Policy & Legal

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    Education Department halts effort to implement controversial anti-DEI letter

    The agency dropped its appeal of a court ruling against guidance aimed at ending race-based programs in schools.

    By • Jan. 22, 2026
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    Tracker

    As student enrollment declines, a look at public school closures

    We’re tracking districts’ plans to shutter or consolidate schools amid enrollment pressure from falling birthrates and growing school choice.

    By • Jan. 22, 2026
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    Deep Dive

    4 education legal and policy trends to watch in 2026

    From civic education advocacy to religious public schools, here’s what K-12 leaders can expect in the legal and policy spheres.

    By • Jan. 21, 2026
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    Bipartisan K-12 budget proposal would stall gutting of Education Department

    Senate and House leaders reject Trump administration plans to outsource management of Education Department programming.

    By • Jan. 20, 2026
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    Trump 2.0: A sea change for K-12

    From Education Department downsizing to a variety of legal battles, take a month-by-month look at how the federal approach to K-12 has shifted.

    By , , , • Jan. 20, 2026
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    Kayla Bartkowski via Getty Images
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    Week In Review: School shootings drop and SCOTUS hears trans athletics cases

    We’re rounding up last week’s news, from a slew of new Title IX probes to debates over tech in schools.

    By • Jan. 20, 2026
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    Senators discuss school tech limits amid youth mental health crisis

    Two witnesses went so far as to suggest curbing 1:1 device rollouts in a Thursday Senate committee hearing.

    By • Jan. 16, 2026
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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 school meal beverages to U.S. Department of Education investigations, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Jan. 16, 2026
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    House hearing: Is now a good time to regulate AI in schools?

    House education committee members found consensus on student risks, though Republicans raised concerns about hindering innovation.

    By • Jan. 15, 2026
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    Opinion

    How can we create the conditions to inspire young leaders to say ‘yes’ to teaching careers?

    Innovative staffing models may be part of the solution, writes the executive director of Teach For America Bay Area in California.

    By Beatrice Viramontes • Jan. 15, 2026
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    StockPlanets via Getty Images
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    Poll shows most teens oppose classroom cellphone bans

    Despite teens’ perceptions, states and districts say the restrictions lead to better teacher satisfaction and improved school climate.

    By • Jan. 15, 2026
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    Retrieved from U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor and Pensions.
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    Education Department launches 18 Title IX transgender athlete investigations

    The new string of investigations into some public schools and colleges comes on the heels of a U.S. Supreme Court hearing on the issue this week.

    By • Jan. 14, 2026
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    K-12 facilities need $90B to close maintenance, capital investment shortfall

    Schools should be spending 7% of their budgets on facilities, but they’re not close to that, according to the 2025 State of Our Schools report.

    By Robert Freedman • Jan. 14, 2026
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    Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Supreme Court weighs thorny issues in state transgender athlete bans

    Liberal and conservative justices weighed what a Title IX decision would mean for other areas of education, like remedial classes for underperforming boys.

    By • Jan. 13, 2026
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    Character.AI, Google agree to mediate settlements in wrongful teen death lawsuits

    The lawsuits “are tragic reminders” that AI chatbots aren’t safe for minors seeking emotional support, says a media safety expert.

    By • Jan. 13, 2026
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    Supreme Court to hear arguments in transgender student athlete cases

    Justices on Tuesday will weigh whether Title IX protects transgender athletes or bans them from participating on teams aligning with their gender identity.

    By • Jan. 12, 2026
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    Michael Ciaglo via Getty Images
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    School shootings dropped in 2025. Here’s what to know for 2026.

    With school shootings reaching their lowest count in five years at 233, a school safety expert urges realistic prevention practices in the new year.

    By • Jan. 12, 2026
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    Week In Review: From Head Start to Texas teachers, K-12 hits the courtroom

    We’re rounding up last week’s news, including ESEA waivers and key trends to watch in 2026.

    By • Jan. 12, 2026
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    Increasing rates of student loneliness present challenge for schools

    One researcher suggests stronger support for social-emotional learning is needed to address the issue for all students.

    By Ed Finkel • Jan. 12, 2026
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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 release of updated dietary guidelines to another potential K-12 case headed to the U.S. Supreme Court, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Jan. 9, 2026
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    John Moore/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Federal judge halts layoffs, anti-DEI measures at Head Start

    Mass cuts and prohibitions on diversity, equity and inclusion put the program in an “impossible situation,” District Court Judge Ricardo Martinez wrote.

    By • Jan. 8, 2026
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    Deep Dive

    6 trends to watch for K-12 in 2026

    Enrollment concerns, growing school choice competition, data privacy and new federal policy priorities are among a slew of challenges facing public schools.

    By , , • Jan. 8, 2026
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    Retrieved from U.S. Department of Education/Flickr on January 07, 2026
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    Iowa first state awarded ESEA waiver under Trump administration

    While some say the waiver will reduce federal red tape, others are concerned about lowered standards and less accountability.

    By • Jan. 8, 2026
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    DOL clarifies FMLA’s stance on travel time, school closure in opinion letters

    While the law protects time spent traveling to appointments, it doesn’t encompass stops for unrelated activities, the labor department noted.

    By Emilie Shumway • Jan. 8, 2026
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    New dietary guidelines: More protein, fewer ultra-processed foods

    School meals must eventually align with federal nutrition standards informed by the Trump administration's 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

    By • Jan. 7, 2026