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The U.S. Department of Justice made significant changes to its approach to student civil rights under the Trump administration. Notably, the department has shifted focus away from issues like restraint and seclusion, which disproportionately affect students with disabilities. Leslie Seid Margolis, a lawyer with Disability Rights Maryland, emphasized the importance of federal oversight, claiming: "I can't really overstate the impact that Justice can have." Despite a successful ban on seclusion in Maryland, concerns are rife about the DOJ's reduced capacity to handle civil rights cases, as many staffers have resigned. The article also notes ongoing investigations into various civil rights issues, including racial harassment and discrimination, but raises alarms about the potential long-term implications of the current administration's policies on student protections.

 

San Luis Obispo Tribune

Joel Knudson, principal researcher at the American Institutes for Research, writes that course grades are a significant aspect of student success in U.S. schools, but traditional grading methods face scrutiny for their fairness and validity. Research indicates that subjectivity in grading can lead to discrepancies in measuring student learning, prompting calls for reform. Many districts are exploring changes to grading practices, yet these efforts often encounter resistance from teachers and families. Knudson suggests that to foster effective change, districts should engage all stakeholders, including students and families, in the problem-solving process.

 

EdSource

In a piece for Education Week, Daniel A. Sabol emphasizes the critical role of school libraries in addressing learning loss. He argues that modern libraries serve as essential recovery spaces for students, fostering confidence and engagement through diverse activities. Despite their importance, school libraries are often overlooked, with a significant decline of nearly 20% in certified librarian positions from 2010 to 2019. Sabol writes: "A well-staffed, modern library directly supports academic recovery," and cites research from the American Association of School Librarians linking certified librarians to higher reading scores, improved graduation rates, and increased student engagement. He advocates for the restoration and reimagining of libraries, highlighting their role in promoting digital equity and supporting various educational priorities, including literacy and social-emotional learning. To ensure equitable learning recovery, schools must invest in certified librarians and inclusive collections, recognizing libraries as vital infrastructure for student success.

 

Education Week News

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 School Board of Leander ISD will vote on Wednesday on whether to close Faubion and Steiner Ranch elementaries as part of efforts to tackle a $12.8m budget deficit. Chief Human Resources Officer Rachel Mackey has said no teachers will lose their jobs as a result of the closures, with the district to deliver savings through attrition.

 

Austin American-Statesman

Spring ISD will close Link Elementary School and Dueitt Middle School starting in the 2026-27 school year due to declining enrollment and a $13m budget shortfall for the fiscal year 2025-26. Board President Justine Durant said: "Closing Link and Dueitt is truly a heartbreaking decision." Currently, Spring's campuses are operating at only 60% capacity. Students from the closing schools will be rezoned to other district schools, with Link Elementary students moving to Lewis or Beneke Elementary Schools and Dueitt Middle School students transitioning to Bailey or Bammel Middle Schools. The decision follows discussions that began in November 2024 as part of the District Optimization Plan after a failed tax rate election.

 

Community Impact Newspaper

A meeting of the Harlingen CISD Board of Trustees has seen board members approve the offering of $1,000 "incentives" for professional workers across the district who announce their resignation or retirement during January. The Early Exit program comes as part of efforts to align staffing with student enrollment.

 

Star-Telegram

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

A meeting of the Austin ISD School Board has heard that following the appointment of new principals and hiring of new staff to improve performance at Burnet, Dobie and Webb middle schools, enrollment and attendance rates have continued to decline, while the district waits for the results of the middle-of-year assessment to see if test scores have improved. The schools were restarted under the Accelerating Campus Excellence model, and the district is expected to vote on potential partnerships with charter schools next month ahead of a January 30 deadline from the Texas Education Agency.

 

Community Impact Newspaper

The Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy charter school in Dallas has announced that the Texas Education Agency has granted an appeal against the school's F grade on the 2025 academic accountability ratings. The school announced on X that it is now "officially a C District" and will be able to remain open past the end of the school year, adding that looking forward to the 2026/27 school year it remains "focused on what matters most: our students and providing them with limitless opportunities".

 

Dallas News

In an opinion for the Killeen Daily Herald, journalist Dave Miller claims that Killeen ISD is projected to lose up to 6,700 students by the 2035-36 school year, according to a demographic analysis by Zonda Education. The district has already experienced a 3.27% decline in enrollment, losing 1,410 students since last year. Factors contributing to this decline include increased school choice options, a falling birth rate, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. KISD's enrollment is expected to drop from 41,670 to 37,950 by the 2030-31 school year. Miller quotes superintendent King Davis, who pointed out that it requires effective classroom learning and communication to regain trust from parents and taxpayers. "A school district that received an overall rating of 'C' from the Texas Education Agency must first earn the trust of the district's parents," he said. The district is also facing budget challenges, leading to the closure of underutilized campuses as part of its District Optimization plan.

 

Killeen Daily Herald

Pearland ISD trustees have backed a resolution which confirms that the district does not have sufficient financial capacity to bring school buses into full compliance with Senate Bill 546, which requires three-point seatbelts to be provided for all passengers by September 1 2029. The district has said that seven of its 126 non-compliant buses cannot be retrofitted, while retrofit costs for the remaining 119 buses have been estimated at $35,000 per vehicle.

 

Community Impact Newspaper

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

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

In Guilderland, a local company, STEAMwhiz, is hosting a robotics competition on January 17 at Albany Capital Center to inspire students to engage in robotics. This event is part of the Vex robotics series, where winning teams can advance to the world championship. Javier Pulecio, co-founder of STEAMwhiz, expressed hope that local students will attend to gain inspiration for future participation, clarifying: "In the tri-city area, we're the only team that's competing (in Vex) at the elementary and middle school level." STEAMwhiz, which offers robotics education and camps, aims to overcome the financial barriers associated with robotics, as the entry-level kit costs $600. The University of Albany's College of Nanotechnology, Science and Engineering is supporting this initiative with funding for materials and travel expenses. STEAMwhiz's middle school team previously reached the world championship, finishing 73rd out of 412 teams.

 

Star-Telegram