Policy & Legal


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    Union seeks delay in Education Department RIFs

    AFGE Local 252 seeks to delay employees' Aug. 1 termination date, which they say is too soon under their bargaining agreement.

    By July 24, 2025
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    Prostock-Studio via Getty Images
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    Tennessee launches direct admissions pilot with student aid component

    The initiative aims to ease high schoolers’ paths to college by providing financial aid information and automatic acceptance to participating institutions.

    By Natalie Schwartz • July 24, 2025
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    Stock Photo via Getty Images
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    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
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    AJ_Watt via Getty Images
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    Trump’s withholding of Head Start funds violated the law, watchdog says

    HHS disputes the GAO's conclusion, and a Head Start advocacy group says recent disbursements are comparable to last year.

    By July 23, 2025
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    Courtesy of Becket Law
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    What the Supreme Court’s parental opt-out ruling means for schools

    The high court’s decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor left many questions for districts to answer when setting their policies. 

    By July 23, 2025
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    DenisTangneyJr via Getty Images
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    Judge pauses Mississippi’s DEI ban at public schools and colleges

    Accounts from educators and students fearing discussion of certain topics signal “possible widespread suppression of speech,” the judge wrote. 

    By Natalie Schwartz • July 23, 2025
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    Perry Spring via Getty Images
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    St. Louis Public Schools to propose closing over half of its 68 schools

    The large-scale closures would be for 2026-27 and are based on declining enrollment and uncertainty about the future for families displaced by a tornado.

    By July 22, 2025
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    Tomwang112 via Getty Images
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    Lawsuit adds pressure on Trump administration to release K-12 funds

    The Office of Management and Budget released after-school grants but is still reviewing the remaining funds to ensure alignment with Trump priorities.

    By July 22, 2025
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    John Moore via Getty Images
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    Did COVID have a lasting impact on public school enrollment?

    An enrollment decline in Massachusetts may signal broader post-pandemic trends nationwide, an Education Next study suggests.

    By July 22, 2025
  • Young child looks out of window from a yellow school bus, which has the words Head Start printed on the side.
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    Mario Villafuerte via Getty Images
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    20 states sue over immigration restrictions for Head Start, other programs

    The lawsuit alleges the Trump administration policy change would lead to the "collapse of some of the nation’s most vital public programs."

    By July 21, 2025
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    Just_Super via Getty Images
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    Ransomware attacks in education jump 23% year over year

    Education was the fourth-most-targeted sector during the first half of 2025, according to a report from Comparitech.

    By Briana Mendez-Padilla • July 21, 2025
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    Week In Review: Education Department cuts move forward and principals convene in Seattle

    We’re rounding up last week’s news, from changes to federal oversight to a set of delayed Energy Department rules.

    By July 21, 2025
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    SolStock via Getty Images
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    Trump administration to release frozen after-school, summer program funds

    The Office of Management and Budget said its review of those grants is complete but gave no timeline for the rest of the withheld funds.

    By July 18, 2025
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    Anna Merod/K-12 Dive
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    UNITED '25

    How Portland Public Schools can afford to offer high-impact tutoring

    Oregon has been struggling with student literacy for years. The state’s largest public school district is tapping into a tutoring model to reverse that trend.

    By July 18, 2025
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    Photo illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images

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    POP QUIZ

    Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news

    From a major Supreme Court decision for the Education Department to new school shooting data, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By July 18, 2025
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    Jemal Countess via Getty Images
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    10 GOP senators call on OMB to release frozen K-12 funds

    The senators said they don’t believe the over $6 billion in withheld funds are being used to fund “radical left-wing programs,” as OMB claims.

    By July 17, 2025
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    Alamy
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    Energy Department delays multiple rules after public pushback

    The proposals, quietly introduced in May, would have gone into effect for schools this week had critics failed to register their complaints.

    By July 17, 2025
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    Courtesy of Trane Technologies
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    Chicago-area school district deploys geothermal system that’s a US first

    The dynamic closed-loop system uses groundwater to reject and absorb heat to provide year-round space conditioning for a 130-year-old elementary school, Trane Technologies says.

    By Brian Martucci • July 17, 2025
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    Anna Merod/K-12 Dive
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    UNITED '25

    3 ways principals can help make schools safer

    School safety teams, training, and special education resources are key to improving response during a crisis, according to K-12 safety experts.

    By July 16, 2025
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    FatCamera via Getty Images
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    3rd graders flagged for retention make small but meaningful gains, study finds

    Research suggests interventions resulting from students being flagged for retention are more of a key driver of literacy gains than retention itself.

    By Briana Mendez-Padilla • July 16, 2025
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    Kara Arundel/K-12 Dive
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    CASE-CEC '25

    Special educators call for more school mental health supports

    Education Department data shows the ratio of psychologists to students is 1-to-1,065, much higher than the recommended 1-to-500.

    By July 16, 2025
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    Anna Merod/K-12 Dive
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    UNITED '25

    This New Jersey district tackled chronic absenteeism despite COVID

    A 2018 partnership between Hamilton Township Public Schools and the Foundation for Educational Administration led to notable attendance gains.

    By July 16, 2025
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    John M. Chase via Getty Images
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    Keep special education with Education Department, former officials say

    Officials from Republican and Democratic administrations told Congress of concerns about moving the programs and consolidating their funding.

    By July 15, 2025
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    xavierarnau via Getty Images
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    Labor Department to take on day-to-day management of CTE programs

    Career and technical education is among the workforce development programs to be jointly administered with the Education Department.

    By July 15, 2025
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    John Moore via Getty Images
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    Districts and states could lose invaluable education data, former NCES leader says

    It's "impossible" for NCES to fulfill its statutory obligations after the Education Department's gutting, said Peggy Carr in her first public statement.

    By July 14, 2025
  • A large metal bell sits in the courtyard in front of the U.S. Department of Education building.
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    Kara Arundel/K-12 Dive
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    States sue Trump administration over frozen K-12 funds

    The lawsuit says the Education Department and OMB should be compelled to release the money and that the hold is causing nationwide "chaos."

    By July 14, 2025