Policy & Legal

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    After-school meal participation still below pre-COVID levels, FRAC finds

    Data shows 1.26 million students were served after-school supper on an average school day in October 2024.

    By • Dec. 12, 2025
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    Andrew Harnik via Getty Images
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    Trump calls for federal policy framework preempting state AI laws

    The move comes as Big Tech pushes back against local AI regulation while pouring billions into building out AI infrastructure and deploying new products.

    By Makenzie Holland • Dec. 12, 2025
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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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    House subcommittee advances 18 bills to protect minors online

    Two of the key proposals, KOSA and COPPA 2.0, will move forward to the House Energy and Commerce Committee for a vote.

    By • Dec. 12, 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 data on summer school impacts to the Supreme Court denying an education-related case, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Dec. 12, 2025
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    School reopenings after pandemic linked to decreased mental health challenges

    District leaders should weigh infection risk and the need for socialization and other school resources in closure decisions during future crises, a study says.

    By • Dec. 12, 2025
  • Linda McMahon arrives to the U.S. Department of Education's building in Washington, D.C., for her first day in office.
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    US Department of Education. (2025). "03042025 SLM First day in the Office-3" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
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    Education Department distributes more than $208M in new mental health grants

    The new funds come after the agency controversially revoked up to $1 billion under the same programs from recipients that incorporated DEI efforts.

    By • Dec. 11, 2025
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    Opinion

    School violence: An educator’s painful and promising 50-year perspective

    Though there’s no quick fix for school violence, educators can work to prevent it by keeping in mind “5 B’s,” a crisis intervention expert writes.

    By Stephen Sroka • Dec. 11, 2025
  • A poster of the "Trump Gold Card" is seen as President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House on September 19, 2025 in Washington, DC.
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    H-1B visa applicants will now have their social media scrutinized

    The move is the latest measure from President Donald Trump’s administration to make the immigration process more stringent.

    By Caroline Colvin • Dec. 10, 2025
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    FatCamera via Getty Images
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    Summer school boosts math — but not reading — achievement, NWEA finds

    The analysis says summer school literacy instruction shouldn't be abandoned, but “more work is needed” to identify effective program approaches.

    By • Dec. 10, 2025
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    DOJ joins Loudoun County transgender student inclusion lawsuit

    The case involves two Christian high school boys who were suspended after complaining about a transgender student in their locker room.

    By • Dec. 10, 2025
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    Education Department adds ‘lower earnings’ warning to FAFSA

    The agency will warn students when they’ve indicated interest in a college whose graduates have relatively low incomes.

    By Natalie Schwartz • Dec. 9, 2025
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    Supreme Court turns down book ban case

    The case would have been the first on book bans to be heard in over four decades and is part of a cascade of similar lawsuits.

    By • Dec. 9, 2025
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    John Moore via Getty Images
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    What would happen if undocumented children couldn’t attend public schools?

    Undoing a Supreme Court decision that ensures all children can access a free public education could have serious consequences, a Fwd.us report said.

    By • Dec. 9, 2025
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    70% of high school principals say ICE is taking a toll on their schools

    School responses to heightened fear in immigrant communities vary from staff training to creating plans in case federal agents come knocking.

    By • Dec. 9, 2025
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    Week in Review: Superintendents’ job satisfaction and the status of education degrees

    We’re rounding up last week’s news, from a major ed tech data security settlement to the latest on a federal school voucher program.

    By • Dec. 8, 2025
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    Vanessa Nunes via Getty Images
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    STUDY HALL

    Here’s what to know about the federal early learning Head Start program

    Head Start, which serves nearly 800,000 children ages birth through 5, is the "launchpad for future leaders and strong communities," says NHSA.

    By • Dec. 8, 2025
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    Retrieved from House Committee on Education & Workforce.
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    Do federal privacy laws require schools to protect — or reveal — students’ LGBTQ+ identity?

    At a House hearing, lawmakers were divided on how FERPA and PPRA apply, as the Trump administration has used them to crack down on schools and districts protecting these students.

    By • Dec. 5, 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 landmark education law’s 50th anniversary to new research on funding shifts in public schools, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Dec. 5, 2025
  • Students with backpacks and an adult are walking toward the side of a yellow school bus. The bus doors are open and students are going inside the bus.
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    Some districts reverse school closures despite declining enrollment

    While closures can be “deeply painful,” keeping schools open can mean fewer student resources or even a state takeover, an education professor said.

    By • Dec. 5, 2025
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    John Moore via Getty Images
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    Most superintendents satisfied with job, despite the stress and demands

    Nearly 6 in 10 plan to stay in the superintendency over the next five years, an increase from 2010, according to AASA's mid-decade survey of district leaders.

    By • Dec. 4, 2025
  • A flag from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security hangs outside the ICE headquarters in Washington, D.C.
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    Alex Wong via Getty Images
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    Districts report enrollment drops amid heightened immigration enforcement

    A larger-than-expected dip in Los Angeles reflects "the realities our immigrant families are facing," Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said.

    By • Dec. 4, 2025
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    House subcommittee debates best way to protect children online

    Lawmakers are calling for urgency on the issue, having introduced 19 bills to safeguard minors on the internet and social media.

    By • Dec. 3, 2025
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    Alex Wong via Getty Images
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    Treasury, IRS seek comments on federal school choice program

    The agencies are seeking input into policies for scholarship-granting organizations that will distribute the funds contributed by taxpayers.

    By • Dec. 3, 2025
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    IDEA at 50: How the landmark law changed education

    The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has led to innovations for all students, but key factors could hinder further progress.

    By , • Dec. 3, 2025
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    Illuminate Education reaches settlement with FTC over 2021 data breach

    The FTC alleged the ed tech company knew of multiple security vulnerabilities a year before a breach exposed 10 million students’ personal information.

    By • Dec. 2, 2025