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A new report from the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) has found that millions of children are still missing out on afterschool meals and snacks, with participation in federal Afterschool Nutrition Programs falling short of pre-pandemic levels. In October 2024, 1.26m children received afterschool suppers and 1.24m received snacks, well below the reach needed. Only one in 16 children who received free or reduced-price school lunch accessed an afterschool supper, and only California and Washington, D.C. met FRAC's goal of serving 15 out of every 100. FRAC estimates that 1.8m more children could have been served and $163.5m in federal funds accessed if all states had met the benchmark. The report calls for expanded eligibility, streamlined administration, and increased funding to close the nutrition gap.

 

YubaNet

Connecticut homeschool families are resisting proposed state oversight, including mandatory reporting and annual academic checks, following a report linking some homeschool withdrawals to hidden child abuse. Parents argue the state should focus on fixing failures at the Department of Children and Families instead of targeting homeschoolers. They highlight the academic, emotional, and social benefits of homeschooling, often through co-ops and personalised instruction. While some support limited regulation, families warn against blanket policies and call for genuine dialogue between the state and the homeschooling community.

 

Hartford Courant

The Arizona Department of Education will begin revising teaching and English learner standards to eliminate references to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), following pressure from the Trump administration and the threat of losing $866m in federal funding. The move, approved unanimously by the State Board of Education, will involve stakeholder committees tasked with defining DEI and recommending compliant language changes by September 2026. While some board members urged transparency and inclusion of diverse voices, others cautioned against losing values beneficial to students in pursuit of federal compliance.

 

Arizona Capitol Times

Iowa's school library book restrictions, enacted nearly two years ago, remain in legal limbo, with a U.S. District Court judge limiting enforcement while the state appeals the ruling. School leaders are currently in a holding pattern, with many districts reshelving previously removed titles. The law, Senate File 496, mandates that school libraries contain only "age-appropriate" materials and prohibits any book with descriptions of a "sex act." Christy Hickman, general counsel for the Iowa State Education Association, said: "All of the books that a school district in the state of Iowa may have removed...had to be returned to shelves." The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit is expected to make a ruling after oral arguments scheduled within the next four months.

 

The Gazette Cedar Rapids Iowa

The Arkansas Supreme Court has ruled that a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state’s Educational Freedom Account (EFA) Program, a key part of the LEARNS Act, can move forward, rejecting the state’s attempt to dismiss the case on sovereign immunity grounds. Plaintiffs argue the voucher program illegally diverts public school funds to private schools. The court classified the suit as an illegal-exaction claim, which is exempt from sovereign immunity. Separately, the court also ruled that three parents receiving EFA funds can intervene in the case, citing their direct financial interest and lack of adequate representation by the state.

 

Arkansas Times

Illuminate Education, an ed tech company used by major U.S. school districts, is facing millions in fines and strict cybersecurity mandates after a 2021 data breach exposed sensitive information of more than 10m students. The Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from California, New York, and Connecticut accused the company of misleading schools about its data protection and failing to act on known security flaws. The sanctions include implementing a comprehensive data security program and deleting unused student data. Despite these regulatory actions, a federal court dismissed a class-action lawsuit by parents and students, ruling the breach did not constitute “concrete harm” since no identity theft had occurred. Illuminate was acquired by Renaissance Learning in 2022, which claims to have since upgraded security protocols.

 

The 74

Since 1974, the Ohio Lottery has contributed $34bn to education, significantly impacting the state's educational landscape. In 2025, several teachers were recognized for their contributions, including Rachel Degeo from Asbury Elementary and Michelle de Groff from Horizon Science Academy Toledo. The ongoing support from the Ohio Lottery underscores its commitment to enhancing educational opportunities across the state. The funding continues to play a crucial role in supporting teachers and schools throughout Ohio.

 

The Columbus Dispatch

Scott Kern, the artificial intelligence (AI) innovation lead and history department chair at North Star Academy's Washington Park High School in Newark, has dedicated nearly two decades to making history engaging for students. He emphasizes the importance of teaching history through critical analysis, particularly with Frederick Douglass' Fourth of July speech, commenting: "It's a reminder that history is complicated and beautiful and that we need to bring it to life for students." Kern has integrated AI tools into his teaching, achieving his highest AP scores and pass rates to date. He plans to co-teach an AI literacy class for seniors, aiming to foster a humanistic understanding of technology. Kern's personal experiences as an underachiever inform his teaching philosophy, as he strives to motivate students to reach their potential.

 

Chalkbeat

Amarillo ISD in Texas has approved a $4.5m project to replace outdated cafeteria serving line equipment across 34 campuses, aiming to improve service quality and ensure compliance with USDA and TDA standards. Culinary Depot won the contract with a bid under budget, and installations will be handled locally. The upgrades, funded through the district's food service fund, must be used specifically for equipment due to surplus COVID-era funds. Separately, the district reported strong finances with reduced debt and its first Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association of School Business Officials International, and also secured a 12% drop in property insurance premiums for the coming year.

 

Amarillo Globe-News

The recent implementation of a $100,000 sponsorship fee for H-1B visas by the Trump administration poses significant challenges for California's public education system. This fee, in addition to existing application costs ranging from $9,500 to $18,800, has led to concerns among educators and school officials about the ability to attract and retain international teachers, particularly in special education and bilingual programs. Sylvia Greenwood, assistant superintendent for human resources at West Contra Costa USD, said: "With our shortages in special ed, they were a good fit for our district." The California Department of Education reported over 300 visa applications for the 2023-24 school year, highlighting the growing reliance on international educators to fill critical vacancies. As districts face budget constraints, the new fee may exacerbate existing teacher shortages, leaving many positions unfilled and impacting student learning.

 

Los Angeles Times

Since a school shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, on December 16 2024, gun violence incidents in schools have surged, with 850 schools affected and 55 fatalities reported. In response, young activists, including UW-Madison freshman Nessa Bleill, have mobilized for stronger gun control measures. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers established the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention, which has faced criticism from Republican lawmakers like Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who dismissed it as “a whole bunch of touchy feely bureaucrats.” Despite efforts to introduce gun violence prevention bills, progress has stalled. Nick Matuszewski, associate executive director of the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE), emphasized the need for solutions: “What we try to remind people every single day is that there are (solutions), and that we don't have to live this way.” The new executive director of the Office of Violence Prevention, Amanda Powers, aims to establish a grant program to address violence statewide, focusing on collaboration across various sectors.

 

Green Bay Press Gazette

A gunman opened fire during a final exam review session at Brown University on Saturday, killing two people and injuring nine others before fleeing the campus. The incident took place in the Barus and Holley building in Providence, Rhode Island, prompting a full lockdown and massive police response. Students sheltered for hours in classrooms and dorms. Although a person of interest was detained, they were later released due to lack of evidence, and no suspects or motives have been confirmed. With the attacker still unidentified, officials cited poor campus surveillance as a challenge in the investigation. Brown has cancelled all remaining classes and exams for the semester, and the FBI is assisting local authorities in the ongoing search.

 

CNN

USA Today

New York Times

Politico

The U.S. Department of Education has added a new “earnings indicator” to the FAFSA process, flagging colleges where graduates earn less than the average high school graduate. The warning, based on data from the College Scorecard, will be shown when students submit their federal financial aid application and applies to entire institutions, not individual programs. About 23% of U.S. colleges fall into this “low earnings” category—mainly for-profit schools, but also including some HBCUs and community colleges. Experts say the move promotes transparency as student debt hits $1.7tn, though concerns remain about its methodology and limited usefulness for program-specific decisions.

 

Bloomberg

A new Think HQ poll shows that 59% of Albertans would vote to end provincial funding for private schools, with support rising to 69% among decided voters. The issue mirrors a citizen-led petition, launched by Calgary teacher Alicia Taylor, seeking a referendum on the matter, which has so far gathered over 38,700 signatures. Alberta’s 2025–26 education budget includes C$295m ($214.1m) in funding for over 230 private schools, out of a total C$9.9bn K-12 education budget. In response to the poll, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides reiterated the government’s stance that parents should have the freedom to choose the educational path that best suits their children. Support for defunding private schools was strongest in Edmonton, at 66%, while northern Alberta showed a more divided opinion.

 

CBC News