Most-clicked story of the week:
A shrinking student population is creating increased competition in the K-12 sector, as both public and private schools explore avenues to remain financially healthy while improving instruction and other school experiences that will attract and retain learners. We examined recent National Association of Independent Schools data and compiled four charts to illustrate how private schools are faring amid these trends.
The portion of students chronically absent in the 2024-25 school year, according to an analysis of 31 states released June 2 by Attendance Works and the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University. The data shows chronic absenteeism rates fell from 29% to 21% among those states between the 2021-22 and 2024-25 school years.
Policy roundup
- A group of 22 senators — led by U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii — sent a letter to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon on June 2, seeking answers for the closure of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition in May. The Democratic and Independent senators said the decision “will have devastating and lasting consequences for the education of more than five million English learner students nationwide.”
- The Education Department was sued on June 3 over its abrupt termination last year of 28 national professional development grants for teachers of English learners. Plaintiffs — which include the Southern Poverty Law Center and National Education Association — allege the cancellations violated the First Amendment and other federal laws, damaged teacher certification pipelines in at least a dozen states, and deprived EL students of qualified educators.
- The Education Department on June 3 issued another Title IX noncompliance warning, this time to Colorado's Jefferson County Public Schools. The letter notified the district that it had 10 days to sign onto an OCR-drafted resolution agreement or face potential federal education funding cuts. OCR concluded in March that the district violated sex discrimination protections by allowing transgender students to participate on sports teams or access facilities aligning with their gender identities.
The screen time debate rages on
- The Federal Communications Commission announced a “top-to-bottom” evaluation of its E-Rate program on June 3. The $3 billion annual program provides schools and libraries with discounts on internet services and equipment. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the review is “aimed at empowering parents and ensuring that our E-Rate program produces the great educational outcomes stakeholders have intended,” and that it was also spurred by state actions across the country to limit screen time in schools.
- Disability rights organizations and education researchers are calling for more nuance in pushes to limit or cut screen time in schools — particularly for students with disabilities who rely on assistive technology for learning, communication and health reasons. Denise Marshall, CEO of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, told K-12 Dive her organization continues to hear that students with disabilities have difficulty accessing needed assistive technology and that blanket policies heighten these challenges.
