California Gov. Newsom signs LGBTQ-inclusive measures

How schools serve LGBTQ+ students is rapidly changing, and the new laws contribute to a stark contrast between liberal and conservative approaches.

By Naaz Modan • Sept. 29, 2023

Are virtual educators an answer to teacher shortages?

One live virtual teaching company, Elevate K-12, notes an uptick in district interest in its services amid severe, ongoing educator vacancies.

By Anna Merod • Sept. 29, 2023

Early ed, K-12 make plans for a government shutdown

Immediate concerns center on Head Start, Impact Aid and school meals, advocates said. A prolonged shutdown would make situations worse.

By Kara Arundel • Sept. 29, 2023

Ed tech budget relief: Google doubles down on longer Chromebook lifespans

The devices, popular in 1:1 device rollouts in K-12, will be able to receive automatic updates for up to 10 years, the company announced.

By Anna Merod • Sept. 28, 2023

97% of teens say they use their phones during the school day

A Common Sense Media study found students were most likely to turn to social media, YouTube and gaming on their phones during the school day.

By Anna Merod • Sept. 27, 2023

How a Pennsylvania superintendent set out to restore her district’s secondary grades

With middle grades returned, Sue Mariani aims to sustainably bring high school back to Duquesne City School District in a system under receivership.

By Roger Riddell • Sept. 27, 2023

Washington state districts lacked transparent ARP plans

An OIG audit finds the state didn't ensure timely submission of some grant applications or that districts publicly posted spending plans.

By Kara Arundel • Sept. 27, 2023

USDA final rule expands free meal access at high-poverty schools

Another 3,000 school districts will be eligible for the Community Eligibility Provision under the new federal regulation.

By Anna Merod • Sept. 26, 2023

Significant flaws found in special ed written state complaint process

A Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates report recommends more transparency and parental inclusion in this dispute resolution approach.

By Kara Arundel • Updated Sept. 28, 2023

By The Numbers: Child care industry braces for potential funding cliff

About 3.2 million children will lose access to child care after this week as American Rescue Plan funds run out, The Century Foundation said.

By Kara Arundel • Sept. 25, 2023

Digital divide persists as 22% of low-income households with children lack internet

A Connected Nation report illuminates a notable gap in awareness and enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program.

By Anna Merod • Sept. 25, 2023

K-12 decision-making is subject of lawsuits contesting power, politics

State education boards and departments, subject to changing political winds, are facing lawsuits contesting their role and reach. 

By Naaz Modan • Sept. 22, 2023

Fentanyl education targeted in bipartisan bill

Sponsors say too many children and teens still don’t understand how lethal synthetic opioids are — and schools can help.

By Kara Arundel • Sept. 22, 2023

Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news

From a spending extension of American Rescue Plan funds to new ChatGPT guidance for teachers, what did you learn from our most recent stories?

By Anna Merod • Sept. 22, 2023

Book bans jump 33% in most recent school year

Over 40% of all instances took place in Florida, followed by Texas, Missouri, Utah and Pennsylvania rounding out the top five states.

By Naaz Modan • Sept. 21, 2023

Education ransomware attacks cost over $53B in downtime over 5 years

Comparitech researchers found 85 ransomware attacks impacted K-12 and higher ed by mid-September 2023.

By Anna Merod • Sept. 21, 2023

Districts nationwide exploring, tweaking equitable grading policies

Supporters say grading policy adjustments put more focus on mastery of content, but critics have expressed concerns about grade inflation.

By Kara Arundel • Sept. 20, 2023

Contextualizing grades could help diversify college admissions

Researchers find that considering resources available to students when evaluating grades and test scores links strongly with college success.

By Naaz Modan • Sept. 20, 2023

Education Dept issues details for ARP spending extension requests

The guidance comes as states and school districts make final decisions on spending the last and largest allocation of COVID-19 relief money.

By Kara Arundel • Sept. 20, 2023

School closures on the table as districts navigate enrollment declines

Districts including San Antonio, Salt Lake City and Rochester, New York are weighing school closures as resources and funding are stretched.

By Anna Merod • Sept. 20, 2023

Why some schools are embracing gender support plans for LGBTQ+ students

The framework can help schools address the unique needs of transgender and nonbinary students, who often struggle to find support.

By Naaz Modan • Sept. 19, 2023

What’s needed to help older students recover from the pandemic?

A report by the Center on Reinventing Public Education calls for transparent data on the pandemic’s impact and support for gap years.

By Anna Merod • Sept. 19, 2023

Proposed Section 504 rule still being drafted

The U.S. Department of Education missed the expected August release of the much anticipated regulations — the first major update for the law since 1977.

By Kara Arundel • Sept. 18, 2023

Education Dept prioritizes increasing multilingual educators

The department plans to focus a federal grant program designed to improve English learner instruction toward curbing multilingual educator shortages.

By Naaz Modan • Sept. 15, 2023

Pop Quiz: Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news

From a looming school bus driver strike to new data on teacher pay satisfaction, what did you learn from our stories in the last seven days?

By Anna Merod • Sept. 15, 2023