Policy & Politics

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the legislation, guidance, policies and people involved in federal and state government
Federal Some Districts Extend Paid Leave Policies as They Hope for Passage of Biden Relief Plan
With federal provisions having expired, some school employees have had to dip into their own banks of leave for COVID-19 purposes.
Mark Walsh
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5 min read
Education Funding Opinion What's It Take for Philanthropy to Help Rural Schools?
Place-based philanthropy has enormous potential to revitalize rural communities. The trick is, it’s tough to get this sort of approach right.
Rick Hess
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4 min read
Law & Courts School District Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Decide Scope of Transgender Student Rights
A Virginia district appeals a ruling in the case involving Gavin Grimm's effort to use a restroom consistent with his gender identity.
Mark Walsh
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3 min read
Federal Biden Legal Team Steps Back From Trump Stance on Transgender Female Sports Participation
The Education Department's office for civil rights pulls a letter that said Connecticut's transgender-inclusive policy violates Title IX.
Mark Walsh
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4 min read
Education Funding Concern About Unspent COVID-19 School Aid Continues as Congress Moves Toward More Relief
A congressional analysis has spurred discontent about how fast money will be spent, but some warn against over-simplifying the situation.
Andrew Ujifusa
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5 min read
Thermometers, gloves, and cleaning swabs sit on a table at the entrance to the Frederickson KinderCare daycare center, in Tacoma, Wash on May 27, 2020.
Thermometers, gloves, and cleaning swabs sit on a table at the entrance to the Frederickson KinderCare daycare center, in Tacoma, Wash on May 27, 2020. As a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus, workers and children have their temperatures checked every day before they enter the building.
Ted S. Warren/AP
Policy & Politics Congress Again Tries to Pass Eagles Act, Focused on School Shootings After Parkland
A group of bipartisan Congressional lawmakers is once again trying to get a law passed aimed at preventing school violence.
Devoun Cetoute & Carli Teproff
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2 min read
Suzanne Devine Clark, an art teacher at Deerfield Beach Elementary School, places painted stones at a memorial outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2019 during the first anniversary of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla.
Suzanne Devine Clark, an art teacher at Deerfield Beach Elementary School, places painted stones at a memorial outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2019 during the first anniversary of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla.
Wilfredo Lee/AP
Law & Courts Accused Texas School Shooter to Remain at State Hospital
Doctors say the student accused of fatally shooting 10 people at a Texas high school in 2018 remains incompetent to stand trial.
The Associated Press
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1 min read
Santa Fe High School freshman, Jai Gillard writes messages on each of the 10 crosses representing victims in front the school in Santa Fe, Texas on May 21, 2018.
Santa Fe High School freshman, Jai Gillard writes messages on each of the 10 crosses representing victims in front the school in Santa Fe, Texas on May 21, 2018.
Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle via AP

From Politics K-12 Blog

Assessment Biden's Testing Stance Leaves States Tough Choices. Some May Still Try to Avoid Exams
Whether to give tests in person this spring or even test students next school year instead, education leaders confront a complex path.
Andrew Ujifusa, Evie Blad & Sarah Schwartz
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11 min read
Flags decorate a space outside the secretary's office at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington.
Flags decorate a space outside the secretary's office at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Assessment States Still Must Give Standardized Tests This Year, Biden Administration Announces
But the administration says it would allow states to give tests in the summer or use partial exams due to challenges related to COVID-19.
Andrew Ujifusa
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3 min read
Image of students taking a test.
smolaw11/iStock/Getty
Federal President Biden Is Walking a 'Careful Tightrope' When It Comes to School Reopenings
CDC guidance and confusion over his rhetoric turn up the pressure, and could overshadow progress in schools and nuanced public opinion.
Andrew Ujifusa
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9 min read
President Joe Biden answers questions during a televised town hall event at Pabst Theater in Milwaukee on Feb. 16, 2021.
President Joe Biden answers questions during a televised town hall event in Milwaukee earlier this month.
Evan Vucci/AP
Federal White House Unveils New Money to Aid COVID-19 Testing in Schools, But Says More Is Needed
Federal agencies will use $650 million to expand testing in schools and "underserved communities" such as homeless shelters.
Evie Blad
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2 min read
Image of a coronavirus test swab.
The White House announced new money to help schools test students and staff for COVID-19, but it said more aid is necessary to scale up those efforts.
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Technology Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Ed-Tech Usage Post COVID-19
Quiz Yourself: How will ed-tech usage change after COVID-19?
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  • Magaly Newcomb, right, comforts her daughter Haley Newcomb, 14, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, at a memorial outside the school in Parkland, Fla on Feb. 18, 2018. It’s been more than 1,000 days since a gunman with an AR-15 rifle burst into the school, killing 17 people and wounding 17 others.
    Magaly Newcomb, right, comforts her daughter Haley Newcomb, 14, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, at a memorial outside the school in Parkland, Fla on Feb. 18, 2018. It’s been more than 1,000 days since a gunman with an AR-15 rifle burst into the school, killing 17 people and wounding 17 others.
    Gerald Herbert/AP
    Law & Courts 3 Years Later, Parkland School Shooting Trial Still in Limbo
    It's been more than 1,000 days since a gunman with an AR-15 rifle burst into a Florida high school, killed 17 people, and wounded 17 others.
    The Associated Press, February 12, 2021
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    4 min read
    Students at Louisa County High School in Mineral, Va., sit behind plexiglass dividers to promote social distancing.
    Students at Louisa County High School in Mineral, Va., sit behind Plexiglas dividers. Virginia lawmakers are considering a bill that would require all school districts to offer in-person instruction with COVID-19 precautions.
    Erin Edgerton/The Daily Progress via AP
    States Governors, State Lawmakers: Schools Should Reopen for In-Person Learning
    After months of leaving the decision up to districts, state leaders are taking a more direct role in getting students back in classrooms.
    Evie Blad, February 11, 2021
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    10 min read
    Education secretary nominee Miguel Cardona speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on the nomination on Feb. 3, 2021, in Washington.
    Education secretary nominee Miguel Cardona speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on the nomination on Feb. 3, 2021, in Washington.
    Anna Moneymaker/The New York Times via AP
    Federal Miguel Cardona Takes Key Step Forward in Drama-Free Senate Committee Vote
    President Joe Biden's nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Education has moved closer toward clinching the job.
    Andrew Ujifusa, February 11, 2021
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    1 min read
    White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a press briefing at the White House on Feb. 9, 2021.
    White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a press briefing at the White House on Feb. 9.
    Patrick Semansky/AP
    Federal Is Biden Lowering the Bar for What 'Reopening Schools' Means?
    Comments by the White House press secretary Feb. 9 raise questions about the Biden administration's ambitions concerning in-person classes.
    Andrew Ujifusa, February 9, 2021
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    5 min read
    Opinion 23Henig planning future 1206435418
    Anastasia Usenko/iStock/Getty<br/>
    Federal Opinion 'Data' Has Become a Dirty Word to Public Education Advocates. It Doesn't Have to Be
    Political scientist Jeffrey R. Henig describes how the Biden administration can reject test-score obsession and strengthen public schools.
    Jeffrey R. Henig, February 9, 2021
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    5 min read
    Students testing.
    Getty
    Accountability Explainer Will There Be Standardized Tests This Year? 8 Questions Answered
    Educators want to know: Will the exams happen? If so, what will they look like, and how will the results be used?
    Andrew Ujifusa & Sarah Schwartz, February 9, 2021
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    12 min read
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EdWeek Market Brief

Purchasing Alert Calif. Purchasing Cooperative to Buy SEL Assessment System; Va. District Seeks Classroom Science Supplies
A Virginia district is looking to award a yearly contract for classroom science supplies, and a major purchasing cooperative in California is searching for a social-emotional learning assessment system.
Brian Bradley
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2 min read
Marketplace K-12 K-12 Dealmaking: Renaissance Acquires Nearpod, in Major Pairing of Classroom-Focused School Companies
Renaissance has acquired Nearpod, in a merging of companies that bring a focus on classroom assessment and interactive features designed to boost student engagement.
Brian Bradley
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5 min read
Market Trends Where Venture Capitalists Are Investing as Districts Shift to In-Person Education
Investors are putting a premium on companies that have the products and expertise to span distance learning and a return to in-person lessons.
Brian Bradley
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11 min read
K-12 Insider Tackling Learning Loss: One California School District’s Approach
San Diego's school district has steered clear of diagnostic testing in favor of just-in-time learning focused on addressing student weaknesses, says Aly Martinez, a top math instructional coordinator.
Robin L. Flanigan
•
7 min read
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