Policy & Legal
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‘Immediate harm’: Education Department withholds $6.2B from schools
Title funding for English learners, after-school programs and professional development are among the allocations unavailable to districts and states.
By Kara Arundel • July 1, 2025 -
School participation in CEP keeps rising. ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ could change that.
Proposed SNAP cuts could harm the Community Eligibility Provision, which helps high-poverty schools serve free meals to all students, FRAC says.
By Anna Merod • July 1, 2025 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Stock Photo via Getty ImagesTrendlineAttendance and Absenteeism
Our latest K-12 Dive Trendline takes a closer look at chronic absenteeism’s impact on schools and where educators are seeing success with attendance.
By K-12 Dive staff -
Deep Dive
How would Trump’s FY 26 budget plan reshape special education?
The White House says its IDEA budget proposal would be less complex and more effective. Critics worry about cuts and reduced accountability.
By Kara Arundel • June 30, 2025 -
All states can now access ESSER late liquidation funds
The Education Department’s course change will allow all states — at least temporarily — to draw down federal COVID funds preapproved for extensions.
By Kara Arundel • June 27, 2025 -
SCOTUS hands win to parents in LGBTQ+ curriculum opt-out case
The Supreme Court majority wrote that few religious acts are as important to people of faith as the religious education of their children.
By Naaz Modan • Updated June 27, 2025 -
Retrieved from FCC.
Supreme Court preserves E-rate in 6-3 ruling
The decision, which could have upended the federal internet discount program for schools, means schools can continue to apply for the program's funding.
By Naaz Modan • Updated June 27, 2025 -
POP QUIZ
Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news
From LGBTQ+ students’ feelings on school support to a Title IX investigation’s outcome, what did you learn from our recent stories?
By Anna Merod • June 27, 2025 -
Advocates, lawmakers denounce CTE’s proposed move to Labor Department
The Trump administration says the CTE change will improve efficiencies and spur innovation. Critics say it's "fragmented" and "illegal."
By Kara Arundel • June 26, 2025 -
Can this team-based staffing model reduce teacher turnover?
Teachers participating in the Next Education Workforce model were less likely to quit compared to those in traditional classrooms, researchers found.
By Anna Merod • June 26, 2025 -
Senate passes ‘Big, Beautiful Bill,’ putting US closer to offering national private school choice
Critics say funding public school systems, which educate most of the nation's students, should be Congress’ priority.
By Kara Arundel • Updated 10 hours ago -
Retrieved from U.S. Department of Justice.
Education Department finds California trans athlete policy violated Title IX
If California doesn’t sign a proposed resolution agreement within 10 days, its case could be referred to the U.S. Department of Justice for enforcement.
By Naaz Modan • June 25, 2025 -
Why districts should remain vigilant about ICE entering schools
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said immigration enforcement should be “extremely rare” in schools. Still, immigration experts have doubts.
By Anna Merod • June 25, 2025 -
Missed special education targets show need for support
The U.S. Department of Education says states needing assistance with IDEA compliance and student outcomes should receive technical assistance.
By Kara Arundel • June 25, 2025 -
Federal judge orders OCR to reinstate laid-off employees — for now
The Education Department plans to appeal the ruling, which said the RIF had left OCR "incapable of addressing the vast majority" of complaints.
By Naaz Modan • June 24, 2025 -
Rural LGBTQ+ youth less likely to say schools are supportive
These students were more likely to find supportive communities online and used them at higher rates than their urban and suburban peers, a report said.
By Naaz Modan • June 24, 2025 -
Phone bans proliferate as digital media’s harm to students grows clearer
Though many studies link screentime to emotional and behavioral problems, one group of researchers urges that correlation may not mean causation.
By Naaz Modan • June 23, 2025 -
STAFFED UP
The future for teacher diversity in a world of DEI scrutiny
Districts and states are being advised to “tread carefully” as some continue to promote teacher diversity efforts in a difficult legal and policy landscape.
By Anna Merod • June 20, 2025 -
POP QUIZ
Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news
From a Title IX regulation proposal to an analysis of how immigration raids impact school attendance, what did you learn from our recent stories?
By Anna Merod • June 20, 2025 -
Supreme Court upholds Tennessee ban on youth gender-affirming care
Some 26 states have passed bans on gender-affirming care for children since 2021, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
By Susanna Vogel • June 18, 2025 -
Majority of high schoolers say they don’t feel prepared for post-graduation
In a survey, about half of students said they’ve never had a job or internship, and more than a third said they’ve never gone for a college visit.
By Carolyn Crist • June 18, 2025 -
How immigration raids impacted school attendance in 5 California districts
A Stanford analysis of schools in California’s Central Valley found a 22% rise in student absences it attributed to an increase in local immigration enforcement.
By Anna Merod • June 18, 2025 -
Do states have ‘statutory right’ to data, guidance from Education Department?
The agency is asking the Supreme Court to allow its reduction in force — even as its laid-off employees remain on administrative leave.
By Naaz Modan • June 17, 2025 -
Teacher pension debt spurs ‘hidden’ cuts for schools, survey says
Since 2001, pension costs have ballooned 220% while K-12 budgets have risen just 33%.
By Anna Merod • June 17, 2025 -
Why did the Energy Department issue a Title IX rule?
The proposed athletics rule would rescind a prior requirement on coed sports tryouts — but only for schools receiving Energy Department grants.
By Kara Arundel • June 16, 2025 -
States balance supports and discipline to address troubling student behaviors
A host of proposals and new laws aim to allow or ban corporal punishment, remove violent students from classrooms, and restrict preschool suspensions.
By Kara Arundel • June 16, 2025