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USA
29th May 2026
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THE HOT STORY

Schools urged to separate smartphone bans from classroom technology debate

A growing debate over student screen time risks conflating two very different issues: personal smartphone use and school-issued learning devices, according to education technology advocate Janice Mertes. While many states are adopting policies to restrict cellphones in classrooms, Mertes argues that district leaders should distinguish between personal devices, which can be a source of distraction, and school-managed laptops and tablets that support instruction. She notes that school-issued devices operate within regulated digital environments that include content filtering, privacy protections, and educational software designed for learning. Rather than abandoning one-to-one device programs, districts are encouraged to focus on intentional instructional design, classroom management tools, and clear communication about how technology supports student achievement. Mertes contends that properly managed educational technology remains essential for developing digital skills, collaboration, and future workforce readiness.

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LEGAL

Federal judge allows DEI grant challenge against Education Department to proceed

A federal judge has allowed key portions of a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to deny or discontinue certain TRIO and Student Support Services (SSS) grants over concerns related to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Judge Tanya Chutkan dismissed several claims but preserved the core challenge under the Administrative Procedure Act, requiring the Department to defend its actions in court. The case centers on grant denials issued in 2025, when the Department argued that some programs conflicted with federal nondiscrimination policies. The court cited evidence that the funding cuts led to program closures, employee layoffs, and reductions in student services, supporting earlier injunctive relief. The ruling also allows constitutional arguments tied to the Department’s handling of approximately $1.19bn in TRIO funding to proceed, ensuring the broader dispute over federal DEI-related grant decisions remains active.

Former Des Moines superintendent faces prison time

Ian Roberts, the former superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, is awaiting sentencing today after pleading guilty to falsely claiming U.S. citizenship and illegally possessing firearms. Roberts, a native of Guyana, faces a maximum of twenty years in prison, though his attorneys are advocating for probation to facilitate his removal from the U.S. Federal prosecutors recommend a 37-month sentence, citing his long-term employment without authorization. They stated: "Roberts placed his self-interest above the law and the duty he owed the public he served." The case has prompted Des Moines Public Schools to revise its conflict-of-interest policy following an audit revealing Roberts awarded district business to a consulting firm he was affiliated with. His potential deportation to Guyana raises concerns about his family and career, as he has lived in the U.S. for over thirty years.

FINANCE

Alaska boosts school repair funding, but significant backlog remains

Alaska lawmakers have approved more than $148m for school construction and maintenance in the 2027 fiscal year, more than tripling the current year's funding level and marking the largest investment in over a decade. The increase follows reporting that highlighted severe health and safety problems in public schools across the state, including leaking roofs, failing foundations, broken water systems, and hazardous conditions in many rural schools serving predominantly Indigenous communities. Despite the funding boost, the allocation will cover only about 13% of the more than $1.12bn requested by school districts for infrastructure projects. Education leaders welcomed the additional funding but warned that decades of underinvestment have created a backlog that will take years to address. Lawmakers also moved to provide additional support for rising school energy costs, while broader concerns remain about funding formulas that critics say favor wealthier urban districts over rural communities that rely almost entirely on state support.

Idaho districts prepare for budget cuts as costs outpace funding

Idaho's school districts are entering budget season under growing financial pressure as flat state funding, rising operating costs, and the failure of many local funding measures force difficult spending decisions ahead of the new school year. While lawmakers largely shielded K-12 education from state budget cuts during the recent legislative session, school leaders say stagnant funding effectively amounts to a reduction as expenses continue to rise. Several districts have already begun taking corrective actions, including asset sales, staff reductions, curriculum delays, and program cuts. School boards across the state will spend the coming weeks finalizing budgets, weighing decisions on staffing levels, salaries, and educational priorities before legally required approvals in June.

Milwaukee Schools add classroom staff while cutting administrative roles

The Milwaukee School Board has approved a revised $1.6bn budget for the 2026-27 school year in an 8-1 vote, increasing investment in classroom staffing while eliminating hundreds of non-classroom positions as the district works to close a $46m deficit. The plan adds more than 150 teachers and 150 paraprofessionals to help reduce class sizes, while cutting about 260 non-classroom roles, including central office staff, assistant principals, and other support positions. The budget includes inflation-matching pay raises totaling 2.63% for employees and projects a modest 2.3% increase in school property taxes. District leaders revised the proposal shortly before approval, partly in response to feedback from staff, students, and the teachers union, restoring some school-based positions and expanding hours for part-time support staff. While the budget balances current finances and restores funding for community schools, Superintendent Brenda Cassellius cautioned that declining referendum revenue, shrinking reserves, and uncertain state funding could force additional cuts in future years.

POLICY

Texas Education Board considers major expansion of Christian teachings in schools

Texas' State Board of Education is considering a sweeping overhaul of the state's social studies curriculum that would significantly expand the teaching of Christianity and Bible-based content across K-12 classrooms. Under the proposals, students would study biblical passages, Christian history, and the influence of Christianity on major historical events, economics, and American culture, with lessons beginning as early as kindergarten and extending through high school. Supporters argue the changes are intended to help students understand the historical role of religion in shaping the United States, while critics, including historians and religious studies scholars, contend that some proposed lessons overstate Christianity's influence, present disputed biblical figures as historical fact, and omit important historical context. If approved in June, the revised standards and mandatory reading lists would be implemented in Texas public schools beginning in 2030.

LEGISLATION

Maine joins growing list of states banning student cell phone use in schools

Maine has become the latest state to restrict student cellphone use in schools after Governor Janet Mills signed legislation requiring all K-12 schools to prohibit the use of cell phones and other personal electronic devices, including smartwatches, throughout the school day. The "bell-to-bell" policy, which takes effect on August 1, extends beyond classroom restrictions to include hallways and lunch periods, with individual school districts responsible for determining how the rules will be enforced. Supporters of the measure, including educators and students, argue that reducing phone use will improve academic performance, classroom engagement, social interaction, and mental health. State officials cited research linking cellphone restrictions to higher test scores and studies connecting heavy social media use to increased rates of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and suicidal ideation among young people.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Massachuesetts Gov. issues new guidance on ICE interactions for schools

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has issued new guidance for schools, health care facilities, and places of worship on how to respond to interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, citing concerns over federal immigration enforcement practices. The guidance recommends that institutions designate specific staff members to handle ICE requests, protect confidential information, document all interactions, and require judicial warrants before agents enter nonpublic areas. The move follows an executive order signed earlier this year restricting ICE activities on state property and comes as state lawmakers consider legislation that would further limit immigration enforcement actions in schools, hospitals, and religious institutions. Healey criticized recent ICE operations as creating fear and disrupting communities, while also reaffirming the state's opposition to allowing federal agents to operate without transparency. The guidance is part of a broader effort by Massachusetts officials to establish protocols for institutions facing immigration enforcement activity.

EARLY YEARS

Baltimore parents frustrated as pre-K admissions bypass neighborhood schools

Baltimore's public pre-kindergarten enrollment process is drawing criticism from parents and local officials after more than 100 families were initially denied places at their preferred neighborhood schools despite the city having more pre-K seats than applicants. The system prioritizes low-income students, children with special education needs, and English language learners, while also allowing those groups to apply citywide, resulting in many neighborhood schools filling seats with students from outside their attendance zones. Parents in popular areas such as Federal Hill and Hampden say they were blindsided after expecting access to nearby schools and now face the prospect of paying thousands of dollars for private childcare while awaiting placement decisions. City officials say all eligible children will ultimately receive a pre-K seat, though not necessarily at their preferred school, while critics argue the policy undermines expectations that families who live near high-demand schools should have access to them.

CHARTERS

Chicago board postpones decision on seven charter renewals

The Chicago Board of Education voted to delay decisions on renewing seven charter schools and networks serving about 8,300 students until June 10, following a contentious debate over charter oversight and financial accountability. District officials had recommended mostly four-year renewals, along with a five-year renewal for Acero and a seven-year term for Academy for Global Citizenship, citing a new monitoring framework and stronger financial oversight tools. However, board members aligned with the Chicago Teachers Union argued that recent charter school closures, financial crises, and enrollment declines warranted closer scrutiny before approving longer contracts. While Superintendent Macquline King and Board President Sean Harden urged approval to avoid uncertainty for students and families, the board voted 11-8 to postpone the renewals, emphasizing that the delay was intended to strengthen oversight rather than deny contracts. The debate reflects ongoing tensions over the charter sector's future as Chicago grapples with school closures, financial instability, and broader concerns about funding and accountability across the district.

FACILITIES

California schools face heat crisis

California is experiencing extreme heat, with temperatures hitting 100 degrees in March. The lack of HVAC systems in thousands of schools poses a significant risk to student safety and learning. Modern HVAC systems not only cool classrooms but also filter out harmful pollutants and reduce disease spread. The California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing, and Efficiency Program (CalSHAPE) aims to fund necessary upgrades, particularly in underserved communities. However, nearly $200m in CalSHAPE funds may be returned to utilities if not spent soon. Leah Stokes, an associate professor at UC Santa Barbara, emphasized the urgency, stating, “Our members and our students are very literally dying for this money.” The program's future hangs in the balance, and action is needed to ensure schools receive the funding they require for safe learning environments.

HIGHER EDUCATION

GAO launches probe into student loan transfer to Treasury Department

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has agreed to investigate the Trump administration’s decision to transfer management of federal student loan services and default collections to the Department of the Treasury, following concerns raised by Sens Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). The review will examine whether shifting responsibility for parts of the federal student loan system out of the Department of Education has created administrative inefficiencies or undermined statutory responsibilities. The investigation is particularly significant for borrowers in default, whose loans may become subject to collection actions that can affect credit scores and government benefits. The administration has defended the move, arguing that Treasury’s financial expertise will improve management of the nation’s $1.7tn student loan portfolio, while critics contend it is part of a broader effort to dismantle the Education Department and could harm students and borrowers.

INTERNATIONAL

Ontario schools grapple with growing teacher absenteeism

Teacher and educational assistant absences in Ontario have increased significantly since the pandemic, driven by rising levels of classroom violence, stress, burnout, and insufficient student support, according to educators, unions, and school administrators. In the 2023-24 school year, elementary teachers took an average of 15.4 sick days, up from 12.8 in 2018-19, while secondary teachers took 13.1 days, up from 11.1, and educational assistants averaged 22 days. The cost of replacing absent staff has risen by more than 50% to over C$1bn ($724.2m) annually, while workplace safety claims across school boards have more than doubled in value since 2018. Education leaders cite increasing violence, unmet student needs, lengthy waits for specialist support, and deteriorating classroom conditions as key factors behind the rise in absences, with surveys showing growing levels of burnout and concerns about workplace safety. 

AND FINALLY......

California eighth-grader triumphs at Scripps Spelling Bee

Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old from Rancho Cucamonga, California, has won the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, defeating 246 competitors after a dramatic Spell-Off tiebreaker in which he correctly spelled a record 32 words in 90 seconds, compared with runner-up Ishaan Gupta’s 25. Shrey secured the title with the word "bromocriptine," and will receive more than $52,500 in cash and prizes, along with the prestigious Scripps Cup. A returning competitor who finished tied for third in 2024, Shrey credited his family, coaches, and extensive preparation, which included practicing spelling for five hours a day. The competition featured nine finalists from across the United States and international locations, with contestants ranging in age from nine to 15.
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