Rising Leaders: 10 standout assistant principals and district leaders you should know in 2026-27

These administrators are going the extra mile on school turnarounds, culture, student interventions and supports, and more.

By Roger Riddell , Kara Arundel , Naaz Modan • Sept. 16, 2026

Cellphone ban enforcement may be waning over school year

Some policies may be lightening as students find workarounds and teachers become less vigilant, according to findings published by The Brookings Institution.

By Naaz Modan • Updated Sept. 17, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Graduation and Career Readiness

The idea of what constitutes postsecondary success has evolved as an expanding array of career education pathways offer more alternatives to traditional degrees.

By K-12 Dive staff

Week In Review: Putting PISA in perspective

We’re rounding up last week’s news, from research on pre-K discipline to AI’s growing presence in schools.

By Roger Riddell • Sept. 14, 2026

‘Zero positive outcomes’ from harsh preschool discipline, report says

The Children's Equity Project highlights Head Start performance standards for prohibiting corporal punishment, seclusion and other negative practices.

By Kara Arundel • Sept. 11, 2026

K-12 satisfaction in 4 charts

Gallup data shows record-low sentiment among Americans in 2026, but parents were more likely to rate schools positively.

By Naaz Modan • Sept. 10, 2026

Not enough students know about work-based learning opportunities

Proving the effectiveness of paths such as apprenticeships can help students know their options, writes an Urban Institute senior fellow. 

By Karen Gardiner • Sept. 9, 2026

The GAO’s new inclusion report says the quiet part out loud: It’s about adult mindsets.

The leader of the Center for Learner Equity says inclusion works when every adult in the school owns every child's success.

By Jennifer Coco • Sept. 8, 2026

Week In Review: A historic social media settlement’s youth mental health implications

We’re rounding up last week’s news, from potential school closures in Portland to major AI pushback in two districts.

By Roger Riddell • Sept. 8, 2026

High schoolers say school counselors emphasize college pathways — and not CTE

The findings come as career and technical education has gained traction and are “concerning” amid broader postsecondary shifts, a Rand report said.

By Naaz Modan • Sept. 3, 2026

Portland Public Schools ponders up to 18 school closures

Falling enrollment and the need for consistent and stable student resources have led the district to explore options to "rightsize."

By Kara Arundel • Sept. 3, 2026

STEM in after-school programs sees ‘extraordinary’ growth

Still, 23 million children don’t have access to after-school programming and thus are missing out, an Afterschool Alliance report says.

By Kara Arundel • Sept. 2, 2026

Week In Review: Apprenticeships take prospective teachers to school

We’re rounding up last week’s news, from districts’ fiscal red flags to efforts to curb “passing the trash.”

By Roger Riddell • Aug. 31, 2026

How a Chicago-area superintendent builds positive culture from the top

In two years, Krish Mohip has brought notable improvements in attendance and achievement to Proviso Township High Schools District 209.

By Roger Riddell • Aug. 31, 2026

Test yourself on the past week’s K-12 news

From fiscal “red flags” to artificial intelligence in school HR, what did you learn from our recent stories?

By Roger Riddell • Aug. 28, 2026

Michigan direct admissions program launches for high school students

Through MI College Match, students can get automatic college acceptance offers by uploading their transcripts to a free online portal.

By Laura Spitalniak • Aug. 27, 2026

Only 2 large school districts are without fiscal ‘red flags,’ analysis finds

The nation’s 100 largest districts averaged 2.4 out of 8 concerning indicators — the worst performance at any government level, the Reason Foundation said.

By Kara Arundel • Aug. 27, 2026

Should Algebra 1 and geometry be blended into one course?

While a blended approach can reinforce connections across mathematics, NCTM President Latrenda Knighten warns educators must do so with care.

By Ed Finkel • Aug. 26, 2026

Week In Review: Education Department issues Dear Colleague letters on discipline, tech use

We’re rounding up last week’s news, from an E-rate proposed rule to the latest on Ten Commandments laws.

By Roger Riddell • Aug. 24, 2026

3 ways states can support innovative high school principals

Gaps between new school models’ demands and principals’ preparation "can undermine even the best-designed models," says a NASBE report.

By Kara Arundel • Aug. 24, 2026

Greater Head Start flexibility will empower program leaders

Policy changes under the Trump administration will improve quality and access, write two top federal officials.

By Alex Adams and Lizbeth Casco White • Aug. 21, 2026

How would Head Start programs fare if federal standards are pared down?

Under state standards, metrics like adult-to-child ratios and accessibility would worsen, according to a Children’s Equity Project analysis.

By Naaz Modan • Updated Aug. 20, 2026

Week In Review: Unions sue over ‘professional’ degrees

We’re rounding up last week’s news, from the educational impact of extreme weather to chronic absenteeism data.

By Roger Riddell • Aug. 17, 2026

How a California school is streamlining its approach to SEL supports

Foussat Language Academy is embracing a multi-tiered social-emotional learning model to improve screening and classroom supports.

By Ed Finkel • Updated Sept. 10, 2026

Houston ISD stays at B rating in 2025-26

Three years into Texas’ takeover of the district, one of its most troubled schools has risen from seven consecutive F ratings to its first-ever A.

By Naaz Modan • Aug. 14, 2026

Miami-Dade eliminated free school meals. They won’t be the last.

A senior policy analyst at the Center for American Progress breaks down how and why the nation’s third-largest district lost access to district-wide free meals.

By Paige Shoemaker DeMio • Aug. 12, 2026