State Policy

Read more about state laws, regulations, and programs that impact education
A child's hand uses a pen to write math problems in a spiral bound notebook on top of a classroom desk.
A student works on math problems in a 4th grade classroom at William Jefferson Clinton Elementary in Compton, Calif., on Feb. 6, 2025. The state plans to assess the math skills of K-2 students to identify math difficulties earlier.
Eric Thayer/AP
Mathematics A Big State Joined the Math Legislation Trend. How Others May Benefit
A new California law requires schools to screen K-2 students for math difficulties, the latest state effort to improve math education.
Evie Blad, September 30, 2026
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5 min read
A classroom in Geneva Elementary School in Geneva County Schools, Geneva, Alabama on August04, 2026
A classroom in Geneva Elementary School in Geneva, Ala., is pictured in August 2026. Alabama still offers pay incentives for teachers in shortage areas, but many states do not, a new report finds.
Trisha Crain/Al.com via TNS
Teaching Profession What the Research Says States Roll Back Pay Incentives for Teachers in High-Need Areas
A new national study finds less differentiated pay for science fields, high-risk student groups.
Sarah D. Sparks, September 29, 2026
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3 min read
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, center, arrives for a news conference about President Donald Trump s Education Freedom Tax Credit on March 27, 2026 at Hamtramck Academy in Hamtramck, Mich.
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, center, arrives for a news conference about President Donald Trump's tax-credit scholarship program on March 27, 2026 at Hamtramck Academy in Hamtramck, Mich., where she urged Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to opt her state in. The Trump administration, through the Department of the Treasury, is expected to release regulations for the program in the coming days. Several governors have said they're awaiting those regulations before deciding whether their states participate.
Katy Kildee/The Detroit News via TNS
Education Funding Federal Tax Credits for K-12 Scholarships: What We Know (and Don't)
The Trump administration is preparing to issue rules for its new, ambitious school choice program.
Mark Lieberman & Arianna Prothero, September 23, 2026
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11 min read
Illustration by Nicole Xu showing a very young EL boy scribbling over an assessment test with a swirly white circle of confusion around his head.
Nicole Xu for Education Week
English Learners How One State Is Identifying English Learners Early—Without Misclassifying Them
California is replacing formal pre-K English screeners with age-appropriate tools to prevent misidentification.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, September 21, 2026
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7 min read
Mitchell High math teacher James Dye leads a Florida Advanced Course and Test (FACT) College Algebra course in September. The State Board of Education is set to update its rules so students can earn in-state college credit for successfully completing FACT courses in Trinity, Florida on September 09, 2025.
Math teacher James Dye leads a Florida Advanced Course and Test (FACT) college-level algebra course on Sept. 9, 2025, at Mitchell high school in Trinity, Fla. Some researchers suggest it is better to introduce students to academically rigorous courses far earlier than 11th or 12th grade.
Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via TNS
College & Workforce Readiness The Case for Expanding Access to Advanced Courses Before High School
Academic acceleration for 11th and 12th graders had little effect on college course choices.
Evie Blad, September 17, 2026
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3 min read
Teachers do PD work on increasing bars of money
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Getty
Professional Development What Sort of PD Should Give Teachers a Salary Bump? Some States Are Reevaluating
Teachers usually get pay increases for advanced degrees, but quality controls vary widely.
Sarah D. Sparks, September 17, 2026
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4 min read
Collage-style illustration of a mother holding a young baby with her hand held up to her forehead. Pieces of paper and hand-written schedules surround her and scribbles are in the background behind her head.
Illustration by Emily Wright for Education Week + Getty
Teaching Profession How Schools Can Help Support Postpartum Teachers
In an industry that provides little to no paid leave for parents, maternal mental health is a real concern.
Jennifer Vilcarino, September 16, 2026
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5 min read
EDUCWeek TracyByrd 23
Books in a Minneapolis high school classroom are seen on Jan. 22, 2026.
Caroline Yang for Education Week
States Courts Lets a State Law Limiting Race, Gender Classroom Discussions Take Effect
The 2021 Oklahoma law was part of a wave of state laws limiting classroom race and gender discussions.
Curtis Killman, Tulsa World, Okla., September 11, 2026
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2 min read
A third grade students works with visual aids while learning fractions in a math class at New River Elementary school, 4710 River Glen Blvd, on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 in Wesley Chapel.
Visual aids help a student learn fractions at New River Elementary School in Wesley Chapel, Fla, on March 26, 2025. In recent years states have passed new legislation or policy requiring teacher training, math screening for students, or automatic enrollment in advanced class—changes that are inspired by other legislation in reading.
Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times via TNS
Mathematics States Are Changing Math Policy. Follow the Trend With EdWeek's New Tracker
States are overhauling their policies in supporting struggling learners, teacher prep, and other areas.
Evie Blad, August 31, 2026
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1 min read
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a press conference on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a press conference on July 29, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas. Abbott wants to ban schools from using H-1B visas to hire international educator—a practice used to fill high-need roles teaching subjects like math and foreign languages.
Elvis Martinez-Cartagena/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images<br/>
Recruitment & Retention Why This Governor Wants to Ban H-1B Visas for Teachers—and Why Schools Use Them
Gov. Greg Abbott wants to ban schools from using H-1B visas to hire international teachers, a strategy used to fill key staffing gaps.
Evie Blad, August 21, 2026
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4 min read
Teacher Donnie Piercey goes over the results of a writing assignment called "Find the Bot" during his class at Stonewall Elementary in Lexington, Ky., Feb. 6, 2023.
Teacher Donnie Piercey reviews the products of a writing assignment during his class at Stonewall Elementary in Lexington, Ky., on Feb. 6, 2023.
Timothy D. Easley/AP Photo
Reading & Literacy First Reading. Then Math. Is the 'Science of Writing' Next?
Integrating reading and writing can lead to better student outcomes in both areas, studies show.
Sarah Schwartz, August 19, 2026
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4 min read
Student Elias Albert gets help from Instructor Nurit Foster, who is using artificial intelligence in her multilingual learners class at Hillside Middle School in Northville, Michigan on Jan. 13, 2025 . AI allows teachers in Northville to provide students with content for a class assignment and then adjust the levels for each student based on their English proficiency, officials said.
Student Elias Albert gets help from instructor Nurit Foster, who is using artificial intelligence in her multilingual learners class at Hillside Middle School in Northville, Mich., on Jan. 13, 2025. Statewide assessments in students' native languages are another accommodation states have on hand to help English learners.
Daniel Mears/The Detroit News via TNS
English Learners Which States Test English Learners in Their Native Languages?
In 2025 the Migration Policy Institute analyzed states' use of native language assessments.
2 min read
Conceptual image of gears drawn in flowing line art being tethered together and a lasso bounding box.
Laura Baker/Education Week + Getty
Curriculum Q&A Should State Boards Have More Oversight of Curricula?
A more active role would help schools select strong, research-based curricula, an expert argues.
Evie Blad, August 17, 2026
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5 min read
Grading and assessment SR
Robert Neubecker for Education Week
Assessment This State Banned Nonzero Grading Policies. Why Some Schools Use Them
A new law bans "grading floors," which require a minimum grade of 50% for assignments or grading periods.
Evie Blad, August 5, 2026
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6 min read