After feds intervene, Texas Education Agency says it won't enforce mask mandate ban

The Texas Supreme Court earlier this week backed Gov. Greg Abbott's ban following a letter to the state from Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.

By Naaz Modan • Updated Aug. 20, 2021

How are schools addressing COVID-19 quarantines for fall?

The pandemic is disrupting in-person learning for a third school year in a row, but this time, remote learning policies for quarantines aren't so clear.

By Kara Arundel • Aug. 16, 2021

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from K-12 Dive

K-12 Dive has gathered some a selection of our best coverage from 2024 so far as a one-stop resource on the trends to watch in the months ahead.

By K-12 Dive staff

For first time, OCR asks districts for civil rights data 2 years in a row

Analyzing the pandemic's impact on school experiences is necessary, but district leaders worry about their capacity to meet data collection requirements.

By Kara Arundel • Aug. 16, 2021

Superintendents navigate fiery mask debates amid employment threats

Despite mask bans and threats to jobs, some leaders are requiring masks. They're difficult decisions one expert compared to "snow days on steroids."

By Naaz Modan • Aug. 13, 2021

California becomes first state to mandate vaccines for school employees

The requirement covers more than 800,000 teachers and school employees in public and private schools in the state.

By Shawna De La Rosa • Aug. 12, 2021

Threat assessments: Preventing school violence or creating student trauma?

The school safety approach is used to evaluate a student’s potential to cause school violence, but critics say the practice is discriminatory and harmful.

By Kara Arundel • Aug. 10, 2021

Summer Reading: The delta variant's rapid reshaping of the new school year

A new wave of COVID-19 has quickly led to changes in guidance after many school leaders had hoped the worst of the pandemic had passed.

Aug. 10, 2021

Strangers in a strange land: Confronting the crisis at the border

The border crisis has put a spotlight on early childhood trauma, but this troubling issue isn't new.

Aug. 9, 2021

CDC recommends quarantines for unvaccinated students, staff

The updated safety guidance came as the White House announced new initiatives for schools to encourage vaccinations.

By Kara Arundel • Aug. 6, 2021

Summer Reading: COVID-19's impact on ed tech, connectivity

The past year and a half led to seismic shifts in efforts to address digital equity gaps and integrate tech in learning.

Aug. 2, 2021

School attorneys: Heated discourse at meetings shouldn't keep boards from conducting business

The public has a right to participation and free speech, but there are steps school boards can take to set expectations for decorum at meetings.

By Kara Arundel • July 26, 2021

How universal meals nourish all students and transform citywide wellness

Two school nutrition services directors write that school meal policies provide an opportunity to close prominent, long-standing equity gaps.

By Laura Benavidez and Jennifer LeBarre • July 23, 2021

'We don't have big goals': Leaders call for ed transformation after COVID-19

Legislators and policymakers at a Reagan Institute event said bipartisanship needed for impactful change has been hard to come by.

By Naaz Modan • July 23, 2021

Ed Dept reiterates obligations to 2020 Title IX amendments until new proposal

A new Office for Civil Rights Q&A document includes policy examples for sexual harassment investigations, hearings and more.

By Kara Arundel • July 20, 2021

Survey: Under-resourced schools less likely to perform COVID-19 testing in fall

While top officials have said ARP funds should cover the costs, some districts have reportedly received only a few hundred dollars or none at all.

By Naaz Modan • July 15, 2021

GAO: Ed Dept can improve K-12 operations in 3 priority areas

Comprehensive reporting on COVID-19 relief obligations and expenditures is one area a new report recommends the department strengthen.

By Kara Arundel • July 8, 2021

How might the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework impact schools?

The proposal could significantly reduce the presence of lead pipes in schools and boost students' access to reliable home internet.

By Naaz Modan • July 6, 2021

NCES: 3% school enrollment drop is largest decline in over two decades

Numbers confirm enrollment dips were most pronounced in pre-K, making tracking those students all the more difficult for districts.

By Naaz Modan • Updated June 29, 2021

Lawmakers show division on instruction around racism in America

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona repeatedly said during a hearing Thursday that the federal government doesn't dictate curriculum.

By Kara Arundel • June 25, 2021

SCOTUS rules against school that disciplined cheerleader for off-campus speech

The ruling presents three factors for schools to consider when disciplining off-campus speech, including on social media.

By Naaz Modan • Updated June 23, 2021

Ed Dept: Title IX protects LGBTQ students

The decision walks back Trump-era interpretation and opens the door for the Supreme Court to pick up a case on transgender students' rights.

By Naaz Modan • June 17, 2021

How a South Carolina district is reexamining grading policies for equity

Richland School District Two is reviewing consistency in grading and the measurement of homework assignments, among other practices.

By Kara Arundel • June 15, 2021

Will daily school health checks continue in the fall?

Daily home-based health questionnaires helped contact tracing efforts for in-person learning this year, and some districts plan to continue the practice.

By Kara Arundel • June 11, 2021

Ed Dept report documents pandemic's toll on underserved students

New maintenance of equity guidance aims to prevent disproportionate budget cuts for high-poverty school districts.

By Kara Arundel • June 9, 2021

Schools must provide assessments to see where students stand after pandemic

The superintendent of San Antonio ISD writes that exams are more crucial than ever to target supports and help students gain lost ground.

By Pedro Martinez • June 8, 2021