press, February 25, 2026
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    2 min read
    President Donald Trump enters to deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.
    President Donald Trump enters to deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. The president devoted little time in the speech to discussing his education policies.
    Kenny Holston/The New York Times via AP, Pool
    Federal Trump Talks Up AI in State of the Union, But Not Much Else About Education
    The president didn't mention two of his cornerstone education policies from the past year.
    Alyson Klein, February 25, 2026
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    4 min read
    School Choice & Charters Video Private School Choice Is Growing. What Comes Next?
    States are investing billions of dollars in public funds for families to use on private schooling.
    Mark Lieberman & Yi-Jo Shen, February 24, 2026
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    1 min read
    Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, left, attends a news conference with Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, right, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Gov. Lee presented the Education Freedom Scholarship Act of 2024, his administration's legislative proposal to establish statewide universal school choice.
    Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, left, attends a news conference with Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in Nashville, Tenn. on Nov. 28, 2023. Both Republican governors have championed new programs that let families in their states use public funds for private education. The programs in both states are facing legal challenges.
    George Walker IV/AP
    School Choice & Charters The Legal Fight Over Private School Choice: Who Is Suing and Why?
    Court battles are underway—or recently wrapped up—for programs in at least nine states.
    Mark Lieberman, February 24, 2026
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    1 min read
    Various school representatives and parent liaisons attend a family and community engagement think tank discussion at Lowery Conference Center on March 13, 2024 in Denver. One of the goals of the meeting was to discuss how schools can better integrate new students and families into the district. Denver Public Schools has six community hubs across the district that have serviced 3,000 new students since October 2023. Each community hub has different resources for families and students catering to what the community needs.
    A program that helps state education departments and schools improve family engagement policies is among those the Trump administration will transfer from the U.S. Department of Education to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In this photo, school representatives and parent liaisons attend a family and community engagement discussion on March 13, 2024, in Denver to discuss how schools can better integrate new students and families into the district.
    Rebecca Slezak For Education Week
    Federal Education Department Will Send More of Its Programs to Other Agencies
    Education grants for school safety, community schools, and family engagement will shift to Health and Human Services.
    Mark Lieberman, February 23, 2026
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    4 min read
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Artificial Intelligence Sponsor Taking Back Valuable Time with Solution Tree Master Class: Educator AI
Solution Tree’s new on-demand, virtual event, Master Class: Educator AI, aims to provide K–12 educators with the necessary knowledge and support.
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Artificial Intelligence Spotlight Spotlight on Academic Integrity & AI
This Spotlight will help you examine how teachers are combatting AI cheating, discover how to structure lessons in AI literacy, and more.
Student Achievement Spotlight Spotlight on Secondary Intervention
This Spotlight will help you measure the connection between tutoring, attendance, better test scores, and more.
Teaching Profession Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Teacher Efficacy?
Answer 7 questions about teacher efficacy.
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  • DEI Removal 042025 506859558 1481700088
    Collage by Gina Tomko/Education Week and Getty
    States 'Illegal' DEI: See Which States Told Trump Their Schools Don't Use It
    Education Week tracked state responses to an April 2025 Education Department request for states and schools to certify they don't use DEI.
    Matthew Stone & Mark Lieberman, April 10, 2025
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    6 min read
    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
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    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.
    Jennifer Vilcarino & Brooke Schultz, April 7, 2025
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    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
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    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
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    3 min read
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EdWeek Market Brief

Education Market Industry Insight AI Readiness: It's Not Just About Product Innovation
Digital Promise's director of learning technology research discusses what it'll take to get districts ready for the age of AI.
Alexandria Ng
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7 min read
Education Market Market Analysis In Indiana, New State Controls Create Challenges — and Opportunities — for Vendors
Indiana is once again among the states pushing to change the way public money for schools is spent — and gaining national attention in the process.
Emma Kate Fittes
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17 min read
Regulation & Policy Market Analysis Inside Florida's Push to Replicate Texas' Bluebonnet Curriculum, And Why It's On 'Life Support'
Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas’ plan to create state-developed instructional materials hit a roadblock in Florida’s GOP-led Legislature
David Saleh Rauf
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8 min read
Regulation & Policy K-12 Market News Texas’ Bluebonnet Curriculum Faces Scrutiny as State Board of Education Takes Up 4,100 Corrections
The volume of corrections, along with some of the specific changes needed, drew the ire of some state board members.
David Saleh Rauf
•
4 min read
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