President-elect Donald Trump’s second term could bring radical changes to U.S. education, emphasizing school choice, cuts to K-12 spending, and reduced federal oversight. Aligned with conservative parent groups like Moms for Liberty, Trump has promised to curtail funding for schools that teach “woke” curricula, including critical race theory, and has endorsed the idea of parents…

Chicagoans have voted for school board members for the first time, marking the end of 30 years of mayoral control in the city’s school district. Ten seats are open, with the winners joining 11 members appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson. The election comes amid leadership turmoil and financial challenges, as the district faces declining enrollment…

Some school districts in Washington state may soon receive 14 electric school buses at no cost, pending a grant application. The Woodland School District, which oversees the transportation cooperative, was awarded a $2.8m grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. The grant will cover $200,000 for each bus, with the remaining…

The California State University (CSU) system is evolving its approach to student success by emphasizing post-graduation employment alongside graduation rates. CSU Chancellor Mildred García highlighted the need for better career guidance: “We have to show students what’s the endgame.” With nearly 30% of students being first-generation and 54% from historically underrepresented groups, the system aims…

New research reveals that many older students lack essential decoding skills, hindering their reading progress. The study, conducted by researchers at ETS and the Advanced Education Research and Development Fund, highlights a “decoding threshold” necessary for literacy advancement. Over 20% of 5th to 7th graders in a large urban district fell below this threshold, leading…

A new EdWeek Research Center report highlights the growing financial strain that rising pension costs place on U.S. school districts, revealing that many administrators lack a full understanding of how these complex systems operate. The report, commissioned by the Equable Institute, shows that school districts now allocate over $60bn annually to educator pensions—triple the amount…