Policy & Legal

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    Proposal would remove federal data collection for special education racial disparities

    Even if the federal collection was eliminated, states would still need to collect and interpret data for significant disproportionality, experts say.

    By • Updated Aug. 22, 2025
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    Jon Cherry via Getty Images
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    American Lung Association urges school radon testing

    HVAC systems must be functioning properly, with clean filters, for the tests to accurately identify levels of the radioactive gas, the organization says.

    By Joe Burns • Aug. 22, 2025
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    Stock Photo via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Top 5 stories from K-12 Dive

    K-12 Dive has gathered some a selection of our best coverage from 2025 so far as a one-stop resource on the trends to watch in the months ahead.

    By K-12 Dive staff
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    Photo illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images

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    POP QUIZ

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

    From the rescission of long-standing federal guidance to public opinion on the Education Department’s closure, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Aug. 22, 2025
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    Win McNamee via Getty Images
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    Education Department plans return of laid-off OCR staffers

    More than 260 civil rights staff cut as part of a March reduction in force will return in waves through November, according to court documents.

    By • Aug. 21, 2025
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    New York City workplace shooting exposes building security weaknesses

    The mass shooting in July underscores how access controls fail, but facility managers can get better security out of the technology, specialists say.

    By Joe Burns • Aug. 21, 2025
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    5 Northern Virginia districts put on high-risk status for Title IX violations

    The U.S. Department of Education said the districts must now process a collective $50 million through reimbursements.

    By • Aug. 20, 2025
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    undrey via Getty Images
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    Education Department rescinds EL equal access guidance

    The guidance helped districts and states serve English learners, but isn’t aligned with Trump administration priorities, a department spokesperson said.

    By • Aug. 20, 2025
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    xijian via Getty Images
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    Where do states stand on college and career readiness metrics?

    While most states have adopted at least one indicator in their accountability systems, there’s no uniform approach, an All4Ed report found.

    By Briana Mendez-Padilla • Aug. 20, 2025
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    Brian Tucker/K-12 Dive
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    Education Department uses Skrmetti case to bolster Title IX policy

    Though the Supreme Court decision doesn’t directly involve education civil rights law, it’s being cited to exclude trans students from athletics and facilities.

    By • Aug. 19, 2025
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    Ladanifer via Getty Images
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    More parents want to use public funds for private or religious schools

    Support for public schools appears to be waning, but most adults don’t want the U.S. Department of Education to close, a PDK International poll found.

    By • Aug. 19, 2025
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    Hispanolistic via Getty Images
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    Financial turmoil roils state universal school meal programs

    Schools in Colorado and Michigan are entering the new academic year unsure of how long they’ll be able to continue serving free meals to all students.

    By • Aug. 19, 2025
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    Jessica McGowan via Getty Images
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    How to protect students’ mental health during active shooter drills

    Researchers suggest using trauma-informed practices and banning hyper-realistic simulations.

    By • Aug. 18, 2025
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    Retrieved from U.S. Department of Education.
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    Week In Review: Enrollment dips, immigration enforcement weigh on schools

    We’re rounding up last week’s news, from renewed mascot debates to court battles impacting schools.

    By • Aug. 18, 2025
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    3 risk factors making states vulnerable to federal funding cuts

    The fiscal uncertainty is due to states' reliance on federal money and their proportions of high-need districts and students living in poverty, ERS says.

    By • Aug. 18, 2025
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    Jacqueline Nix / Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Federal judge halts Education Department’s anti-DEI measures

    The ruling puts a stop to efforts to withhold federal funding from schools that maintained race-based programming.

    By • Aug. 15, 2025
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    Photo illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images

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    POP QUIZ

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

    From a district considering school consolidations to the impacts of Trump’s immigration policies on students, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Aug. 15, 2025
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    Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Federal judge stands by order requiring OCR be restored

    The Trump administration is appealing Judge Myong Joun’s decision requiring the Office for Civil Rights to revert to “the status quo.”

    By • Aug. 14, 2025
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    Education Department proposes removing trans, nonbinary student categories from mandated data collection

    The Civil Rights Data Collection is used to inform civil rights compliance and discrimination investigations.

    By • Aug. 14, 2025
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    StockPlanets via Getty Images
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    Austin ISD eyes school consolidations as enrollment keeps dropping

    After losing over 10,000 students in the past decade, the district is evaluating buildings for capacity, cost and condition before proposing closures.

    By • Aug. 14, 2025
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    Retrieved from Los Angeles Unified School District on August 13, 2025
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    LAUSD emphasizes virtual school, safe zones after student detention

    Unidentified immigration agents handcuffed a student at gunpoint “in an alleged case of mistaken identity” just before the new school year begins.

    By • Aug. 13, 2025
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    Ryan Golden/K-12 Dive
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    School district asks court to reel in EEOC charge it called a ‘fishing expedition’

    The lawsuit alleged that then-Commissioner Andrea Lucas issued an “overly broad and vague” discrimination charge that exceeded the agency’s authority.

    By Ryan Golden • Aug. 13, 2025
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    Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Trump ICE policies create student trauma — but schools can help, researchers say

    Recent enforcement policy changes are resulting in absenteeism, disengagement, and social isolation, according to psychiatric researchers.

    By • Aug. 12, 2025
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    Tzido via Getty Images
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    Communicate budget uncertainty early and often, district leaders advise

    Two school district leaders shared how they’re navigating a fast-changing federal policy landscape in a recent TNTP webinar.

    By • Aug. 12, 2025
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    7th Circuit revives Christian teacher’s religious accommodation claim

    The teacher had asked to call all students by their last names rather than use transgender students’ chosen names.

    By Laurel Kalser • Aug. 11, 2025
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    Haugland Bowen, Katie. (2014). "Houston Skyline" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
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    Week In Review: Enrollment concerns weigh on districts and Houston makes progress

    We’re rounding up last week’s news, from school choice in special education to Atlanta’s plans to address empty seats.

    By • Aug. 11, 2025