Audit finds special ed underfunded in Kansas

The Education Commission of the States also said the federal government isn't providing enough funding for services for students with special needs.

By Linda Jacobson • Dec. 26, 2018

Report: 38 states upped K-12 spending in fiscal 2019

Those states boosted spending by $10.9 billion over fiscal 2018. Five states, however, cut K-12 spending, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers.

By Jessica Campisi • Dec. 21, 2018

Educators raising intellectual property concerns over Teachers Pay Teachers

Teachers have reported widespread copyright infringement of both their own work and of commercially produced materials on the online marketplace.

By Amelia Harper • Dec. 21, 2018

Study: Healthy school nutrition programs reduce student obesity

The study, led by the Yale School of Public Health, also found physical activity policies alone had little or no impact on a student's body mass index.

By Amelia Harper • Dec. 20, 2018

Judge: Schools, police had no duty to protect students during Parkland shooting

A U.S. district judge dismissed a suit filed by 15 students who say the district and sheriff's office were legally obligated to shield them during the massacre.

By Jessica Campisi • Dec. 19, 2018

Panel to 'strike-ready' LA teachers: Accept the district's offer

The chair of a neutral fact-finding report also suggests the district spend more to shrink class sizes and hire more librarians, nurses and other professionals.

By Linda Jacobson • Updated Dec. 20, 2018

Safety commission recommends armed school personnel, expanded mental health services

But most districts won't be able to afford the solutions highlighted in the report without additional funding, says AASA, The School Superintendents Association.

By Linda Jacobson • Updated Dec. 18, 2018

Senator Lamar Alexander won't seek reelection in 2020

Alexander, who hails from Tennessee and chairs the Senate education committee, is known for his leadership and role in ed policy.

By Jessica Campisi • Dec. 18, 2018

Research review indicates money does matter in education

While a review of 13 studies published between 1997 and 2018 supports the idea that more money provides statistical benefits for students, how it's spent matters just as much to those outcomes.

By Amelia Harper • Dec. 18, 2018

How Puerto Rico's education secretary is working to repair a broken system

After Hurricane Maria devastated the island and its schools, Julia Keleher's command of one of America's largest districts is pioneering change.

By Jessica Campisi • Dec. 17, 2018

Pre-to-3: Early-childhood community looks to new Opportunity Zone program to improve facilities

The Bipartisan Policy Center hopes the program will be used to build and enhance facilities, especially in child care "deserts."

By Linda Jacobson • Dec. 14, 2018

Growing pains, grievances for new ESSA school report cards

As states roll out revamped school accountability systems, administrators say kinks including a lack of detail are hindering their effectiveness.

By Jessica Campisi • Dec. 14, 2018

More state boards of education including students in policy decision-making

The students gain valuable opportunities to build leadership and soft skills, while boards benefit from the perspective of those most affected by decisions.

By Amelia Harper • Dec. 14, 2018

Indiana state board suggests tougher rules for virtual charters

The state's fastest-growing sector of charter schools could slow down if lawmakers accept proposed changes.

By Amelia Harper • Dec. 14, 2018

School safety commission to recommend scrapping Obama-era discipline guidance

The commission, which is set to release a final report this month, will suggest cutting a program aimed at eliminating racial disparities in school discipline.

By Jessica Campisi • Dec. 12, 2018

Trump administration cuts Obama-era school nutrition standards

As part of the changes, previous rules guiding options on grains, milk and sodium content in school cafeteria lunches will be replaced.

By Jessica Campisi • Dec. 11, 2018

New ESSA rules may target over 30% of schools for improvement

As states begin to determine which schools fall under the Additional Targeted Schools category, the numbers may be surprising.

By Amelia Harper • Dec. 11, 2018

Study: Housing instability largest predictor of chronic absenteeism

Researchers at the University of Michigan's Poverty Solutions say districts should opt into a data collection system that alerts educators when students approach chronic absenteeism levels.

By Amelia Harper • Dec. 11, 2018

Ed Dept to address TEACH grant errors, reconvert loans for thousands of affected teachers

Following pressure from an NPR investigation, 19 senators and its own inquiry, the department will retroactively grant credit to educators who can show their awards were unfairly converted to tens of thousands of dollars in loans.

By Roger Riddell • Dec. 10, 2018

Is building more connected school communities key to stemming violence?

A senior policy analyst from the Brookings Institution says that by creating an environment that addresses students' social-emotional needs, schools can better counter factors contributing to violence at the ground level.

By Allie Gross • Dec. 6, 2018

White House releases five-year STEM education strategy

The Trump administration's report stresses partnerships and digital literacy to make the U.S. "the global leader in STEM literacy, innovation and employment."

By Jessica Campisi • Dec. 5, 2018

Philanthropists have long favored ed — for better and worse

While private philanthropy is more important as ed budgets plateau, critics question an over-reliance on private funding and its potential to fuel inequities.

By Allie Gross • Dec. 4, 2018

New York City, Northern Virginia schools face mixed bag with Amazon HQ2

The company's split second headquarters is bound to bring investment and opportunity to both locations, but issues of overcrowding and affordability are among those giving stakeholders pause.

By Jessica Campisi • Dec. 4, 2018

Study: Later school start times linked to improvements in behavior, achievement

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers found students at schools starting at 8:30 a.m. or later were less likely to be suspended.

By Linda Jacobson • Dec. 3, 2018

Ed Dept under fire over FERPA complaint processes

Disorganization in how complaints are handled created a backlog dating back to at least the last administration, an audit from the department's Inspector General's office found.

By Allie Gross • Dec. 3, 2018