Policy & Politics

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the legislation, guidance, policies and people involved in federal and state government
States What's on the K-12 Agenda for States This Year? 4 Takeaways
Reading instruction, private school choice, and teacher pay are among the issues leading governors' K-12 education agendas.
Mark Lieberman
•
6 min read
School Choice & Charters Opinion What's the State of Charter Schools Today?
Even though there's momentum behind the charter school movement, charters face many of the same challenges as traditional public schools.
Rick Hess
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10 min read
Law & Courts In 1974, the Supreme Court Recognized English Learners' Rights. The Story Behind That Case
The Lau v. Nichols ruling said students have a right to a "meaningful opportunity" to participate in school, but its legacy is complex.
Mark Walsh
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12 min read
Education Funding ESSER Isn't the Only School Funding Relief That's Disappearing Soon
Federal relief aid, policies to prevent schools from losing enrollment-based funding, and support for vulnerable families are expiring soon.
Mark Lieberman & Lauraine Langreo
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10 min read
Vector illustration of a businessman's hand holding a slowly vanishing dollar sign.
iStock/Getty
Policy & Politics Opinion Scholars’ Writing Is Often Unclear. Why That Matters for the K-12 Field
Academic writing is often incomprehensible. Public-facing writing can help scholars break bad habits.
Rick Hess
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9 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Law & Courts School District Lawsuits Against Social Media Companies Are Piling Up
More than 200 school districts are now suing the major social media companies over the youth mental health crisis.
Arianna Prothero
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7 min read
A close up of a statue of the blindfolded lady justice against a light blue background with a ghosted image of a hands holding a cellphone with Facebook "Like" and "Love" icons hovering above it.
iStock/Getty
School Choice & Charters Tracker Which States Have Private School Choice?
Education savings accounts, voucher, and tax-credit scholarships are growing. This tracker keeps tabs on them so you don't have to.
Libby Stanford, Mark Lieberman & Victoria A. Ifatusin
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5 min read
012024 School Choice Voucher Woes shopping data tracking 1302739460

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Student Achievement Whitepaper Break Through MTSS Implementation Barriers Using Our Guide
You've identified students who aren't at grade level and have supports for them in place, but that doesn't guarantee success.
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Equity & Diversity Spotlight Spotlight on Inclusion & Equity
This Spotlight will help you examine disparities in districts’ top positions, the difference between equity and equality, and more.
Reading & Literacy Spotlight Spotlight on Early Childhood Literacy
This Spotlight will help you analyze early literacy gains from tutoring, learn how science of reading can boost achievement, and more.
Reading & Literacy Spotlight Spotlight on The Science of Reading
This Spotlight will help you review the key components for reading comprehension, California’s approach to align teacher prep, and more.
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  • Chicago charter school teacher Angela McByrd works on her laptop to teach remotely from her home in Chicago, Sept. 24, 2020.
    Chicago charter school teacher Angela McByrd works on her laptop to teach remotely from her home in Chicago, Sept. 24, 2020. In Montana, a district hopes to save a virtual instruction program by converting it into a charter school.
    Nam Y. Huh/AP
    School Choice & Charters How a District Hopes to Save an ESSER-Funded Program
    As a one-time infusion of federal funding expires, districts are searching for creative ways to keep programs they funded with it running.
    Mark Lieberman, January 10, 2024
    •
    6 min read
    Illustration of dice with arrows and court/law building icons: conceptual idea of laws and authority.
    Andrii Yalanskyi/iStock/Getty
    States Q&A How Districts Can Navigate Tricky Questions Raised by Parents' Rights Laws
    Where does a parent's authority stop and a school's authority begin? A constitutional law scholar weighs in.
    Caitlynn Peetz, January 9, 2024
    •
    6 min read
    The Supreme Court building is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 10, 2023.
    The Supreme Court building is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 10, 2023.
    Patrick Semansky/AP
    Law & Courts Supreme Court Declines Case on Corporal Punishment for Student With Autism
    The justices refused to hear the appeal of an 11-year-old Louisiana student who alleges that two educators slapped her on her wrists.
    Mark Walsh, January 8, 2024
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    3 min read
    Linda Brown Smith stands in front of the Sumner School in Topeka, Kan., on May 8, 1964. The refusal of the public school to admit Brown in 1951, then nine years old, because she is black, led to the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled the "separate but equal" clause and mandated that schools nationwide must be desegregated.
    Linda Brown Smith stands in front of the Sumner School in Topeka, Kan., in 1964, a segregated white school where she had been denied enrollment in 1951, leading to the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down the "separate but equal" doctrine in the case that bears her family name, <i>Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.</i> The high court on Jan. 8 turned away an effort by descendants of the litigants in a companion desegregation case from South Carolina to rename the historic decision for their case, <i>Briggs</i> v. <i>Elliott</i>.
    AP
    Law & Courts U.S. Supreme Court Declines Bid to Rename 'Brown v. Board of Education'
    Descendants argued that their case, not the one from Topeka, Kan., should have topped the 1954 decision on racial segregation in schools.
    Mark Walsh, January 8, 2024
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    3 min read
    Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
    DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
    Policy & Politics Opinion 2024 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence: Top 10 Lists
    Where scholars rank within their discipline may be more telling than where they are in the overall rankings.
    Rick Hess, January 5, 2024
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    1 min read
    Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
    DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
    Policy & Politics Opinion The 2024 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings
    The rankings recognize the university-based scholars in the United States who had large influence shaping educational practice and policy.
    Rick Hess, January 4, 2024
    •
    2 min read
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EdWeek Market Brief

Purchasing Alert California District Seeks Extended Learning Programs; Pa. System to Buy Autism Support Teacher Training
A district in California is seeking extended learning programs, while a school system in Pennsylvania is in need of autism support teacher training.
Michelle Caffrey
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2 min read
Marketplace K-12 K-12 Dealmaking: SchoolStatus Acquires SchoolNow; CentralReach Buys SEL Platform
SchoolNow, formerly known as Campus Suite, offers districts a way to manage a mobile apple, website, notifications, social media, and a live feed through one platform.
Michelle Caffrey
•
4 min read
Purchasing Alert Texas District Needs Server Hardware; Fla. System to Outsource Substitute Services
A district in Texas is looking for a virtual server hardware replacement, while a Florida school system seeks substitute employment services.
Emma Kate Fittes
•
2 min read
Exclusive Data The Depth of ‘Learning Loss’: How Bad Is It Across Subjects?
Nearly four years after the pandemic, K-12 officials still see students' learning loss as severe, particularly in elementary grades.
Sean Cavanagh
•
6 min read
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