The Latest

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    Heightened AI use in special education brings elevated risks

    Nearly 60% of special education teachers reported using AI to develop an IEP or Section 504 plan during the 2024-25 school year, a CDT report finds.

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    Sponsored by AVID Center

    Harnessing project-based learning to build the skills of the future

    Discover how project-based learning is helping students build adaptable, real-world skills for jobs that don’t yet exist.

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    Sarah Kerver via Getty Images
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    Chegg slashes nearly half of its workforce as AI eats into its business

    The ed tech company is restructuring and shuffling its leadership as it continues on alone after considering a possible sale and other alternatives.

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    Deep Dive

    Special education at a crossroads: What should the federal role be?

    Major moves by the Trump administration have some debating, and others defending, the federal oversight system that supports students with disabilities.

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    Week in Review: The government shutdown’s ripple effects on schools

    We’re rounding up last week’s news, from audits and lawsuits after a former Iowa superintendent’s ICE arrest to new limits on AI companions for minors.

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    Two judges halt Trump administration’s suspension of SNAP benefits

    A Rhode Island judge granted a temporary restraining order against the federal government while a Massachusetts judge ordered the USDA to fund the food nutrition program during the government shutdown.

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    Illustration: Cathryn Virginia for Industry Dive

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    STAFFED UP

    Tense board relationships fuel high superintendent turnover

    Nearly a quarter of the 500 largest districts got a new superintendent in the past year, according to data from ILO Group.

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    Permission granted by Rick Brady/SNA
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    Schools brace for SNAP benefits lapse

    With the nation's largest federal food assistance program likely expiring Nov. 1, school systems are looking for ways to best support low-income families and children.

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    180 ransomware attacks plague education sector worldwide in 2025 through Q3

    Though a Comparitech report finds this is the first dip since 2024, a data research expert cautions this is no time for complacency.

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    Character.AI to ban teens from chatting with its AI companions

    The company’s change comes after experts have warned that AI social companion apps are dangerous for students’ mental well-being.

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    Win McNamee via Getty Images
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    Judge extends pause on layoffs of federal employees

    Here's a timeline tracing the Trump administration's efforts to slash half of the U.S. Education Department's workforce.

    Updated Oct. 29, 2025
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    Opinion

    Teaching on empty: 3 truths about today’s teachers — and a message for school leaders

    When school leaders normalize burnout as proof of dedication, they are complicit in dismantling the teaching profession, the authors write.

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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 judge’s order to reinstate Education Department grants to calls for virtual schooling amid ICE raids, what did you learn from our recent stories?

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    Education Department ordered to reinstate mental health grants

    A school psychologists organization said the ruling is a "win" for families and educators. The department says it will appeal.

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    Most teachers want to use AI. The question is still, how?

    A vast majority of teachers said AI tools can help them in the classroom, but concerns remain about its reliability, a University of Michigan survey found.

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    Why middle school is ‘an ideal time’ to invest in CTE

    Exposing younger students to a wide variety of careers will help them begin to form occupational identities, one career and technical education expert says.

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    A potential ‘fix’ for special education?

    A more effective system is needed to address learning challenges all students face, not just those receiving IDEA services, CRPE researchers say.

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    Retrieved from Des Moines Public Schools.
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    Audits, lawsuit ensue after ICE arrest of Iowa superintendent

    The flurry of activity includes a review of the state's licensing and background check procedures, as well as an audit of Iowa's Des Moines Public Schools.

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    California’s K-12 facility funding system unconstitutional, students, parents say in lawsuit

    As in complaints filed in other states, plaintiffs want the state to stop relying on local bond issues to trigger the release of matching funds to pay for unmet needs.

  • Federal law enforcement agents in uniform with masks covering their faces ride an armored vehicle through demonstrators during a protest outside an immigrant processing and detention center.
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    Educators push for virtual schooling in response to ICE raids

    Chicago joins New York and Los Angeles districts in exploring remote options to ensure students and parents are safe amid the federal immigration crackdown.

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    Students express hope — and fear — over classroom AI use

    Students said in a Project Tomorrow survey that they’re optimistic about the potential benefits of AI in their learning, but more school guidance is needed.

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    Pilot program aims to train rural teachers in civic education

    The National Constitution Center announces a three-year project to spark engagement and civil dialogue in schools.

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    Week In Review: Districts feel the impacts of federal policy shifts

    We’re rounding up last week’s news, from a post-COVID decline in students taking the SAT and ACT to a potential federal shakeup for special education programs.

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    As temperatures rise, math performance drops

    The NWEA findings were especially true for students in high-poverty schools, where air conditioning may not be up to par.

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    10 ways to strengthen family-school partnerships and support learning

    Being transparent about students' academic performance is one way schools can build trust and connections with parents, says nonprofit Learning Heroes.

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    Feds launch site for employers to pay controversial H-1B fee, clarify exemptions

    The update answers some of employers’ questions, but the future of President Donald Trump’s restrictions on new skilled-worker visas is still uncertain.