You’re all signed up for the Education Slice
Thank you for your interest in our service.
Watch out for a confirmation email from our subscriptions team. Once you have confirmed you will join the community of over 35,000 subscribers who are receiving daily Education intelligence to lead, innovate and grow.
Note: Due to the nature of this message you may find this in your "promotions" or "spam" folders, please check there. If nothing arrives within a few minutes let us know. If you do not receive this email we will be happy to help get you set up.
Adding the email address [email protected], will help to ensure all newsletters arrive directly to your inbox.
Recent Editions
Education Slice
National
A bipartisan commission convened by the Bipartisan Policy Center has urged sweeping changes to the U.S. education and workforce systems to prepare students for disruptions driven by artificial intelligence (AI). The report says the federal government should coordinate a national workforce strategy, improve data systems that track students from school into careers, and fund research to help states align education with evolving labor market needs. The commission also recommends raising academic standards, creating a federal K–12 “scorecard” comparing state proficiency levels with national benchmarks, and providing incentives for states that improve student outcomes. It calls for redesigning high school so students graduate with credentials and skills relevant to employers, expanding competency-based learning models, and encouraging innovative teacher staffing strategies. While the strategy should be national, commissioners say implementation should largely occur at the state and local levels to respond to rapidly changing workforce demands.
Full Issue
Education Slice
California
The California Department of Education has filed a lawsuit against Oakland USD for allegedly failing to address "pervasive antisemitism" on its campuses. The lawsuit, initiated on March 5, follows a state order from January that mandated specific actions to combat a "discriminatory environment" in Oakland schools. The state claims OUSD "took no action whatsoever," despite requests for more time to implement changes. The lawsuit highlights a national debate on how schools handle antisemitism amid the Israel-Palestine conflict, with critics arguing that efforts to combat antisemitism may suppress pro-Palestinian viewpoints. The state required OUSD to take several actions, including sending letters condemning antisemitism and holding assemblies about the Holocaust.
Full Issue
Education Slice
Texas
Four Muslim parents and three private schools have filed lawsuits against Texas officials, claiming discrimination in the state's private school voucher program. The lawsuits, initiated by Mehdi Cherkaoui, a Muslim father and lawyer, argue that the program unjustly excludes Islamic schools based on "categorical presumptions" of terrorism linked to their religious identity. Cherkaoui, who pays nearly $18,000 annually for his children's tuition, seeks to access approximately $10,500 in voucher funding. The lawsuits name Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Comptroller Kelly Hancock, and Education Commissioner Mike Morath as defendants, highlighting the need for the state to accept all eligible Islamic schools without bias. The plaintiffs demand that the court prevent the state from denying approval based on religious identity or alleged ties to terrorism.
Full Issue
Education Slice
Florida
Florida's new legislation, HB 1471, mandates that schools associated with designated terrorist organizations lose state-sponsored tuition vouchers, and students supporting such groups face expulsion. Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign the bill, which allows him to classify groups as "domestic terrorist organizations." Bill sponsor Rep. Hillary Cassel said: "If you are a student that says, ‘I wanna hold my flag for a certified domestic terrorist organization,' and you try to promote other students into that organization, you can be expelled." The bill passed the House 80-25 and the Senate 25-11, amid concerns it unfairly targets specific religions. The legislation follows scrutiny of Islamic schools allegedly promoting Sharia law, with Attorney General James Uthmeier stating that taxpayer-funded vouchers for such schools "likely contravene Florida law and undermine our national security." A related bill, HB 1473, will also be sent to the governor.
Full Issue