College student charged in connection with PowerSchool data breach

A 19-year-old in Massachusetts agreed to plead guilty for allegedly hacking and extorting the company for $2.85 million after stealing student and teacher data.

By Anna Merod • May 21, 2025

School districts’ cost recovery options for facility rentals could expand in California

AB 503 would restore an expanded definition of “direct costs” eligible for recovery through facility rental fees, which could help shore up district finances.

By Brian Martucci • May 21, 2025

Explore the 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

California agrees to include religious schools as special education placements

Plaintiffs say the settlement is a "win for religious liberty," but public school advocates are concerned about the use of tax dollars for religious education.

By Kara Arundel • May 20, 2025

Despite growth, average teacher salaries lag behind inflation

Adjusted for inflation, teachers are making 5% less on average than a decade ago, according to a report from the National Education Association.

By Briana Mendez-Padilla • May 19, 2025

Legal defense fund will seek to fill gap left by OCR reduction

Set to launch in the fall, the fund backed by National Center for Youth Law aims to defend students’ rights in court and track civil rights data.

By Naaz Modan • May 19, 2025

How much does chronic absenteeism cost communities?

A study of how attendance, discipline and other factors impact economics in California offers insights for school communities nationwide.

By Kara Arundel • May 16, 2025

Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news

From district lawsuits against PowerSchool to a potential federal school choice tax incentive, what did you learn from our recent stories?

By Anna Merod • May 16, 2025

Data breach reporting lags in education sector, study finds

The sector reportedly takes an average of 4.8 months to report attacks — higher than for business, government and healthcare.

By Anna Merod • May 15, 2025

3 takeaways from House debate on charter schools

Lawmakers discussed what makes a high-quality charter and the role federal legislation can play during a Wednesday subcommittee hearing.

By Kara Arundel • May 15, 2025

Tennessee’s largest school district sues PowerSchool over data breach

Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ federal lawsuit against the ed tech giant is among the latest that have been filed by over 100 other districts nationwide.

By Anna Merod • May 15, 2025

Federal private school choice program advanced by House committee

Other K-12 education expenses, such as tutoring and therapies, would also be supported under the Republican-endorsed tax credit initiative.

By Kara Arundel • May 14, 2025

AP calculus or AP statistics? It depends on the student

More equitable access to advanced math will have broader impact than the specific pathway students take, a study finds.

By Briana Mendez-Padilla • May 14, 2025

What is the Community Eligibility Provision?

Here’s how the federal program works to help high-poverty schools and districts serve free meals to all students.

By Anna Merod • May 14, 2025

States lead the charge in expanding private school voucher programs

Texas and other states have enacted new voucher laws, while the Trump administration and Republicans are supporting efforts at the federal level.

By Naaz Modan • May 13, 2025

Where IVF benefits stand in the age of Trump

“Comprehensive fertility benefits, parental leave, and return to work support can make a meaningful difference to employees,” a senior principal in Mercer’s health and benefits team said.

By Ginger Christ • May 12, 2025

PowerSchool data breach leads to school extortion attempts

A threat actor has contacted multiple school districts demanding payments related to student and staff data stolen in a December breach.

By Anna Merod • May 9, 2025

Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news

From proposed K-12 budget cuts to a push for new high school graduation requirements, what did you learn from our recent stories?

By Anna Merod • May 9, 2025

Senate approves repeal of E-rate Wi-Fi hotspots for schools, libraries

A Senate resolution passed under the Congressional Review Act would overturn coverage of the devices in the federal broadband assistance program.

By Anna Merod • May 8, 2025

Do transgender student athletics fall under DOGE Subcommittee jurisdiction?

A Wednesday hearing on Title IX issues by the recently created House subcommittee quickly deteriorated into debate over the group’s purpose.

By Naaz Modan • May 8, 2025

School districts say losing E-rate would have ‘catastrophic’ impact

The Supreme Court is expected to rule this term on the fate of the federal program that subsidizes affordable internet services in schools and libraries.

By Anna Merod • May 8, 2025

Parents, students seek to block Education Department OCR practices

A motion filed Monday alleges the agency has "functionally ended the processing of scores of complaints." 

By Naaz Modan • May 8, 2025

CTE grants for Native American and Hawaiian students retracted by Education Department

The department said the nearly $21.6 million grant competitions do not "align with the objectives established by the Trump Administration.”

By Naaz Modan • May 8, 2025

Judge orders Education Department to restore COVID spending extensions

The reprieve only applies to the 16 states and the District of Columbia that sued for access to the funds.

By Kara Arundel • May 7, 2025

Trump administration court filing may spell end of overtime final rule

The U.S. Department of Labor is still reconsidering the Biden-era effort to expand overtime pay eligibility, according to court documents.

By Ryan Golden • May 6, 2025

Maine scores victory in Title IX feud with Trump administration

A court-approved settlement agreement between USDA and the state prohibits the federal government from freezing USDA funds to the state.

By Naaz Modan • May 5, 2025