Become more informed in minutes....

The Federal Communications Council has announced that 707 participants have been selected to receive funding through its three-year $200m Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program. Information from the pilot will be used to decide whether and by how much the FCC should expand its E-rate program to include funding for cybersecurity measures. E-rate uses Universal Service Fund dollars to help schools and libraries pay for telecommunications and Internet services. The initiative  will examine the effect of cybersecurity funding for schools and libraries across four categories: advanced firewalls; endpoint protection; identity protection and authentication; and monitoring, detection and response. Those chosen must now provide more detailed cybersecurity information to the FCC, seek competitive bids for cybersecurity equipment and services, and report specific data to the FCC. 

 

Federal Communications Commission

Government Technology

Choose the Right Digital Curriculum

How do you determine which digital courses will meet your students’ and teachers’ needs best? Get expert answers to your digital curriculum questions in the free Digital Curriculum Buyer’s Guide from FlexPoint. While you learn how to identify quality digital courses, you’ll complete worksheets that will offer a clear path toward your goals. These insights, tips, and more are vital to making the right purchasing decisions for your school or district.

Download Free Guide

 

President-elect Donald Trump has selected Penny Schwinn, the former Tennessee Education Commissioner, to take on the role of Deputy Secretary of Education in his upcoming administration. “Penny has a proven track record of achieving positive outcomes for children and families,” Trump stated. “As a former teacher, she went on to become the founding principal of a charter school, driven by her belief in School Choice. She is dedicated to helping the next generation achieve the American Dream by restoring control of education to the states.” Developing a stronger pipeline of teachers and shifting the state’s elementary teachers to an evidence-based approach to teaching literacy were among Schwinn’s top priorities during her tenure as Tennessee’s schools chief.

 

The Tennessee Tribune

Education Week

Brooke Schultz, writing in Education Week, asks whether the Biden administration did enough for the sector. The article notes an unprecedented $122bn in funding under the American Rescue Plan Act, but highlights the absence of any "aggressive policy agenda" to address low levels of student achievement nor to restructure the test-based accountability system. David Bloomfield, an education policy professor at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center is quoted as saying “The administration, I think, was unsuccessful in communicating a vision for K-12 education in the way that previous immediate administrations had, both Trump and Obama. I think that neither the president, the vice president, or the secretary were able to enunciate a vision to counter the far right.”

 

Education Week

Recent data from the U.S. Department of Education's Civil Rights Data Collection highlights significant disparities in educational access for Black and Latino students. Outgoing U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona stated, “The newly released data show that we cannot be complacent—that inequities in access to educational opportunities based on race, sex, and disability persist.” The report reveals that these students are less likely to have access to advanced STEM courses and certified teachers, with only 35% of predominantly Black and Latino schools offering calculus compared to 54% of schools with lower enrollments of these students. Additionally, Black students are disproportionately affected by disciplinary actions, representing 18% of K-12 enrollment but accounting for 22% of out-of-school suspensions. The findings underscore the need for continued investment in data collection to address these inequities.

 

Education Week News

Oklahoma state Superintendent Ryan Walters has asked parents in Tulsa and other districts to share their citizenship status upon enrolling their children in school, with district leaders criticizing the plan as dangerous to vulnerable families. Nick Migliorino, superintendent of the Norman Public Schools near Oklahoma City remarked: "It’s hurtful, and it’s going to create fear. Not educating kids because of the status of their parents helps nobody.” This comes amid a rise in numbers of English learners enrolled in Oklahoma schools, as President-elect Donald Trump calls for overturning a ban on Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids at schools.

 

The74

The 74 has carried out an analysis showing that when state funding is based on head counts from the previous year, school districts' budget stability benefits, while a declines in enrollment is more likely to see high-income districts cut spending on instruction and administration and reduce teacher headcount than their low-income counterparts. It notes that given the incoming administration's plans to trim federal spending for K-12 public schools, "Reducing federal funding may prompt more schools to switch to funding formulas based on current-year enrollment."

 

The74

Students at Invent Learning Hub in Indianapolis are facing significant changes as new legislation, House Bill 1501, proposes to transfer control of facilities and transportation from Indianapolis Public Schools to appointed boards. These boards, set to begin operating in 2026, will manage resources and could impose property taxes. The bill, authored by Rep. Bob Behning, aims to address the fact that less than 50% of students in certain districts attend district-operated schools. Behning stated "This is the latest proposal to target those districts," highlighting the ongoing debate over school management in Indiana. The pilot program will run from 2026 to 2029, after which the boards will gain permanent control.

 

Chalkbeat

Corletta Vaughn, the newly-elected Detroit Public Schools Community District board president, has said she is exploring ways to make virtual meetings more user friendly after a proposal to eliminate the opportunity for residents attending meetings online to make public comments was abandoned. Vaughn stated: “Please know that we’ve listened and took seriously the long-term liability and impact this removal might have on our constituents.” She said changes being introduced will include "visibility, improved sound, close captions, interpreters for our non-English speaking constituents, and a much more accessible way to make public comments seamless and engaging."

 

Chalkbeat

In a growing bipartisan movement, governors from both the Republican and Democratic parties, including Arkansas' Sarah Huckabee Sanders and California's Gavin Newsom, are advocating for bans on student cellphone use during school hours. This trend, driven by concerns over mental health and classroom distractions, has seen at least eight states enact such measures. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy emphasized the need for "phone-free times" in schools, highlighting the negative impact of screen time on children. While 77% of U.S. schools reportedly prohibit non-academic cellphone use, enforcement remains inconsistent. Kim Whitman, co-founder of the Phone Free Schools Movement, noted that "all children are struggling" with the pressures of mobile devices. However, opposition exists, with some parents arguing for the necessity of phones in emergencies. Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, cautioned that bans may not address deeper issues like bullying and social media dangers.

 

Chicago Tribune

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Friday it will hear Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case that would determine whether school districts violate parents’ First Amendment religious rights when they don’t provide notice or a way to opt children out of curriculum related to gender and sexuality. The case was brought against Maryland’s Montgomery County Board of Education by a group of Christian and Muslim parents, represented by he Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, in reaction to a pre-K-5 LGBTQ+-inclusive language arts curriculum. The books included “My Rainbow,” about a mother who makes a rainbow-colored wig for her transgender daughter, and “Love, Violet,” a story about a girl who develops a crush on her female classmate. Another book, “Pride Puppy!”, concerns a puppy who gets lost during a gay pride parade. “Cramming down controversial gender ideology on three-year-olds without their parents’ permission is an affront to our nation’s traditions, parental rights, and basic human decency,” commented Eric Baxter, vice president and senior counsel at Becket. “The Court must make clear: parents, not the state, should be the ones deciding how and when to introduce their children to sensitive issues about gender and sexuality.” The case is expected to be argued this spring.

 

USA Today

The Hill

K-12 Dive

New York Times

Paid parental leave and in increase in minimum pay for teachers would be guaranteed by Senate Bill 146 in Indiana, which if passed would make the state one of only a few offering such paid leave to educators. The bill, authored by GOP Sen. Linda Rogers, would also see changes to the requirements for Indiana’s Teacher Appreciation Grants and enroll the state in the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact. Sen. Andrea Hunley, a former teacher and principal remarked: “I think that’s a really great step to support our families who are expanding. But 20 days is only four weeks."

 

Chalkbeat

Chalkbeat reports on childhood vaccination rates in conservative states with poor health outcomes and life expectancies such as Tennessee, Mississippi and West Virginia. James Colgrove, a Columbia University professor who studies factors influencing public health, noted that childhood vaccination requirements do not always align with other characteristics of such states. This comes after a number of states recently reported a rise in people opting out of vaccines for their children, with the percentage of kindergartners exempted from one or more vaccinations increasing to its highest ever level of 3.3% during the 2023-24 school year. Brandon Chatani, a pediatric infectious disease doctor in Orlando, noted that religious exemptions have "allowed for an easy way for these kids to enter schools without vaccines.” 

 

Chalkbeat