Policy & Politics

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the legislation, guidance, policies and people involved in federal and state government
School Choice & Charters Families Get 2 More Weeks to Apply for Nation's Largest School Choice Program
Lawsuits say Texas is discriminating by excluding Islamic schools from the private school choice program.
Jennifer Vilcarino
•
3 min read
States What Happens to Students Who Join the Military? A New Effort Aims to Find Out
A pilot will allow states to use Pentagon data to track students from the classroom to the military.
Evie Blad
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3 min read
Every Student Succeeds Act See Which States Want Ed. Dept.'s OK to Change Testing, Federal School Funding
States are seeking potentially significant changes to implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act.
Alyson Klein
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1 min read
Federal Where Are Ed. Dept. Programs Moving? Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
More than 100 programs run by the U.S. Department of Education are shifting to other agencies.
Mark Lieberman
•
14 min read
Image of an office chair moving over a map of Washington D.C.
Laura Baker/Education Week + Getty
Every Student Succeeds Act These Factors Make a School More Likely to Be Labeled Failing
Schools that educate large numbers of students of color and low-income children are most at risk.
Alyson Klein
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4 min read
Classroom supplies are seen in a classroom in Bowie, Md., on Aug. 15, 2025. Equity sticks are a system the teacher uses to call on students by randomly assigned number.
A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office examines the factors that make it more or less likely a school will be labeled underperforming.
Kevin Mohatt for Education Week
Federal Treasury Dept. Takes Over Student Loans as Ed. Dept. Hands Off More Programs
The Education Department is handing off a portion of its student loan portfolio to Treasury.
The Associated Press
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3 min read
The Treasury Department building is seen, on March 13, 2025, in Washington.
The Treasury Department building is seen, on March 13, 2025, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
States Q&A This State Stepped In When the Feds Stopped Honoring Schools' Environmental Work
The Trump administration last year ended the Green Ribbon Schools recognition program.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens
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4 min read
West De Pere High School is committed to sustainability and environmental stewardship, focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing environmental literacy through facility upgrades such as LED lighting, motion sensors and advanced HVAC systems. To further explore energy, students have opportunities to explore alternative energy, including participation in the annual Wisconsin Public Service Solar Olympics Challenge. Going the extra mile, West De Pere hosts recycling drives that successfully collected 117 pounds of batteries and Christmas lights last year alone. The school's physical education program fosters a deep appreciation for the natural world, offering diverse activities like biking, fishing, and archery that emphasize physical health and lifelong skills. Additionally, West De Pere's involvement in the Farm to Table program highlights the importance of local produce, complemented by a school greenhouse that enhances hands-on learning. Through these initiatives, West De Pere High School is empowering students to become proactive stewards of the environment and advocates for sustainability in their communities.
West De Pere High School in De Pere, Wis., was a 2025 honoree in the state's Green and Healthy Schools Wisconsin program. The state expanded that recognition program honoring schools' sustainability work after the U.S. Department of Education ended its Green Ribbon Schools program last year.
Courtesy of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

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More Policy & Politics

  • President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion on college sports in the East Room of the White House, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Washington.
    President Donald Trump during a recent roundtable discussion in the East Room of the White House, on March 6, 2026, in Washington. Trump's administration is using new ways to incorporate its policy priorities into grantmaking that will affect schools and other recipients of other grants.
    Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
    Education Funding Federal Funding Disruptions for Schools Are Far From Over
    Signs are piling up that schools could experience more funding turbulence in the coming months.
    Mark Lieberman, March 11, 2026
    •
    12 min read
    New graduates line up before the start of a college commencement at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J, May 17, 2018. A proposed regulation could exclude education from a list of "professional" graduate degrees, limiting federal loans for students in the field.
    New graduates line up before the start of a college commencement at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J, May 17, 2018. A proposed regulation could exclude education from a list of "professional" graduate degrees, limiting federal loans for students in the field.
    Seth Wenig/AP
    Federal Why K-12 Educators Are Alarmed About Proposed Student Loan Limits
    They worry that the new loan limits could put a leak in the teacher and administrator pipeline.
    Evie Blad, March 10, 2026
    •
    4 min read
    A student adds a note to others expressing support and sharing coping strategies, as members of the Miami Arts Studio mental health club raise awareness on World Mental Health Day, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, at Miami Arts Studio, a public 6th-12th grade magnet school, in Miami.
    A student adds a note expressing support and sharing coping strategies during a World Mental Health Day activity on Oct. 10, 2023, at Miami Arts Studio, a magnet school in Miami. Most recipients of two federal school mental health services grants the Trump administration has attempted to cancel over the past year will see their funding continue at least through June 1.
    Rebecca Blackwell/AP
    Education Funding School Mental Health Projects Get 3-Month Reprieve as Court Rules Against Trump
    The projects to expand school-based services have faced nearly a year of funding uncertainty and legal limbo.
    Matthew Stone, March 9, 2026
    •
    5 min read
    The Supreme Court is photographed, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Washington.
    The Supreme Court is photographed, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Washington. The high court recently ruled that California policies that sometimes limit or discourage schools from disclosing information to parents about children’s gender transitions and expressions at school likely violate parents’ constitutional rights
    Rahmat Gul/AP
    Law & Courts Supreme Court’s Gender Identity Ruling Leaves Schools Seeking Clarity
    Advocates say they would welcome more from the Supreme Court on gender-notification policies.
    Mark Walsh, March 6, 2026
    •
    7 min read
    Image of money symbol, books, gavel, and scale of justice.
    DigitalVision Vectors
    Education Funding Some Halted Federal Funds for Community Schools Will Flow, But More Remain Frozen
    Schools in Illinois will regain access to some federal grant funds, but programs nationwide continue to struggle.
    Mark Lieberman, March 5, 2026
    •
    5 min read
    Democratic Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek speaks at a news conference in Portland, Ore., on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, after Republican President Donald Trump said he would send troops to the city.
    Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, speaks at a news conference in Portland, Ore., on Sept. 27, 2025. Kotek and three other Democratic governors initially said their states wouldn't participate in the first federal private school choice program. Now, three of those governors, including Kotek, are reconsidering their stances and say they haven't made up their minds.
    Claire Rush/AP
    School Choice & Charters They Said No to the Federal School Choice Program. Now, 3 Dems Are Reconsidering
    Advocacy to get Democratic states to participate has ramped up both locally and nationally.
    Matthew Stone, March 4, 2026
    •
    4 min read
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Resources

Reading & Literacy Quiz Quiz Yourself: Is Your Literacy Plan on Track?
Where does your literacy strategy and goals stand? Is it going well, or does it need a little retooling?
Professional Development Spotlight Spotlight on Effective Professional Development: Teacher Voice, Collaboration, and Sustainable Change
This Spotlight examines how successful PD is increasingly driven by teacher leadership, collaboration, and intentional district design.
Reading & Literacy Quiz Quiz Yourself: Is Your District Truly Science of Reading Aligned?
Answer questions on the science of reading alignment in your district, including classroom materials, achievement data, and regulations.
Social Studies Spotlight Spotlight on Teaching Social Studies to Build Literacy and Critical Thinking
This Spotlight explores social studies literacy, evaluating source bias, introducing complex narratives, and key U.S. history topics.
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  • As part of the program, the Business students at Donald M. Payne Sr. Tech Campus in Newark, NJ on Feb. 26, 2026m have access to computers with subscriptions to the latest software to help them prepare for the workforce.
    Business students at the Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology in Newark, N.J., work in a computer lab on Feb. 25, 2026. A U.S. Department of Education grant was helping students in business and other fields at the school access enrichment programming, college courses, and financial support after graduation. But the department terminated the grant, along with 18 other similar awards across the country, last summer.
    Oliver Farshi for Education Week
    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, February 26, 2026
    •
    12 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. While educators feel relieved that federal dollars for supplemental English-learner resources will continue in the next fiscal year, they remain uncertain for the years to come.
    Noah Devereaux for Education Week
    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, February 26, 2026
    •
    3 min read
    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
    •
    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
    •
    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
    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
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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
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3 min read
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