State Policy

Read more about state laws, regulations, and programs that impact education
Elliott Hart, 4, smiles at her dad, Michael Hart, on Oct. 29, 2026 while wearing a sticker on her face during a Get Out the Vote rally for Ohio Democrats. including Amy Acton, candidate for governor, Thursday, October 29, 2026, at the UAW Local 12 Union Hall in Toledo, Ohio.
Elliott Hart, 4, smiles at her dad, Michael Hart, on Oct. 29, 2026 while wearing a sticker on her face during rally for Ohio Democrats. Amy Acton, who won the governorship in the state, has vowed to keep the state's focus on literacy and expand it.
Jeremy Wadsworth/The Blade via AP
States How the Midterm Results Could Reshape Some States' Reading Policies
Newly elected Democratic governors say raising literacy achievement is a priority.
Sarah Schwartz, November 5, 2026
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8 min read
Democratic Texas gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa speaks to supporters at an election night event in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
Texas Gov.-Elect Gina Hinojosa speaks to supporters at an election night event in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. The Democrat pledged to repeal her state's private school choice program while on the campaign trail.
Ashley Landis/AP
School Choice & Charters After Elections, Democrats Will Run School Choice Programs They've Blasted
Democrats have criticized school choice for a long time. Now, they'll be in charge of some big programs.
Arianna Prothero, November 5, 2026
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6 min read
TUSKEGEE, AL - MARCH 14: Sixth grade students in Samuel Morriss class, from left, Jazyah Mitchell, Amiya Neal, Latecia White and Radarius Harris work on math problems together on March 14, 2023, at Tuskegee Public School in Tuskegee, Alabama.
From left, students Jazyah Mitchell, Amiya Neal, Latecia White and Radarius Harris, work on math problems together on March 14, 2023, at Tuskegee Public School in Tuskegee, Ala. The state is at the forefront of rethinking how it prepares elementary teachers to ensure they have the mathematical knowledge and techniques to teach math effectively.
Julie Bennett for The Washington Post via Getty Images
Mathematics Making the Math Add Up for Future Elementary School Teachers
Teacher-preparation programs blend math content and pedagogy to target the needs of elementary school teachers.
Evie Blad, November 5, 2026
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5 min read
Voters file into and leave the Betty Rodriguez Public Library voting center Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025 in Fresno.
Voters file into and leave the Betty Rodriguez Public Library voting center Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025 in Fresno, Calif. Voters in several states on Tuesday weighed in on measures to unlock new school funding sources or limit taxes that fund schools.
ERIC PAUL ZAMORA/Fresno Bee via TNS
Education Funding How K-12 School Funding Fared in the Midterms: A Nationwide Guide
Tuesday’s elections brought fresh opportunities for increased school investments and new funding constraints.
Mark Lieberman, November 5, 2026
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7 min read
Masaki Yoshikawa phone banks for Let's Go Washington, a group backing Washington State Initiative 638, which would prohibit transgender girls from competing in girls' sports, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, in Bellevue, Wash.
Masaki Yoshikawa phone banks for Let's Go Washington, a group backing Washington state's Initiative 638, which would prohibit transgender girls from competing in girls' sports, on Oct. 19, 2026, in Bellevue, Wash. The measure was one of four on state ballots Tuesday concerning transgender student-athletes.
Lindsey Wasson/AP
States Trump's Education Agenda Gets a Boost on an Otherwise Punishing Night for the GOP
Four states are poised to bar transgender girls from female sports or broaden existing bans.
Mark Walsh, November 4, 2026
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5 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Federal Opinion Here's What the Blue Wave Could Mean for Education
Rick Hess and Andy Rotherham analyze how the midterms will shape school choice, sports, and more.
Rick Hess, November 4, 2026
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9 min read
People walk from the Office of the Supervisor of Elections during early voting in the 2026 midterm elections, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, in Doral, Fla.
People walk from the Office of the Supervisor of Elections during early voting in the 2026 midterm elections, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, in Doral, Fla. Voters are making decisions with major implications for the nation's schools this election season.
Lynne Sladky/AP
States The 4 Big K-12 Questions This Election Day
The answers will help to determine what's next for education policy.
Matthew Stone, October 31, 2026
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7 min read
A photo collage of a 4 pane window on top of a ghosted road map. Each window pane shows a different scene. Clockwise from left: mother holding the hand of her young child as they cross a cross walk toward a school building, middle school boy working a tutor, back of school bus on a rural road, and the back of a young girl working with objects.
Collage by Gina Tomko/Education Week + Canva
School Choice & Charters Public Schools Are Prepping for Federal Choice Cash. They Still Might Not Get It
Educators in states that haven't opted into the new federal program are preparing for their students to benefit.
Mark Lieberman, October 29, 2026
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6 min read
Collage of ballots and language from propositions from Arizona, Washington and Florida.
Illustration by Emily Wright for Education Week + Getty
Education Funding School Funding Is on the Ballot Across the Country. Here's How
Voters will confront questions over how much money schools get and where their funding comes from.
Mark Lieberman, October 28, 2026
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1 min read
Students look at books during a book fair at Schaumburg Elementary, part of the ReNEW charter network, in New Orleans, Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana have seen a promising turnaround in their student reading scores after passing a series of similar literacy reforms.
Students look at books during a book fair at Schaumburg Elementary, part of the ReNEW charter network, in New Orleans on April 19, 2023. Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana have seen a promising turnaround in their student reading scores after passing a series of similar literacy reforms.
Gerald Herbert/ AP
Reading & Literacy What's Driving the 'Southern Surge?' Report Examines Reading Gains in Alabama
The state invested in coaching and relied on top-down leadership.
Sarah Schwartz, October 28, 2026
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5 min read
Students raise their hands in Lindsey Wuest's Science As Art class at A.D. Henderson School in Boca Raton, Fla., Tuesday, April 16, 2024. When teachers at the K-8 public school, one of the top-performing schools in Florida, are asked how they succeed, one answer is universal: They have autonomy.
Students raise their hands in Lindsey Wuest's Science As Art class at A.D. Henderson School in Boca Raton, Fla., on April 16, 2024. Florida is one of 32 states that requires at least 180 days of instruction per school year. Instructional time requirements vary by state, ranging from 160 days in Colorado to 186 days in Kansas.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
States How Much Time Do Students Spend in School? It Depends on the State
State laws vary from 160 to 186 required school days per year.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens & Maya Riser-Kositsky, October 27, 2026
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1 min read
Mayor Michelle Wu and Gov Maura Healey arrive at the Otis Elementary School after Wu endorsed Healey in her reelection bid.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey appears in Boston on Oct. 1, 2026, as part of her reelection campaign. Healey is one of five Democratic governors who sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent seeking more clarity on the new federal school choice program before deciding whether to opt her state in.
Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald
School Choice & Charters Democratic Governors Have Questions About the Federal School Choice Program
A letter from five Democratic governors signals some movement as state leaders decide whether to opt in.
Arianna Prothero, October 26, 2026
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5 min read
Stopwatch increase Math time 60 min early math foundation
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Getty
Mathematics States Call for More Time on Math. Schools Struggle to Shift Their Schedules
A growing number of states have mandated schools spend at least 60 minutes a day on math instruction.
Evie Blad, October 23, 2026
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5 min read
FA student wipes his face while his mother takes a photo of him with a sign on the first day of school at Betsy Ross Elementary School in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 6, 2026.
A student wipes his face while his mother takes a photo of him with a sign on the first day of school at Betsy Ross Elementary School in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 6, 2026. English learners in California will only need to meet one criterion to reclassify this school year.
Jae C. Hong/AP
English Learners How One State Is Fixing Bureaucratic Hurdles for English Learners
New legislation in California helps the state catch up and lead in reclassifying English learners.
Ileana Najarro, October 22, 2026
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4 min read