Policy & Politics

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the legislation, guidance, policies and people involved in federal and state government
Federal Opinion We Need Better Data to Understand What Happens to Students After High School
Here are the two things we need before we can answer how well we’re preparing students.
Jennifer Bell-Ellwanger & Sara Schapiro
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4 min read
Education Funding White House Blocks $2 Billion for Education: See All the Affected Programs
We're tracking federal education funding that Trump's federal budget office has stalled.
Mark Lieberman
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3 min read
Federal Opinion How the Institute of Education Sciences Could Better Serve Schools
“It’s been all over the place,” explains the scholar tasked with reimagining IES.
Rick Hess
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4 min read
Federal Trump's Ed. Dept. Backs Away From Addressing Civil Rights for Black Students
Civil rights attorneys describe the administration’s actions as an inversion of legal history.
The Associated Press
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6 min read
Thomas Chalmers Public School sign is seen outside of school in Chicago, Wednesday, July 13, 2022. America's big cities are seeing their schools shrink, with more and more of their schools serving small numbers of students. Those small schools are expensive to run and often still can't offer everything students need (now more than ever), like nurses and music programs. Chicago and New York City are among the places that have spent COVID relief money to keep schools open, prioritizing stability for students and families. But that has come with tradeoffs. And as federal funds dry up and enrollment falls, it may not be enough to prevent districts from closing schools.
Children are seen outside the Thomas Chalmers Public School in Chicago on July 13, 2022. Under the Trump administration, efforts to address deep-rooted inequities for students of color are being cast as discriminatory against white students. The administration withheld more than $20 million from Chicago schools when the district refused to end its Black Student Success Program.
Nam Y. Huh/AP
Federal Interactive Feds Issue a Slimmed-Down Data Release on U.S. Schools
The Condition of Education highlights school enrollment, finance, and graduation data.
Sarah D. Sparks & Maya Riser-Kositsky
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3 min read
Image of blurry data and a school building.
Laura Baker/Education Week + Canva
States New York Teachers Win Lower Retirement Age as Lawmakers Pass Pension Reforms
New York teachers can retire five years earlier under pension changes included in a state budget package.
Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News
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3 min read
Internal View of the State Capitol. on May 29, 2025, in Albany, New York.
An internal view of the state capitol in Albany, N.Y., on May 29, 2025. Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed a budget into law that lowers the retirement age for teachers to collect a full pension.
Kena Betancur/AP
States How One State's Efforts to Limit Undocumented Students’ Rights Failed Again
Tennessee lawmakers failed to create legislation directly challenging federal law.
Ileana Najarro
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3 min read
The Tennessee Capitol is seen on April 23, 2024, in Nashville.
The Tennessee Capitol is seen on April 23, 2024, in Nashville. Twice since 2025, lawmakers in the state have failed to pass legislation limiting undocumented students' access to free, public education.
George Walker IV/AP

Events

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Special Education Webinar Hidden Costs of Special Ed Vacancies: Solutions for Your District
When provider vacancies hit, students feel it first. Hear what district leaders are doing to keep IEP-related services on track.
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Wed., June 03, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
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Privacy & Security Webinar How Technology Is Reshaping Childhood
How do we protect kids online while embracing innovation? Learn about navigating safety, privacy, and opportunity in the Digital Age.
Content provided by Connect x Protect
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Tue., June 09, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Budget & Finance Webinar Creative Approaches to K-12 Budget Realities
What are districts prioritizing in 2026? New survey data reveals emerging K-12 budgeting trends.
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More Policy & Politics

  • Students attend a 5th grade math class at Lafargue Elementary School in Effie, Louisiana, on Friday, August 22. The state has implemented new professional development requirements for math teachers in grades 4-8 to help improve student achievement and address learning gaps.
    Students attend a 5th grade math class in Effie, La., on Aug. 22, 2025. Louisiana has secured new flexibility from the U.S. Department of Education to spend a portion of its federal funds on statewide school improvement activities. It's the second such waiver from Every Student Succeeds Act rules the department has granted under the Trump administration.
    Kathleen Flynn for Education Week
    Every Student Succeeds Act Trump Admin. OK's Another State's Ask for School Funding Leeway
    The Ed. Dept. granted a second request to combine portions of four federal grants into one fund.
    Alyson Klein, May 20, 2026
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    5 min read
    HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 9: Students walk down a hallway outside classrooms at Houston Quran Academy in Houston, Friday, May 9, 2025. (Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
    Students walk down a hallway outside classrooms at Houston Quran Academy in Houston on May 9, 2025. Texas initially excluded Islamic schools from its new private school choice program, leading some to wonder if other states might limit the kinds of private schools eligible for state school choice funding.
    Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle via Getty
    School Choice & Charters Could More States Try to Keep Islamic Schools Out of Their Choice Programs?
    A state asserted it could exclude certain schools from its new private school choice program.
    Arianna Prothero, May 20, 2026
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    10 min read
    Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., right, hugs a supporter during an election night watch party Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Baton Rouge, La.
    Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., right, hugs a supporter during an election night watch party on Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Baton Rouge, La. Cassidy leads the Senate committee charged with education policy. He was vying for a third Senate term but lost his primary over the weekend.
    Gerald Herbert/AP
    Federal Senate Days Are Numbered for Top Republican Charged With Ed. Dept. Oversight
    Sen. Bill Cassidy was vying for a third term in the Senate but lost his primary over the weekend.
    Alyson Klein, May 18, 2026
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    4 min read
    Anjanette McNeely teaches a reading block with her kindergarten students at Windridge Elementary School in Kaysville, Utah, on Dec. 4, 2025.
    What's to blame for huge decreases in student achievement over the past decade? Some say a less intensive federal role in school accountability after the No Child Left Behind law was replaced. Anjanette McNeely remembers the pressure of making sure her school met "adequate yearly progress" during the NCLB era. The teacher leads a reading block with her kindergarten students at Windridge Elementary School in Kaysville, Utah, on Dec. 4, 2025.
    Niki Chan Wylie for Education Week
    Standards & Accountability The U.S. Is in a 'Learning Recession.' Is NCLB's End to Blame?
    “Our challenge didn’t start or end with the pandemic,” said one of the authors of a new report.
    Sarah Schwartz, May 15, 2026
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    6 min read
    A pencil leaning against the wall. The shadow of a ladder shade reflected on the wall.
    Education Week + E+/Getty
    Federal Opinion Trump's K-12 Leader: Let’s Improve Assessment Without Sacrificing Accountability
    The Ed. Dept. is shrinking the federal footprint but raising academic expectations, says Kirsten Baesler.
    Kirsten Baesler, May 15, 2026
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    4 min read
    Education Secretary Linda McMahon arrives to testify during the House Education and Workforce Committee hearing titled "Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education," in Rayburn building on Thursday, May 14, 2026.
    Education Secretary Linda McMahon arrives to testify during the House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on Thursday, May 14, 2026. She defended the movement of dozens of her department's programs to other agencies and a budget proposal that would eliminate dozens of federal education programs.
    Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP
    Federal 'Creative' or 'Illegal?' Congress Debates Trump's Dismantling of Education Dept.
    Republicans praised Linda McMahon for shrinking the federal K-12 footprint. Democrats raised concerns.
    Alyson Klein, May 14, 2026
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    6 min read

Resources

Special Education Spotlight Spotlight on ADHD, Inclusion, and IDEA: How Schools are Redefining Support for Students with Disabilities
New ADHD research and inclusive practices are reshaping how schools support students with disabilities and learning differences.
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Reading & Literacy Whitepaper The Upward Spiral of Literacy
Discover the research-backed Dirigo Literacy framework and learn how educators and leaders can accelerate reading and writing growth through evidence-based practices that move every learner forward.
Content provided by Solution Tree
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School & District Management Sponsor How 4 Large Districts Eliminated Data Silos
Discover how district leaders are eliminating data silos and driving measurable, district-wide results
Content provided by Branching Minds
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Budget & Finance Whitepaper The Leader’s Guide to Book Purchasing for Schools and Districts
This guide helps leaders and purchasing teams improve planning, reduce fulfillment issues, ensure budget predictability, maximize savings...
Content provided by BulkBookstore

EdWeek Market Brief

Strategy & Operations Exclusive Data What Does It Take For Vendors To Get An In-Person Meeting With Administrators?
New survey data from EdWeek Market Brief shows what kind of contact with vendors and information about a product or service they'd need to know before agreeing to meet in-person.
Michelle Caffrey
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6 min read
Meeting District Needs Market Analysis Portraits of a Graduate and AI Could Revolutionize Assessment. Here’s What's Coming
A growing number of companies are racing to respond as a long-simmering demand for new, skills-based methods for measuring student success is starting to boil over in school districts across the country.
Emma Kate Fittes
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15 min read
Strategy & Operations Industry Insight PowerSchool’s New CEO Sees Data, Automation as Key to K-12’s Next Era
Antonio Pietri talks about what the first seven months has been like in his new role.
Alexandria Ng
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6 min read
Strategy & Operations K-12 Dealmaking Cognia to Merge With EL Education in Latest Assessment, Curriculum Deal
K-12 accreditor Cognia plans to merge with English language arts curriculum provider EL Education, the nonprofit organizations announced Thursday, as they aim to address a wider range of students' learning needs.
Michelle Caffrey
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2 min read
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