Author: BelieveAgain

The U.S. Supreme Court late Monday reinstated a federal district court decision that said parents have federal constitutional rights to be informed when their children socially transition or express gender nonconformity at school.The apparent 6-3 decision, over a sharp dissent, came after weeks of deliberation on the court’s so-called emergency docket, with the majority saying that religious parents are likely to succeed on their First Amendment free exercise of religion claims challenging California policies that restrain local school personnel from proactively informing parents about a child’s gender identity at school, unless the child consents.“California’s policies … substantially interfere with the…

Undocumented students can attend public schools for free thanks to the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Plyler v. Doe, which held that denying children an education based on immigration status violates the Constitution’s equal protection clause.That ruling remains binding federal law, even as the Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank behind the Project 2025 policy playbook shaping much of President Donald Trump’s agenda, published a policy document on Feb. 17 calling on states to intentionally enact laws or rules restricting free public education for undocumented students and calling on the highest court to overturn the landmark decision.In February 2024,…

A full federal appeals court has lifted an injunction blocking a Louisiana law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, saying it needs more information about how the measure will be implemented in practice before it can decide whether the law is constitutional.“We do not know, for example, how prominently the displays will appear, what other materials might accompany them, or how—if at all—teachers will reference them during instruction,” said an 11-7 decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, in New Orleans.The 2024 Louisiana law requires displays of a specific Protestant version of the…

The U.S. Department of Education’s research arm needs to be thoroughly overhauled with a focus on making its products leaner, more relevant, and timelier, concludes a long-awaited report released Friday.The report was crafted by Amber Northern, who was brought on last May from the right-leaning Thomas B. Fordham Institute as a special adviser to review the Institute of Education Sciences’ work. More than 430 public commentators weighed in on a request for feedback on redesigning IES, calling for a quicker turnaround on awarding research grants so findings get into to the field faster. Commenters also said there was a need for…

Congress approved funding dedicated to English learners in the fiscal 2026 federal budget, but failed to increase the program’s total allocation even as the student population continues to grow, and costs associated with educating them rise.States are responsible for covering the basic education of English learners, even if it involves additional costs beyond that of educating non-English learners. The Title III federal program gives money to states, which in turn give money to districts for supplemental expenses, such as teacher training on serving English learners or after-school tutoring programs for these students.Over the last 15 years or so, the total…

Victor Cifuentes wants to be an engineer.If all goes according to plan, he’ll be a first-generation college student. His parents encourage him to attend college, but “I don’t get much advice from them [about] my career field,” said Victor, 16, a junior at Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology, a public high school in Newark, N.J.Instead, Victor has had crucial college and career preparation as one of 43 students in the federally funded Career-Connected High Schools program in the Essex County Schools of Technology district.Through the program, Victor, who’s studying carpentry, enrolled in a writing class, attended financial literacy…

The FBI served search warrants Wednesday at the Los Angeles Unified School District’s headquarters and Superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s home as part of a federal investigation.The nature of the investigation and what allegations were being examined was not immediately clear.Rukelt Dalberis, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, confirmed that agents were at the properties to serve warrants but declined to comment further because affidavits laying out details for the basis for the searches were under seal. A third location in Florida was also searched.The district is aware of the searches at the office and Carvalho’s home, it said…

Louisiana will receive modest new authority over how its districts manage federal funding under a waiver from the Every Student Succeeds Act approved by U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on Feb. 25.The waiver—at least the second approved on ESSA funding flexibility in President Donald Trump’s second term—comes nearly a year after Trump issued an executive order calling on McMahon to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and “return authority over education to the states and local communities.”In recent months, the Education Department has been encouraging states to ask for waivers from different provisions of ESSA—the nation’s primary K-12 law—and…

President Donald Trump used his most high-profile speech of the year to laud a K-12 artificial intelligence competition spearheaded by first lady Melania Trump, while remaining silent about his work to hollow out the U.S. Department of Education and dramatically expand federal resources for private school choice. Trump’s decision to keep those cornerstone K-12 policies out of the State-of-the-Union spotlight comes at the start of a mid-term election year in which Republicans are expected to struggle to maintain their slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.Trump also did not propose any new education policies in the address, leaving his…

More than 1 million K-12 students nationwide are receiving public funds for private education this school year—and as states and the federal government continue to expand eligibility for these subsidies, that number is likely to continue growing.The details of these programs vary considerably. Some are open to any student who applies, while others cap eligibility based on funding availability, household income levels, or previous enrollment in public school. Some supply direct tax credits or funds from state accounts, while others reward taxpayers who donate to scholarship-granting organizations.As the private school choice landscape continues to expand, we’ll continue tracking new and…