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The U.S. Supreme Court has reinstated a San Diego judge's order affirming parents' rights to be informed about their child's gender identity at school. In a 6-3 decision, the Court granted an emergency appeal from the Thomas More Society, which argued that California's student privacy policy infringes on parental rights and religious freedoms. The Court said: "Parents and guardians have a federal constitutional right to be informed if their public school student child expresses gender incongruence." The ruling specifically addresses parents who object to the policies or seek religious exemptions. Mark Rienzi, president of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, emphasized the importance of parental involvement, commenting: "Parents' fundamental right to raise their children according to their faith doesn't stop at the schoolhouse door." The decision marks a significant moment for parental rights in the U.S.

 

Los Angeles Times

Politico

U.S. News

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Acting Superintendent Andres Chait has taken the helm at Los Angeles USD (LAUSD) following the FBI investigation into former Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. The investigation, which began over a year ago, is linked to a criminal fraud case involving AllHere, a technology company with ties to Carvalho. Chait, who has served LAUSD for 27 years, emphasized his commitment to maintaining stability and focusing on student education. "As acting superintendent," Chait said, "my top priority is to keep Los Angeles Unified steady and focused on our core mission: educating, supporting and caring for the students of Los Angeles." The LAUSD board has placed Carvalho on indefinite leave while navigating the fallout from the investigation.

 

CNN

Los Angeles Times

San Luis Obispo Tribune

The U.S. Department of Education has proposed revamping its longstanding Comprehensive Centers program, calling its current structure “duplicative,” “confusing,” and insufficiently responsive to state and local needs. The program, which uses regional and national contractors to provide technical assistance to states and school districts, would be restructured to give state and local leaders greater influence over priorities. A key proposal includes creating a new national center offering “concierge-style” support to help educators navigate technical assistance and connect with relevant organizations. Under the new model, nationally focused centers would determine their areas of emphasis based on feedback from state and local education officials, rather than having priorities set by the department. Recent focus areas under existing contracts, awarded in 2024, have included teacher shortages, fiscal equity, and multilingual education. The department also signaled it may terminate current contracts, which run through 2029, to launch a new competition aligned with the redesigned framework. The proposed changes are tied to the Trump administration’s broader push to “return education to the states.” A 30-day public comment period will follow before final decisions are made.

 

Education Week News

In Novato, voters will decide on a parcel tax proposal during the June 2 ballot that aims to double annual payments to $249 per parcel for eight years. This measure, requiring a two-thirds majority to pass, is expected to generate $4m annually to support essential student programs and retain qualified teachers and counselors. Chief finance officer Joshua Braff said: "This is how much we need to balance the budget," highlighting the district's $9.5m deficit. Trustee Diane Gasson emphasized the community's desire to avoid annual increases, noting: "We know in Novato that they don't want the inflator." The district, which serves about 7,110 students, faces significant budget cuts if the tax does not pass, risking local control of schools.

 

San Luis Obispo Tribune

Parents of students with disabilities at TIDE Academy in Menlo Park are seeking a federal judge's intervention to prevent the Sequoia UHSD from closing the school. They argue that the closure would unlawfully harm students who depend on its specialized environment. The parent group, Tide Rising, filed a lawsuit claiming the closure violates federal anti-discrimination laws and would cause "irreparable harm" to students with disabilities and low-income students. The district plans to close TIDE by June 30 due to a projected $6m budget deficit. Parents assert that without TIDE's smaller setting, students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) may struggle in larger schools, leading to academic regression. 

 

East Bay

Mercury News

Santa Monica-Malibu USD is revising its immigration enforcement policies to enhance protections for students and staff. This overhaul is in response to a new state mandate requiring all California school districts to update their policies by March 1, 2026. Dr. Douglas Meza, the district's assistant superintendent of human resources, said: "It's a lot of information. But I just wanted to provide you the context," while presenting the policy package. The new policy, BP and AR 1445, prohibits staff from collecting information on immigration status and restricts access to school premises for immigration officers. It also extends protections to district employees and includes anti-discrimination measures for complaints related to immigration status. The updated policies will be submitted to the California Department of Education before formal board approval at the next meeting.

 

Santa Monica Daily Press

The Tulare County Office of Education (TCOE) has commenced a significant expansion of its administrative campus in Visalia, with groundbreaking on February 20. The project will introduce five new buildings, including the Pat Hillman Administrative Center and the Leonard Hansen Special Events Center, and is set to open in October 2027. This 14.5-acre campus will house University Prep High School, previously located on the College of the Sequoias campus, along with a learning center and a performing arts center.

 

Visalia Times-Delta

The Pentagon is severing or limiting academic ties with nearly two dozen prominent universities and several major think tanks, citing concerns about “liberal ideologies” and what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described as “anti-American values” and “wokeness.” Beginning in September, service members will be barred from attending certain graduate programs and fellowships at institutions including Harvard (previously banned), MIT, Princeton, Yale, Brown, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, Carnegie Mellon, and others. The Defense Department is also restricting ties with leading Washington think tanks such as the Brookings Institution, the Atlantic Council, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Currently, 93 military students are enrolled in graduate-level programs at the affected institutions, with the largest group at Harvard. Many of the programs focus on national and international security for mid- and senior-level officers. The department said it is considering shifting military education partnerships to state universities and conservative institutions such as Liberty University and Hillsdale College. The move is part of a broader Trump administration effort to reshape higher education and return education policy authority to the states, according to officials. 

 

New York Times

First Lady Melania Trump chaired a United Nations Security Council meeting on children and education in conflict, marking the first time a spouse of a serving world leader has presided over the 15-member body. The session came days after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran heightened tensions in the Middle East. The meeting, titled “Children, Technology, and Education in Conflict,” aimed to emphasize education as a pathway to peace and tolerance. Melania Trump expressed support for youngsters affected by war, adding: "The U.S. stands with all of the children throughout the world. I hope soon peace will be yours."

 

CBS News

Fox News

New York Times

Reuters

A new review by the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) has found that school-based health and allied health programs can improve student wellbeing, attendance and, in some cases, academic performance — particularly for students in disadvantaged communities. Drawing on broader research, including a 2025 University of South Australia study that linked structured exercise to reduced anxiety and depression, the report highlights the benefits of initiatives such as on-site health centres, counselling, psychology, and nursing services. However, it notes that universal mental health programs show less consistent impact on academic outcomes, especially when not delivered by qualified professionals. The review stresses that success depends on stable funding, adequate workforce capacity, strong partnerships, and careful implementation. It also calls for more Australian-based research, particularly in low socio-economic and remote school settings, including the potential role of telehealth. AERO chief executive Dr Jenny Donovan said the findings provide a starting point for further policy discussion, emphasising that reducing health-related barriers allows teachers to focus more effectively on instruction and planning.

 

The Educator