The Latest
-
Photo illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images
POP QUIZTest yourself on the past week’s K-12 news
From the vacating of an Education Department anti-DEI directive to potential school closures in 2026-27, what did you learn from our recent stories?
-
Retrieved from U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Facility problems led to 3.5M lost school days, GAO says
Water intrusion, extreme temperatures, indoor air quality and structural problems forced schools to close the most in the 2024-25 school year.
-
Phynart Studio via Getty Images
5 ways state policy can support high school transformations
A National Association of State Boards of Education report gives state policy recommendations for supporting student-centered, innovative high schools.
-
Win McNamee via Getty Images
Judge vacates anti-DEI directive that led to teacher training grant cuts
A federal judge ruled the Education Department directive and its cancellation of hundreds of millions in funds for teacher training programs was unlawful.
-
Retrieved from Des Moines Public Schools.
Iowa’s largest district appoints new superintendent one year after former leader’s ICE arrest
Matt Smith had served as interim superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools since September 2025, his second time doing so since 2022-23.
-
Getty Images
How Chicago-area students are building soft skills on ‘expeditions’
The nonprofit Chicago Voyagers is helping educators arrange nature outings that allow middle-schoolers to hone skills like collaboration and leadership.
-
Getty Images
Geography still matters in a GPS-filled world, educators say
Being able to form mental maps is key to understanding spatial connections as well as global economic and political context, experts say.
-
Illustration: Ivan Haidutski for Industry Dive
TrackerRising 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.
-
Getty Images
Universal school meal reversals take toll on student behavior, focus, study finds
The findings published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior come amid growing fears that new policy changes could further hinder access.
-
Getty Images
1 in 4 elementary school teachers say students use devices for main lessons
Almost all elementary teachers say students use devices in the classroom, and two-thirds of teachers overall would support going paper-based instead.
-
Getty Images
Week In Review: Rising Leaders and falling turnover
We’re rounding up last week’s news, from changes to a federal data collection to discussions at a Reagan Institute summit.
-
Kara Arundel/K-12 Dive
School choice, civic-minded students heralded by RISE speakers
Narrow metrics and one-size-fits-all models no longer make the cut, said Reagan Institute Summit on Education panelists.
-
Scott Olson via Getty Images
College enrollment rate among recent high school graduates ticks up
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found improvement across both high- and low-poverty high schools.
-
Kate Tornone/K-12 Dive
What could the end of EEO-5 reporting mean for school districts?
The Trump administration has said the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's employee demographic data collection may be discriminatory.
-
Getty Images
K-8 reading scores see ‘sizable’ post-COVID gains in latest NWEA data
After years of stalled progress, researchers see promise for schools' pandemic recovery, the assessment and research group said.
-
Getty Images
A summer of AI bans in schools
Public concerns are growing over artificial intelligence use in schools as districts call for more resources to successfully and safely implement the tech.
-
Getty Images
San Francisco ethnic studies courses tied to academic, attendance gains
Students who took ethnic studies saw a GPA increase of 0.17 points, with the largest gains being in math and science, researchers found.
-
Getty Images
Wildlife biology centers can be valuable hands-on science resources
One such center in South Carolina that houses birds of prey offers learning opportunities ranging from conservation to policy and governance.
-
Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
Education Department not transparent about RIF cost or effectiveness, former employees say
The agency said it will continue to return education to the states despite lawsuits, investigations and scrutiny over its layoffs.
-
Getty Images
BY THE NUMBERSHave teacher turnover rates declined since COVID?
Amid an overall dip, turnover is higher in high-poverty schools and special education, a six-state analysis from Education Resource Strategies shows.
-
Getty Images
BY THE NUMBERSSuperintendent turnover returns to pre-pandemic levels among 500 largest districts
After rising during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, turnover has slowed to 17.4% as mid-career exits in particular have decreased.
Updated Sept. 18, 2026 -
StockPlanets via Getty Images
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.
Updated Sept. 17, 2026 -
Kent Nishimura via Getty Images
Appellate court clears way for Oklahoma divisive concepts law
A divided three-judge panel ruled that it saw “no vagueness” in the concepts barred by the curriculum law, which plaintiffs argued was “overbroad.”
-
Getty Images
Measure ed tech by more than screen time, American Psychological Association says
The APA’s recommendations follow a growing wave of school districts banning or limiting screen time and artificial intelligence in classrooms nationwide.
-
Getty Images
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.
