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The White House has announced a plan to dismantle the Education Department by transferring its core responsibilities to other federal agencies, aligning with President Donald Trump’s long-term goal of closing the department. Duties for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education will shift to the Labor Department, while child care grants and foreign medical school accreditation will move to Health and Human Services. Meanwhile, Fulbright and international education programmes will go to the State Department, and the Office of Indian Education to the Interior Department. “The Trump Administration is taking bold action to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement Tuesday. “Cutting through layers of red tape in Washington is one essential piece of our final mission.” Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) responded by calling the proposals "outright illegal," adding that the Education Department's programs are being spun off "to agenices with little to no relevant expertise." She also noted that federal law requires an act of Congress to close the department.

 

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Half of U.S. teachers have now received at least one professional development session on using artificial intelligence (AI), up from 42% in 2024 and 13% in 2023, per a new EdWeek Research Center survey. Pat Yongpradit of Code.org noted: “We’re getting out of the early-adopter phase.” Despite progress, most sessions are still one-time events, and experts stress the need for sustained training. Former Atlanta schools superintendent Lisa Herring emphasized: “We must urgently invest in their training” to integrate AI into modern classrooms. School leaders currently receive more training than teachers, often due to greater flexibility and system-level responsibilities.

 

Education Week News

Susan Popkin and David Bateman highlight the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in education, recalling a time before significant reforms in the 1970s. With recent cuts to the federal Department of Education, advocates fear a regression in the support provided to students with disabilities. Denise Marshall, chief executive of the Council of Parents Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), expressed concern, stating: “It does seem like so far ago, but right now we’re witnessing all we accomplished could go away in the blink of an eye.” The National Center for Education Statistics reports that the number of students receiving special education accommodations has increased to 7.5m. However, experts warn that the reduction in the Department's workforce will hinder the distribution of essential resources, leading to disparities across states.

 

EdSurge

UC San Diego is grappling with a significant increase in freshmen lacking essential math skills, with 665 students, or 8.5% of incoming freshmen, placed in a remedial Math 2 course this fall. This marks a stark rise from just 32 students five years ago. The report highlights that many students struggle despite having completed necessary math classes for admission. Factors contributing to this trend include the COVID-19 pandemic, the elimination of standardized testing, and grade inflation. "The combination of these factors has produced an incoming class increasingly unprepared for the quantitative and analytical rigor expected at UC San Diego," the report states. The university is now seeking better methods to identify students needing remedial support, emphasizing the importance of maintaining rigorous instructional standards amidst growing enrollment pressures.

 

The Modesto Bee

In addressing a challenging student behavior, Scott Ervin emphasizes the importance of empathy over traditional warning methods. He argues that "Warning Therapy" often fails, as students may not respond to verbal reprimands. Instead, he suggests a more effective approach: providing resources and opportunities for students to understand the impact of their words. By engaging with the student in a supportive manner, teachers can help them learn why certain language is unacceptable and encourage them to develop alternative expressions. This method not only addresses the immediate issue but also fosters personal growth and responsibility in students.

 

The Sacramento Bee

The Board of Trustees at Sonoma Valley USD has held a special meeting to discuss the appointment of consultants to facilitate the search for a new Superintendent to replace Jeanette Rodriguez-Chien following her resignation. The Board considered the appointment of consultants Ron Calloway and Mark Mahoney, both former Superintendents in other districts, to assist with screening and decision-making.

 

Press Democrat

The Lucia Mar USD Board of Trustees is set for a contentious meeting regarding the potential banning of two books from the Arroyo Grande High School Library: Push and Gender Queer. Push, a novel about an abused Black girl, has been described as “a merciless indictment of a society that abandons its most vulnerable citizens.” Meanwhile, Gender Queer, a graphic memoir on sexual identity, was the most banned book in 2021 and 2022. Opponents of the books argue they contain pornographic content, while supporters emphasize the importance of diverse literature. The California law AB 1078 mandates schools to provide materials that accurately represent various communities, further complicating the debate.

 

San Luis Obispo Tribune

Jeanine Rupert, a sixth-grade teacher at Phoebe A. Hearst Elementary School, is seeking $2.3m in damages from Sacramento City USD following her removal over a controversial classroom project. Rupert, who has taught for over 20 years, involved students in pulling up old carpet with tools, which the district deemed vandalism, resulting in $22,000 in damages. Her attorney, James Jones, argued that Rupert aimed to create a "clean, safe, educationally appropriate classroom environment" and noted that students regularly use tools in various school activities. The district has faced backlash from parents, leading to protests and a recall effort against Board President Jasjit Singh.

 

The Sacramento Bee

Megan Lamb conducted a two-hour e-bike training course for Bowditch Middle School students, emphasizing safety and hands-on experience. “E-bikes where I live have just taken off,” said Lamb, who founded E-Bike Sense. The course is part of a three-day initiative by the school district, responding to the rising popularity of e-bikes, which can reach speeds of 20-28 mph. However, the topic of e-bike training has sparked controversy in Foster City. Mayor Stacy Jimenez's recent letter to the San Mateo-Foster City School District called for a districtwide education program on e-bike safety, but faced pushback from Superintendent Diego Ochoa and cycling advocates. Critics argue that the focus should be on improving infrastructure rather than placing the burden of safety on children.

 

San Mateo Daily Journal

School bus driver employment has grown modestly over the past year, supported by a 4.2% inflation-adjusted rise in median hourly wages to $22.45, yet overall staffing remains 9.5% below 2019 levels, reflecting ongoing shortages. Across K-12 jobs, employment is up just 1.4% from 2019, with steep declines in custodian roles and strong growth among paraprofessionals. Over the past year, state and local schools added nearly 9,900 bus driver positions while the private sector lost 8,200, yielding a net gain of about 2,300 jobs.

 

K-12 Dive

Department of Education officials have terminated the annual $836,000 grant for the University of California, Berkeley's Educational Talent Search program, which since 1997 has used federal funds to connect low-income students at East Bay middle and high schools with college advisors. Department officials claimed the program conflicts with the Trump administration's priorities, citing mention of management equity and inclusion training. Program director Keyanna Hatcher said she was in "complete shock", adding: "I never would've thought in a million years that we would get a non-continuation notification because we've worked very hard to ensure that our talent search program is compliant."

 

Mercury News

The New Zealand Government has advanced the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill, aiming to improve teacher education, school property management, curriculum standards, and attendance enforcement. Key measures include transferring initial teacher education standards and teacher registration oversight to the Ministry of Education, establishing a dedicated school property agency, requiring schools to participate in PISA assessments, and expanding charter school provisions to support school choice.

 

The National Tribune

The Lilliput Church of England Infant School in Poole, U.K., has banned songs from the popular film K-Pop Demon Hunters due to concerns over its themes not aligning with the school's “Christian ethos.” Acting principal Lloyd Allington informed parents in a letter that some community members are “deeply uncomfortable” with references to demons in the film. K-Pop Demon Hunters, Netflix's most-viewed film, features a fictional K-pop girl band battling demons. Allington acknowledged the positive feedback from parents but emphasized the need to respect differing views, stating: “For some Christians, references to demons can feel deeply uncomfortable.”

 

Star-Telegram