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Recent Editions
Education Slice
National
Delegates to the National Education Association's annual meeting approved the creation of a nearly $200,000 emergency fund to support teachers protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, citing ongoing legal uncertainty and the importance of retaining immigrant educators. The fund is expected to assist an estimated 14,000 to 20,000 teachers who came to the United States as children before 2007, while remaining compliant with federal restrictions on providing financial support to undocumented immigrants. Immigration emerged as one of the union's top priorities, with delegates also calling for additional resources to help educators understand local cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The assembly also approved work to develop model policies protecting educators and students from AI-generated identity theft, including deepfake images, videos, and audio that could damage reputations or lead to disciplinary action. Delegates said schools and unions need updated safeguards as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly capable of creating convincing fake content.
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Education Slice
California
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has expressed his concerns regarding Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposed overhaul of the California Department of Education. Thurmond learned about the plan through a text message last year, which aims to appoint an education commissioner to oversee the state's public school system serving 6m students. He criticized the legislation as a “rushed, behind-closed-doors” process and noted that it lacks a clear educational outcome. “I just wish that they had done it by going to the voters,” Thurmond said, emphasizing the importance of voter input. He also mentioned that the proposal could weaken the role of the superintendent, stating, “What they've proposed as the alternative duties for the state superintendent are a complete weakening of what's already a very weakened position.” Meanwhile, Alex Traverso, a spokesperson for the State Board of Education, defended the reforms, claiming they would enhance accountability and coherence in serving students.
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Education Slice
Texas
The Texas Education Agency’s PASS program will provide $400 grants to families of third graders who did not meet grade level on the 2026 STAAR reading exam, including eligible students who have advanced to fourth grade. The money can fund literacy tutoring through approved providers, individual teachers, or specialists such as dyslexia therapists. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said, “Getting to third grade proficiency in reading is particularly important to unlock all the rest of education.” The program is separate from Texas Education Freedom Accounts.
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Education Slice
Florida
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed HB 7031E, which exempts the Escambia Children's Trust and similar organizations from tax increment revenue payments. This legislation, effective July 1, clarifies that Children's Services Councils are not required to contribute to community redevelopment trust funds. Escambia Children's Trust Executive Director Lindsay Cannon said: “As communicated previously, ECT's position has been that the existing statutory framework did not require TIF assessments on Children's Services Councils.” The Children's Trust has previously paid $1.2m in TIF payments to Escambia County and $1.8m to Pensacola. The new law is expected to allow the trust to allocate more funds towards children's programs, enhancing their services and support for families in need. Cannon emphasized the trust's commitment to collaboration with local governments to improve outcomes for children in Escambia County.
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