Policy & Legal: Page 2

  • 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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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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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
  • High school students are dropped off for school and begin walking into the building. Explore the Trendline➔
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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
  • 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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    Andrew Harnik via Getty Images
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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
  • Four students are laying on their stomachs outside on the grass. They are looking at a book in front of them.
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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
  • A drawing on a chalkboard depicting the female and male signs for public bathrooms.
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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
  • Image of a librarian's hands as she sorts through a pile of children's books that are out of focus.
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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
  • A parent crosses the street while holding her child's hand.
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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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    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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    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
  • Rep. Kevin Kiley speaks into a microphone behind a podium in Congress
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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
  • A person stands in the doorway of a classroom with their back to the camera. Another person is seen in the classroom.
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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
  • A close-up view of students holding cellphones while at school.
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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
  • One person is sitting at a desk while surrounded behind and on the sides by people with their arms reached out to shake hands. A sign on the desk says "One Big Beautiful Bill Act."
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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
  • A student wearing a brace on their chest is seated at a desk in a classroom. An adult is standing nearby holding a pencil to a notebook on the desk.
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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
  • An adult is sitting at a desk in a classroom with four students. The adult is holding up four fingers.
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    kali9 via Getty Images
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    BY THE NUMBERS

    Public school funding nears $1 trillion, Reason Foundation finds

    Average annual per-student costs grew 36% across local, state and federal sources between 2002 and 2023 after adjusting for inflation.

    By • Dec. 2, 2025
  • Two adults kneel down to talk with a student seated in a chair
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    Retrieved from U.S. Department of Education/Flickr on December 01, 2025
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    McMahon marks IDEA’s 50th anniversary with Virginia school visit

    The government won’t take "its foot off of the gas pedal" on IDEA compliance or monitoring, says Kimberly Richey, acting assistant secretary of OSERS.

    By • Dec. 1, 2025
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    What would education’s omission as a ‘professional degree’ mean?

    The field reportedly didn’t make the cut in a proposal under consideration by the Education Department regarding federal loan limits for graduate students.

    By • Dec. 1, 2025
  • A person is seen sitting at a table with a white cloth. Other people are seated near the person and there is a lamp on the table.
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    Retrieved from U.S. Department of Education/Flickr on November 26, 2025
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    Education Department outsourcing is unlawful, amended lawsuit claims

    The agency says it wants to improve efficiencies for K-12 and higher education funding and services.

    By • Nov. 26, 2025
  • A child in a backpack coughs while walking outside.
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    Schools grapple with whooping cough as 2025 outpaces last year’s peak numbers

    Preliminary reports from the CDC, as well as state and local agencies, suggest a significant increase in U.S. pertussis numbers — particularly in Texas.

    By Lara Ewen • Nov. 26, 2025