How the Education Department will prioritize AI in awarding grants

A new final rule details a broad set of AI initiatives that will be given more weight in the agency’s discretionary funding programs.

By Anna Merod • April 14, 2026

Layoffs, hiring freezes pick up in districts amid declining enrollment

From Boston to San Francisco, districts are planning for sweeping staff reductions as superintendents face tightening budgets.

By Anna Merod • April 14, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from K-12 Dive

K-12 Dive has gathered some a selection of our best coverage as a one-stop resource on the trends to watch in the months ahead.

By K-12 Dive staff

Appeals court OKs parts of Iowa’s sweeping anti-LGBTQ law

The decision is a blow to free speech and civil rights advocates, who have said such laws are discriminatory and lead to self-censorship in schools.

By Naaz Modan • April 13, 2026

First grants announced under Labor Dept elementary and secondary ed partnership

The two grant competitions cover literacy in high-need areas and incentives for performance-based compensation for teachers and school leaders.

By Naaz Modan • April 10, 2026

Test yourself on the past week’s K-12 news

From a student data privacy settlement to Trump’s latest budget proposal, what did you learn from our recent stories?

By Anna Merod • April 10, 2026

‘Vibe coding’ helped a Washington district save $250K in ed tech costs

Peninsula School District says it is harnessing AI tools to develop replacements for current ed tech and expand its capabilities.

By Anna Merod • April 10, 2026

Districts, states grapple with 4-day school week

Education leaders are weighing pros and cons as they balance calendar demands for teacher training, instructional requirements and community needs.

By Kara Arundel • April 9, 2026

After-school program sustainability concerns are rising among providers

Over half of after-school providers said they were worried about having to close their programs in 2025, according to a survey by Afterschool Alliance.

By Anna Merod • April 8, 2026

We want to hear about your school district’s rising leaders

Tell us about the standout assistant principals and district administrators who are fueling achievement, positive culture and innovation in your schools.

By Roger Riddell • April 8, 2026

Draft anti-DEI rule draws strong pushback from education leaders

The General Services Administration plan — which would apply to all federal funding recipients — would hurt student success initiatives, commenters said.

By Naaz Modan • April 8, 2026

Want to stabilize K-12 enrollment? Expanding pre-K access could help

Children who participated in D.C.’s universal pre-K program were significantly more likely to stay in public schools, Urban Institute research shows.

By Kara Arundel • April 7, 2026

EPA Clean School Bus Program revving up after roadblock

The agency’s Office of Inspector General previously flagged concerns about its management of the $5 billion program.

By Anna Merod • April 7, 2026

COVID remote learning put drain on college enrollment

The percentages of students completing the FAFSA, taking the ACT or signing up for the first year of college fell in 2020-21, NBER data shows.

By Anna Merod • April 6, 2026

Education Department rescinds Title IX pacts protecting LGBTQ+ students

The resolution agreements, which the agency called "illegal," were reached under previous Democratic administrations.

By Naaz Modan • April 6, 2026

Week In Review: A $17.25M student data privacy settlement and the end of ESSER

We’re rounding up last week’s news, from AI’s use in reviewing books and curricula to diminishing returns for career and technical education.

By Roger Riddell • April 6, 2026

Educational equity on the chopping block in Trump FY 2027 budget request

Equity Assistance Centers and teacher quality grants would be eliminated for DEI ties, while the Office for Civil Rights would be cut by over 30%.

By Naaz Modan • April 3, 2026

Trump’s FY 2027 budget would slash $8.5B from selected K-12 programs

The request spares Title I and special education but targets a range of K-12 programs including English Language Acquisition.

By Naaz Modan • April 3, 2026

What the $17.25M PowerSchool Naviance settlement means for school districts

District leaders will face questions from families who receive settlement notices as ed tech pushback grows, a K-12 cybersecurity expert says.

By Anna Merod • April 3, 2026

Test yourself on the past week’s K-12 news

From superintendents’ average tenure length to the end of ESSER spending, what did you learn from our recent stories?

By Anna Merod • April 3, 2026

LGBTQ+ students report schools feel more hostile

Two-thirds of students reported feeling unsafe because of their LGBTQ+ identity in 2024-25, according to data from an annual survey by Glisten.

By Naaz Modan • April 3, 2026

H-1B visa program hits cap for the next fiscal year

Immigration and the H-1B visa program have been targets of the Trump administration, and many changes have left employers scrambling to comply.

By Ginger Christ • April 2, 2026

As AI enters book ban disputes, here’s what it means for school districts

Tools seeking to help districts get ahead of challenges have resulted in auto-flags for thousands books, from political memoirs to the works of Shakespeare.

By Naaz Modan • April 2, 2026

AI is moving quickly. How can districts keep up?

In an ILO Group webinar, education leaders detailed how they implement and govern AI by sharing responsibilities across departments and piloting tools.

By Anna Merod • April 2, 2026

San Jose USD closes 5 elementary schools after 20% enrollment drop

The California district reported it lost 6,000 students since the 2017-18 school year as birthrates decline and the Bay Area’s cost of living goes up.

By Anna Merod • March 31, 2026

DOL seeks to hike H-1B visa holder wage rates to curb ‘abuse’ of program

While schools are unlikely to be affected by the proposed changes, AASA said it’s still concerned about the $100,000 H-1B fee imposed by President Donald Trump last year.

By Ryan Golden , Anna Merod • March 31, 2026