Policy & Legal: Page 4

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    The 2026-27 FAFSA launches a week ahead of schedule

    U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon praised the rollout as the earliest in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid’s history. 

    By Natalie Schwartz • Sept. 26, 2025
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    School facility governance standard aims to improve fairness, boost rental revenue

    Outdated and inconsistent facilities rental policies result in some larger school districts leaving millions on the table, says one facilities rental executive.

    By Brian Martucci • Sept. 26, 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
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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 an urgent call by school nurses to high schoolers’ readiness for the workforce, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Sept. 26, 2025
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    AI ‘companions’ pose risks to student mental health. What can schools do?

    As experts warn about the prevalence of AI companions among children and teens, schools can help their students use AI tools in alternative, safer ways.

    By • Sept. 25, 2025
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    As CTE transfers to Labor Department, here’s what schools need to know

    The Trump administration said the interagency agreement will streamline services. Critics say it will add confusion and inefficiencies.

    By • Sept. 25, 2025
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    Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive

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    STAFFED UP

    Momentum builds in schools for team-based staffing models

    Teacher teams, where multiple educators instruct up to 100 students, are increasingly shaking up how K-12 leaders view classroom instruction.

    By • Sept. 24, 2025
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    Hawaii to weigh redistricting before consolidating schools

    The state’s board of education was set to decide soon whether to conduct a consolidation study, but now alternative options are being explored first.

    By • Sept. 24, 2025
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    Texas districts sued for implementing Ten Commandments law

    The lawsuit comes after warnings from ACLU and others that districts could be sued even if they are not bound by recent court orders.

    By • Sept. 23, 2025
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    STUDY HALL

    What you need to know about least restrictive environment in IDEA

    General education classrooms should be the first consideration when determining an educational setting for a student with disabilities.

    By • Sept. 23, 2025
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    Week in review: Leaders navigate finance, equity challenges as K-12 satisfaction drops

    We’re rounding up last week’s news, from improved ransomware response and recovery to the latest school nutrition policy proposals.

    By • Sept. 22, 2025
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    Illustration: Ivan Haidutski for Industry Dive

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    Tracker

    Rising Leaders: 10 standout assistant principals and district leaders you should know in 2025-26

    These administrators, nominated by their peers, are going above and beyond on career education, multilingual learning, artificial intelligence and more.

    Sept. 22, 2025
  • a child is sitting between a parent and doctor. The doctor just gave a shot to the child's arm and is putting a Band-Aid on the area
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    School nurses: Keep K-12 vaccine mandates

    The National Association of School Nurses says school vaccine requirements play a critical role in reducing the risk of disease outbreaks.

    By • Sept. 19, 2025
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    Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images
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    Fired CDC director says RFK Jr. aims to change childhood vaccine schedule

    Susan Monarez told senators at a hearing Wednesday that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushed her out for refusing to rubber-stamp changes.

    By Delilah Alvarado • Sept. 19, 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 more Education Department grant cuts to new data on ransomware response in schools, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Sept. 19, 2025
  • Two people are seated on a stage. One person's back is to the camera and one person is facing toward the camera. A backdrop and screen say "RISE"
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    Permission granted by Connor McLaren/Ronald Reagan Institute
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    McMahon calls for educators to teach and model civil discourse

    In a fireside chat at the RISE conference, the U.S. education secretary also touched on literacy, school choice, CTE and educational innovations.

    By • Sept. 18, 2025
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    Arizona district proposes consolidating 9 of its 25 schools

    Kyrene School District pointed to the state’s expansion of universal private school vouchers as a factor in declining enrollment and closure decisions.

    By • Sept. 18, 2025
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    The K12-to-college pipeline is rockier for high-poverty students

    Just a quarter of graduates from high-poverty schools in 2018 earned a degree within six years, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found.

    By • Sept. 17, 2025
  • Top Oklahoma education official Ryan Walters speaks at a podium with his hand raised
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    Retrieved from Superintendent Ryan Walters.
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    Oklahoma’s ‘Judeo-Christian’ social studies standards blocked

    The state Supreme Court paused the curriculum Monday, hindering Superintendent Ryan Walters’ recent efforts to inject "Biblical principles" into K-12 classrooms.

    By • Sept. 16, 2025
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    How to fix the stubborn decline in math achievement

    States and districts need to set targets for improvement, use innovative interventions and be more transparent about student performance, CRPE said.

    By • Sept. 16, 2025
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    Schools are getting better at navigating ransomware attacks, Sophos finds

    In 2025, 67% of global lower education providers said they stopped an attack before their stolen data was encrypted, the cybersecurity company reported.

    By • Sept. 16, 2025
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    Week In Review: NAEP results underwhelm again as lawmakers propose Title I cuts

    We’re rounding up last week’s news, from the increasingly complex K-12 legal landscape to challenges impacting special education.

    By • Sept. 15, 2025
  • President Donald Trump stands pointing next to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    What does the MAHA strategy mean for school meals?

    K-12 nutrition experts say schools will need more financial support to achieve the Trump administration’s plan to serve more whole foods.

    By • Sept. 15, 2025
  • A teacher writes in a notebook while sitting at a desk in front of an empty classroom.
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    Orange County Public Schools reassigns over 100 teachers amid enrollment dips

    The large Florida district said the staffing move was a result of a sharp, unexpected student enrollment decline this school year.

    By • Sept. 15, 2025
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    Energy Department withdraws controversial Title IX athletics rule

    The department's efforts, which could have been a trial run for other agencies to set education policy, were stymied by public opposition.

    By • Sept. 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 the latest NAEP scores to a House committee’s proposed education budget cuts, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Sept. 12, 2025