Federal Policy

News, analysis, and opinion about federal education laws, regulations, and proposals—and their impact
Jeanette Vyhanek, a counselor at Wellstone Elementary, teaches a class of kindergarten students at the St. Paul school on Oct. 31, 2025 in Minnesota.
Jeanette Vyhanek, a counselor at Wellstone Elementary in St. Paul, Minn., teaches a class of kindergarten students on Oct. 31, 2025. Federal grants to expand the ranks of school counselors and other school mental health services were among hundreds terminated by the Trump administration in 2025. New rules from the U.S. Department of Education would give the federal agency greater latitude to end in-progress grants.
Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune via TNS
Federal Ed. Dept. Would Have More Power to Cut Off Grants Under New Rules
The agency last year ended in-progress grants worth more than $2 billion, with courts often objecting.
Matthew Stone, August 26, 2026
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5 min read
A student raises her hand to ask a question in her third grade classroom at Highland Elementary School in Columbus, Kan., on Oct. 17, 2022. The arm of the government that oversees education data which tracks educational outcomes for students, faces major challenges ahead due to financial cuts.
A student raises her hand to ask a question in her 3rd grade classroom at Highland Elementary School in Columbus, Kan., on Oct. 17, 2022. Federal education data-gathering, like the Condition of Education report, includes baseline information on students and schools. But cuts to the Education Department's statistics wings and mounting criticism of how it operates raise questions about how it can best fulfill its mission.
Charlie Riedel/AP
Federal Q&A Education Data Collection Has Cratered Under Trump. Can It Be Rebuilt?
Ed. Dept.'s data-gathering agency is too unstable to adapt to changing needs, a new report claims.
Sarah D. Sparks, August 25, 2026
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6 min read
The office of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, one of Nebraska's few abortion clinics, is seen in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022.
The office of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, one of Nebraska's few abortion clinics, is seen in Omaha, Neb., on Oct. 19, 2022. The organization is part of a coalition of affected grantees affected by the Trump administration funding for teen pregnancy programs.
Josh Funk/AP
Law & Courts Court Blocks Trump Admin.'s Abstinence Emphasis in Teen Pregnancy Program
HHS revamped the grant with new requirements that align with conservative priorities.
Lauraine Langreo, August 24, 2026
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3 min read
Assistant Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Kirsten Baesler speaks during the National Forum on Education Policy in Washington, DC on Wednesday July 8, 2026.
Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Kirsten Baesler speaks during the National Forum on Education Policy in Washington on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. Baesler urged educators to ensure ed tech is delivering results for students, rather than focus single-mindedly on the amount of time students are spending on screens in class.
Demetrius Freeman for Education Week
Classroom Technology It's About Quality Tech Use, Not Screen Time, Trump's Top K-12 Official Argues
Trump administration's top K-12 official urges educators to focus on whether ed tech is effective.
Alyson Klein, August 20, 2026
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5 min read
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights for the Department of Education nominee Kimberly Richey testifies before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee about her nomination in Washington, D.C., on June 5, 2025.
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberley Richey testifies before the Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee at her nomination hearing in Washington on June 5, 2025. A new letter to educators from Richey instructs schools not to consider race at all in school discipline policies, following the Trump administration's rescission of longtime anti-discrimination rules.
Jason Andrew for Education Week
Federal Education Department Tells Schools Race Can’t Factor Into Student Discipline
A letter to educators follows up on last month's rescission of longstanding discrimination rules.
Mark Walsh, August 18, 2026
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5 min read
A student participates in a reading and writing lesson at the Head Start program at Easterseals South Florida, an organization gets about a third of its funding from the federal government, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Miami.
A student participates in a reading and writing lesson at the Head Start program at Easterseals South Florida, an organization gets about a third of its funding from the federal government in Miami on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. As it seeks to scale back regulations governing Head Start, the Trump administration has stalled competitions for programs awaiting renewed funding.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo
Early Childhood Head Start Providers Struggle as Trump Admin. Holds Up Funding Competitions
At least 85 Head Start providers serving more than 39,000 children across 38 states are in limbo.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens & Mark Lieberman, August 18, 2026
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9 min read
A sign from the General Services Administration is posted outside of the Department of Education headquarters in Washington, D.C. on Friday, July 17, 2026.
A sign installed by the General Services Administration is posted outside the Department of Education headquarters in Washington on July 17, 2026. Despite shifting its programs to other agencies, the Education Department will send billions of dollars in formula funds for schools through its own grants portal on Oct. 1, rather than a portal run by the Department of Labor.
Eric Lee for Education Week
Education Funding Education Department Will Keep Sending Most K-12 Funds Through Its Own System
The agency will send formula funds through its own system again despite program shifts to other agencies.
Mark Lieberman, August 17, 2026
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5 min read
Long Beach, CA - March 20 : Teacher Monica Alvarado, left, leads activities with staff in the infant class at Educare Los Angeles at Long Beach , a very high-quality child care center in Long Beach on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 in Long Beach, CA.
Teacher Monica Alvarado, left, leads activities with staff in the infant class at Educare Los Angeles at Long Beach, a very high-quality child care center in Long Beach on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 in Long Beach, Calif. Head Start programs for early childhood education will no longer promote bilingualism under a proposed rule change.
Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via TNS
Federal Q&A What Head Start's English-Only Rule Could Mean for English Learners
Research shows it's not necessary to lose a home language to learn English.
Ileana Najarro, August 17, 2026
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3 min read
Xerius Jackson, 7, gets an MMR vaccine at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025 , in Lubbock, Texas .
A 7-year-old receives an MMR vaccine at a clinic hosted by the Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. A recent executive order modifying federal vaccine recommendations may sow confusion for parents and add administrative burdens for school nurses amid rising nationwide measles cases.
Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images via TNS
School Climate & Safety Q&A Trump's Order on Vaccines Sows Confusion as School Starts
The president of the National Association of School Nurses warns of vaccine confusion and pushback.
Elizabeth Heubeck, August 14, 2026
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6 min read
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Lylah Bobowski, 3, plays in the outdoor playground of the Head Start Center in Athens, Pa., on August 13, 2026.
Md. Zobayer Hossain Joati for Education Week
Early Childhood What This Rural Head Start Program Stands to Lose With Federal Changes
The federal government just announced plans to de-regulate Head Start. Here's what this might mean.
Elizabeth Heubeck, August 14, 2026
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10 min read
School PatrolsLos Angeles, CA - August 14: Ron Gochez, a history teacher at Maya Angelou and member of Union del Barrio, looks for ICE activity during a patrol on the first day of school around Maya Angelou High School on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.
Ron Gochez, a history teacher and member of Union del Barrio, looks for ICE activity during a patrol on the first day of school around Maya Angelou High School on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif. A new report found K-12 educators took on more work this past school year to care for immigrant students.
Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
School & District Management Immigration Enforcement Takes Heavy Emotional Toll on K-12 Educators
A new report documents how keeping students safe and focused became difficult amid ICE presence.
Ileana Najarro, August 13, 2026
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3 min read
The Department of Education headquarters in Washington, D.C. on Friday, July 17, 2026.
The Department of Education headquarters in Washington on Friday, July 17, 2026. Federal funding for education research may be starting to flow, even as the overall spending picture remains unclear.
Eric Lee for Education Week
Federal After Months of Standstill, Ed. Dept. Announces New Federal Research Funding
The agency outlined its fiscal 2027 grantmaking amid questions about its sluggish spending.
Stephen Sawchuk & Mark Lieberman, August 11, 2026
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7 min read
Karen Locken plays with children in an Early Head Start program in Pasadena, California on Friday, April 18, 2025 .
Karen Locken plays with children in an Early Head Start program in Pasadena, California on Friday, April 18, 2025 .
Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/TNS
Early Childhood Trump Admin. Moves to Dismantle Head Start Quality Standards
The Trump administration announced plans to dismantle the federal regulations that have defined Head Start for decades.
Elizabeth Heubeck, August 6, 2026
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5 min read
Third graders at Oak Ridge Elementary School, Ben Vue, 9, left, Genesis Cortez, 9, Grettell Dominguez, 9, and Vanessa Guerra 8, right, sit together while eating lunch on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023 , in Oak Park .
Third graders at Oak Ridge Elementary School in Oak Park, Calif., sit together while eating lunch on Feb. 22, 2023. Several schools across the country have announced they're no longer providing free meals to all students because they've stopped qualifying for the federal Community Eligibility Provision.
Lezlie Sterling via TNS
Student Well-Being & Movement Some Schools Stop Free Meals for All as SNAP Enrollment Falls
A rising number of schools no longer qualify for a federal program to provide free meals to all students.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, August 6, 2026
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6 min read