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A coalition of education, union, religious, and nonprofit groups has sued the Trump administration over a new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas, arguing it will worsen the U.S. teacher shortage by making it unaffordable for schools to hire foreign teachers. The lawsuit claims the fee could disproportionately affect low-paid sectors like education, risks arbitrary exemptions, and exceeds presidential authority. Prior fees were under $7,300 and often waived for schools. Texas and North Carolina districts are cited as particularly vulnerable. In Colorado, plaintiff Global Village Academy Collaborative, a public nonprofit that oversees a language immersion charter school network, has said it cannot afford the potential fees the new policy will cost to hire world language teachers for the 2026-27 school year. While the White House's proclamation gives the U.S. secretary of homeland security authority to grant exemptions to the $100,000 fee, the lawsuit expresses concern that this “is an open invitation for selective and arbitrary treatment," and that it “permits favoritism, ideologically based bias, and corruption.”

 

K-12 Dive

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The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied a request to temporarily block the U.S. Department of Education’s funding restrictions for Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia. The district filed the lawsuit in August after the Trump administration put the district’s federal funding on “reimbursement only” status, because it said the district was in violation of Title IX when it allowed trans students to use facilities aligning with their gender identities. The status means that the department flags the school districts as “high-risk” in its internal systems for when the districts apply for discretionary grants, and that it will only be providing federal funding through reimbursements, which have to be requested. The latest decision is due to procedural issues, rather than a judgement on whether the district's challenge to the administration is valid, according to education experts. Federal claims court is specialized for monetary claims against the U.S. government, whereas district court, where Fairfax filed, oversees a much broader range of civil and criminal cases. 

 

K-12 Dive

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 715, establishing a state Office for Civil Rights to address antisemitism and other forms of discrimination in schools. The bill, which faced significant opposition from teachers' unions and civil rights groups, evolved from a focus on ethnic studies to a broader mandate against discrimination. Newsom said: "California is taking action to confront hate in all its forms. At a time when antisemitism and bigotry are rising nationwide and globally, these laws make clear: our schools must be places of learning, not hate." The office will monitor complaints, assist schools in compliance with anti-discrimination laws, and address various forms of discrimination through specialized coordinators. Despite overwhelming legislative support, critics worry the law may suppress discussions on sensitive topics, particularly regarding the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The final vote in the Assembly was 71-0, with the Senate voting 35-0.

 

ABC News

Los Angeles Times

Politico

More than 40 Minnesota school board members have urged state officials to comply with a federal directive that would ban transgender students from competing in girls’ sports, warning non-compliance could risk hundreds of millions in education funding. The U.S. Department of Education recently ruled that Minnesota’s inclusive sports policies violate Title IX, giving the state until Friday to respond. Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison are defending the current policies, while advocacy group Gender Justice argues claims of unfairness are unfounded. The Minnesota State High School League does not track transgender athlete participation due to privacy laws.

 

The Minnesota Star Tribune

Following the second anniversary of the October 7 2023, terror attack on Israel, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) is advocating for the October 7th Remembrance Education Act. This legislation aims to direct the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to develop a curriculum for schools that addresses the attack, the history of antisemitism, and the importance of recognizing denial and distortion as forms of antisemitism. Gottheimer emphasized: "We can't afford for them to learn history from TikTok, one of the largest single social media purveyors of antisemitic tropes." The initiative has garnered bipartisan support, with New Jersey Assemblyman Gary Schaer planning to introduce similar legislation at the state level. The Anti-Defamation League reported a tripling of antisemitic incidents in the U.S. following the attack, highlighting the urgent need for educational measures to combat hate.

 

New Jersey Herald

Kirsten Baesler, the longtime North Dakota state education chief, has been confirmed as the assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education at the U.S. Department of Education (ED) following a Senate vote. Baesler, who has a history of bipartisan collaboration, will oversee critical K-12 functions, including the distribution of Title I funds and enforcement of the Every Student Succeeds Act. She said: "I am honored, humbled, and incredibly excited to have received this final vote of confidence from the U.S. Senate." Her confirmation comes amid significant changes within the ED, including workforce reductions and a government shutdown. Baesler has previously advocated for restructuring the department, suggesting that some functions be moved to other agencies, aligning with the conservative policy agenda Project 2025. Alongside her, Kimberly Richey was also confirmed to lead the office for civil rights.

 

Bismarck Tribune

North Dakota Monitor

Education Week News

On Monday, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris vetoed a resolution from county commissioners that aimed to place all nine Memphis school board seats up for election in 2026. The measure, which would have shortened the terms of five current board members, was rejected by Harris, who said: "Absent an emergency or in the case of criminal misconduct, I do not believe that the terms of elected officials should be shortened." The Shelby County Commission can override the veto with eight votes within the next thirty days. Despite the veto, changes to school board elections are still anticipated, including a partisan primary and new term limits approved in August. Additionally, two Tennessee lawmakers are expected to push for a state-appointed board to oversee the district in the spring.

 

Chalkbeat

Recent research indicates that formal spelling instruction significantly enhances children's spelling and reading abilities. A meta-analysis of fifty-nine studies focused on students with learning disabilities in grades K-9 revealed that spelling lessons not only improved spelling but also contributed to stronger reading skills. Brennan Chandler, an assistant professor of dyslexia at Georgia State University, emphasized the importance of spelling in early literacy, commenting: "It's really about how we can help kids crack the code of written language." Despite the findings, many recent state laws on reading instruction do not explicitly include spelling. The study also highlighted that interventions combining phonics, spelling rules, and morphology yielded the best results, while memorization of whole words had limited transferability to general spelling ability. Effective spelling instruction can be integrated into phonemic awareness and phonics lessons, allowing students to understand the patterns in words.

 

Education Week News

In a time of heightened political polarization, Kent Lenci, a veteran educator and author of Learning to Depolarize, emphasizes the importance of adults modeling civil discourse for students. He notes that “to deliver these skill sets, we adults need to sharpen them ourselves.” Lenci advocates for educators to share their political origin stories in structured settings, fostering understanding and respect among colleagues with differing views. This approach, demonstrated through initiatives like the Civi Coalition in New York, aims to create a culture of listening rather than debating. By encouraging voluntary participation and emphasizing the humanity in differing perspectives, educators can better equip students to engage across divides. Ultimately, Lenci calls for a commitment to building a foundation for students to learn how to converse with those they disagree with, making this work not just timely but timeless.

 

Education Week News

Many students at Harvard University graduate without meaningful engagement with their teachers and peers, according to the Classroom Social Compact Committee's report. The report, penned by a group of seven faculty members, highlights that students often skip classes, focus on devices, and avoid sharing ideas due to fear of disagreement. “By not attending class, students are missing opportunities to hear the perspectives of other students with different viewpoints,” the report states. Grade inflation exacerbates the issue, with A grades rising from 40% to 60% since 2015. The committee aims to foster a more open-minded and academically engaged environment, implementing measures such as attendance tracking and encouraging handwritten notes. Harvard's dean of undergraduate education, Amanda Claybaugh, noted that students are increasingly concerned about their futures, leading to a focus on extracurricular activities over academic curiosity.

 

Boston Globe

On October 1 2025, the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, collapsed during afternoon prayers, resulting in the tragic loss of 61 lives. The disaster, described as the year's deadliest, left the community in grief and confusion. Mohammad Syafii, chief of the search and rescue agency, announced: "Operations due to the collapsed structure of the Al Khoziny school ... are officially closed," after all bodies were recovered. The school was part of Indonesia's extensive network of pesantren, or traditional Islamic boarding schools, of which there are more than 42,000 in Indonesia.

 

NBC News

The Jakarta Post

U.S. News