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Most clicked story of the week:
A bipartisan, bicameral proposed agreement released Jan. 19 would fund the U.S. Department of Education at $79 billion for fiscal year 2026 — or at $217 million above FY 2025 levels. The plan, which would deal a major blow to the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize and eventually eliminate the agency, comes months after the fiscal year began Oct. 1. In an update to our story, the House on Jan. 22 passed the bill by a vote of 341 to 88. Senate passage is expected this week.
Number of the week:
27
The number of individual weather and climate disasters driving at least $1 billion in damages in 2024, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. That’s closely behind the record high of 28 events from the previous year. Research by NWEA, a K-12 assessment and research organization, released a playbook this month to help schools prepare and recover from severe weather events.
The K-12 policy landscape continues to shift
- The Education Department on Jan. 21 stepped back from its attempts to enforce a controversial and sweeping anti-DEI Dear Colleague letter issued nearly a year ago. In that policy letter, the agency said some schools’ race-based equity programs discriminate against White and Asian students and could result in their federal funding being withdrawn.
- Uncertainty around federal support, a larger religious footprint in education and the expansion of “right-to-education” lawsuits are among education policy and legal trends experts say K-12 leaders should be mindful of in the coming year. ”School district leaders are facing mounting uncertainty, and should brace for more in 2026,” said Sasha Pudelski, director of advocacy for AASA, The School Superintendents Association.
- Efforts to dismantle the Education Department will have a generational impact, eliminating safeguards that have ensured all students have access to equitable, inclusive schools — and students with disabilities are particularly vulnerable, writes Jennifer Coco, interim executive director of The Center for Learner Equity.
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