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The abrupt termination of federal grants for school mental health services has left many initiatives in jeopardy. Ian Levy, an assistant professor of school counseling at Rutgers University, expressed disappointment, commenting: "The grant funding would have ended in five years, but the work of the grant would have lived well beyond the period." The U.S. Department of Education terminated these grants, citing inconsistencies with the new administration's priorities. This decision affects 174 initiatives aimed at increasing the availability of mental health professionals in schools, which are crucial given the ongoing mental health crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding cuts have prompted appeals and legal challenges from affected organizations, but few have been successful. As a result, many school districts may struggle to retain newly hired counselors, further impacting student mental health services.

 

Education Week News

Unify Your Fleet Fast

School transportation teams are under constant pressure to deliver safer, more reliable routes with fewer staff, tighter budgets, and rising parent expectations. This white paper shows how districts are eliminating operational chaos by moving to one integrated platform built specifically for student transportation. Instead of juggling multiple routing tools, telematics vendors, and driver apps, transportation leaders gain a single system that ties together live fleet data, turn-by-turn navigation, ridership verification, on-time performance metrics, and parent communication. The result is fewer late buses, fewer ghost stops, and dramatically less manual work. Real-time dashboards let teams spot problems before they escalate. Drivers get clear, consistent instructions. Parents get accurate ETAs. Leaders get the visibility they need to run a safer, more efficient operation. If your transportation department is ready to replace workarounds with a connected, purpose-built ecosystem, this white paper lays out the roadmap.

Download the white paper

 

Florida's teacher and professor unions are challenging a new state rule mandating that college instructors publicly post course materials. The Florida Education Association and the United Faculty of Florida filed a petition against the Florida Department of Education, arguing that the rule is "vague" and undermines academic freedom. Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, said, "This is a continued pattern by the Florida Department of Education to undermine academic freedom in our higher education institutions." The rule aims to enhance transparency for students, but critics fear it may intimidate faculty and limit academic expression. Similar regulations are emerging in conservative states, raising concerns about the impact on teaching diversity and inclusion.

 

Daily Commercial

Houston ISD is experiencing a significant decline in student enrollment, with 11% of students leaving Braeburn Elementary alone since last year. Overall, 72% of HISD campuses are seeing a drop in enrollment, particularly in middle schools, which have lost 8% of their students. Yoana Martines, a parent, expressed concern about the potential impact on funding and teacher quality, stating, "We don't want that to affect our teachers." Many students are transferring to private schools or opting for homeschooling. Texas Connections Academy, however, has seen impressive growth, enrolling 11,338 students for the 2025-26 school year, which is the largest increase in the district. Rachelle Park, a parent at Texas Connections Academy, noted the benefits of online schooling for her child, despite the academy's recent D rating from the TEA. The financial boost from this enrollment is projected to exceed $8m for the district.

 

KTRK-TV

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a proposed order against Illuminate Education, requiring the ed-tech firm to delete unnecessary student data, strengthen its cybersecurity practices, and cease making misleading privacy claims after breaches in 2021–22 exposed data of over 10m K–12 students. The FTC found the company had weak security measures, delayed breach disclosures, and stored sensitive data improperly. The order mandates a comprehensive security overhaul, detailed data retention policies, and regular audits, with penalties of up to $51,000 per violation if finalized. 

 

Compliance Week

Government Technology

Jolene Bruce, the director of student data services for Austin ISD in Texas, discussed the district's implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the efficiency of school master schedules. The initiative, which began in the 2024-25 school year, has already saved the district approximately $2,600 per campus. Bruce noted: "We could have a tremendous amount of budget savings if we would make those schedules efficient and standard across the board." The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights cautioned against over-reliance on AI in administrative tasks, emphasizing the importance of human oversight. As schools face declining enrollment and increased support needs, Bruce advocates for leveraging technology to optimize resources, explaining: "If you can make your master schedule efficient, you're going to find major cost savings there." The use of AI has reportedly saved scheduling teams at least fifty hours, significantly improving job satisfaction.

 

Education Week News

The Florida Senate is set to review legislation aimed at overhauling teacher contracts and professional certificates, which have faced criticism for nearly 15 years. The proposed changes would allow teachers to secure contracts for up to three years if they have not received a poor evaluation in the past three years. If a teacher on a multi-year contract receives a negative review, they would revert to an annual contract. Sponsored by Sen. Corey Simon, the bill also proposes extending the duration of professional certificates for certain teachers. "The need to annually renew contracts for educators who have proven their value is demoralizing and unnecessary," said teacher union leaders. The Senate's previous attempts to pass similar measures have failed, with the latest debate scheduled for December 9.

 

Florida Politics

Tampa Bay Times

Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) leaders are considering expanding student bus services to improve attendance, which could increase transportation costs by nearly $10m for the next school year. This decision follows testimonies from teachers about students' fears of attending school due to heightened law and immigration enforcement. Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond stated: "What's being requested is a challenge. It may seem easy, but it's extremely challenging." The district currently spends approximately $32m on transportation and is exploring options to adjust parent responsibility zones (PRZs) to increase bus service. Three options are under review, with varying impacts on costs and the number of additional buses required. Board member Amber Huett-Garcia emphasized the urgency of addressing attendance issues, particularly for immigrant students and those in specific neighborhoods.

 

Chalkbeat

Maryland Gov.Wes Moore announced a significant initiative to address the state's teacher shortage by allocating $19m in grants. The state's Grow-Your-Own Educators Program, part of the broader Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, prioritizes funding for schools with plans to attract and retain male teachers, who currently make up just 23% of the workforce. The Moore administration reports teacher vacancies have dropped from 1,619 to 886 in the past year. Additionally, a $6m partnership with the American Institute for Research will support research and development to further workforce goals for young men. Moore also announced a new partnership between Maryland's Young Men and Boys Initiative within the Governor's Office of Children and the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to build up men and boys. Together, they will provide research, evaluation, and technical assistance to Maryland's work to support men and boys.

 

The Baltimore Sun

Hawaii's Department of Education has offered special education teachers up to $18,000 in annual bonuses since 2020, but the strategy has only marginally reduced vacancies, with most schools still struggling to fill positions. Notable improvements have been seen only in the highest-paying regions, Nānākuli-Waiʻanae and Hāna-Lānaʻi-Molokai, where special education teacher vacancy rates dropped from 14% to 5% over seven years. The proportion of unlicensed special education teachers in those schools also fell from 14% to 6% since 2019, according to the salary study. Statewide, special education roles remain a key driver of teacher shortages, making up 20% of all vacancies in 2024, down from 30% pre-pandemic.

 

The 74

The White House and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) have endorsed the SCORE Act, a bill aimed at regulating college sports, despite criticism that it favors the NCAA and its most influential schools. The House is set to vote on the legislation, which has garnered significant Republican support but faces opposition from Democrats. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a key critic, described the situation as “a David and Goliath fight,” arguing that the bill would disproportionately empower the SEC and Big Ten conferences. The USOPC, while initially withholding support, has indicated readiness to collaborate on a model that benefits Olympic sports. The NCAA claims the bill codifies rules from a multibillion-dollar lawsuit settlement allowing player compensation. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) acknowledged concerns regarding federal involvement in college sports, highlighting the contentious nature of the legislation. The SCORE Act aims to establish stability and national standards in college athletics, according to SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.

 

U.S. News

The French government is urging an “urgent mobilization” to boost children’s reading after a national study found that young people aged 7–19 spend only 19 minutes a day reading compared with more than three hours on screens, with 38% of older teens not reading at all in their free time. Reading interest drops sharply during collège, especially among boys, prompting calls for stronger action despite existing investments in libraries and reading associations. At a recent national conference, experts proposed a 10-year plan with 15 measures focused on restoring the pleasure of reading, promoting daily reading habits from birth to age 18, and improving training for teachers and other professionals who work with young people.

 

The Local