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A divided Supreme Court has lifted a temporary lower-court ruling preventing the Trump administration from radically downsizing the Department of Education. The decision in New York v. McMahon, announced on Monday, green-lights the department’s reduction in force initiated in March as the original question of the layoffs’ legality works its way through the lower courts. The justices have lifted an order that had reinstated nearly 1,400 workers affected by mass layoffs at the department and blocked the administration from transferring key functions to other federal agencies. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon hailed the decision, adding: “Today, the Supreme Court again confirmed the obvious: the President of the United States, as the head of the Executive Branch, has the ultimate authority to make decisions about staffing levels, administrative organization, and day-to-day operations of federal agencies." In a dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor and the court's two other liberal members called the decision "indefensible," adding: that it “hands the Executive the power to repeal statutes by firing all those necessary to carry them out. The majority is either willfully blind to the implications of its ruling or naïve, but either way the threat to our Constitution’s separation of powers is grave.” The layoffs leave the department with only about 2,183 employees out of its previous approximately 4,133. Offices impacted include the Office for Civil Rights, the Institute of Education Services, and the Federal Student Aid office.

 

K-12 Dive

New York Times

Reuters

Washington Post

The Trump administration's decision to withhold $6.8bn in federal education funding has led to a lawsuit filed by 22 Democratic attorneys general, two state governors, and the District of Columbia in the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island. They argue that the action violates federal laws and the U.S. Constitution, characterizing it as a "brazen attack on the constitutional separation of powers." The lawsuit seeks to restore the funding, which was due to be distributed on July 1. Colorado Attorney General Philip Weiser said: “Today's challenge is this administration ignoring the Constitution, seeking to act with absolute power.” Nationwide, the withheld federal money funds after-school and other services for an estimated 1.4m children, or nearly 20% of all students who participate in after-school programs, according to the Afterschool Alliance, an advocacy group. The lawsuit argues a lack of adherence to the 1974 Impoundment Control Act, which requires the president to follow a specific process to withhold approved funds.

 

Education Week News

New York Times

Reuters

San Francisco Chronicle

Republican lawmakers Rep. Mark White and Sen. Brent Taylor are pushing for a state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) to address academic performance issues. They plan to fast-track legislation for a state-appointed board of managers to oversee the district, pending results from a $6m independent audit. White said “They're sitting there fully ready to go,” indicating a readiness to combine their differing bills in January. Taylor also expressed his belief that the district be broken up into smaller districts, describing it as "unmanageable” in its current form. Despite improvements in state test scores, with 29% of students in grades 3-5 passing reading, both lawmakers believe the progress is insufficient. The ongoing debate sets the stage for a significant confrontation regarding the district's future in 2026.

 

Chalkbeat

Camas teachers are likely to avoid a repeat of the summer 2023 strike, thanks to a tentative agreement reached with the Camas School District. The Washington state district announced the deal on Friday, commenting: “We appreciate the collaborative efforts of both teams throughout the bargaining process.” Beth Ceron, president of the Camas Education Association, mentioned that over 400 union members will review the proposal in August. The negotiations, which began in January, were influenced by a $13m budget shortfall and declining student enrollment. The district's proposal includes a 1% salary cut for 2025-26, a 1% increase for 2026-27, and cost-of-living adjustments for 2027-28, contrasting sharply with the previous contract that provided significant salary increases.

 

The Columbian

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has vetoed House Bill 193, which would have allowed private school employees and volunteers to carry concealed handguns on campus. Stein argued that the bill would “make our children less safe,” emphasizing that trained law enforcement officers should be the ones to handle crises, not teachers or volunteers. He stated: “We cannot substitute the protection offered by well-trained law enforcement officers by asking teachers and school volunteers to step in and respond to crises while armed.” While the bill had some bipartisan support, Stein urged lawmakers to send him a revised bill focused on protecting local elected officials instead.

 

The Columbian

California charter schools are experiencing significant growth, with enrollment reaching nearly 728,000 students, accounting for 12.5% of all public school students. Despite this success, state lawmakers are advocating for stricter financial oversight due to recent fraud cases, including the notorious A3 Education scandal, where over $400m was misappropriated. Myrna Castrejón, president and chief executive of the California Charter Schools Association, described the current political climate as a “bare-knuckle” fight, emphasizing the need for charter advocates to continuously defend their mission. Assembly Bill 84 aims to implement anti-fraud reforms, while concerns about the regulation of nonclassroom-based charter schools persist. Kevin Humphrey, superintendent of Guajome Park Academy, highlighted the importance of hybrid programs for students facing challenges in traditional settings, adding: “These programs don’t just protect our students — they give them a future.”

 

EdSource

In a significant ruling, Judge Chad Kenney of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ordered the closure of Memphis Street Academy Charter School due to its failure to meet academic standards. The school, which has been operating under an expired charter since 2022, faced scrutiny for poor performance, with only 5% of students achieving proficient scores in math during the 2018-2019 school year. Despite the ruling, American Paradigm Schools chief executive Ashley Redfearn expressed confidence that the school would continue operations, adding: "if there is a transition, that it will be done responsibly and ethically in the best interest of the kids." The school had previously sued the School District of Philadelphia, claiming unfair charter conditions and alleging racial discrimination in the evaluation framework.

 

Chalkbeat

In response to recent youth violence, leaders from all 11 school districts in Marion County, Indiana are advocating for extended curfew hours. The superintendents stated, “This proposal is not about punishment—it's about prevention,” emphasizing the need to create safe environments for youth. The proposed ordinance would adjust curfew hours for minors aged 15-17 to start at 9 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on weekends, while those under 15 would have a daily curfew beginning at 9 p.m. The initiative follows a surge in gun violence, including the tragic deaths of five teenagers in recent weeks. A City-County Council committee is set to review the proposal on July 16.

 

Chalkbeat

The Newport Beach City Council has approved updates to the school resource officer program for Newport-Mesa USD, aimed at enhancing safety on the California district's campuses. The program, active since 2000, assigns officers to Newport Harbor High School and a shared campus for Corona del Mar High and Middle Schools. The updated agreement also allows school resource officers access to student records, campus cameras, security and tip reporting systems through the district. Student records are conditional based on a “legitimate educational interest.” Councilmember Lauren Kleiman emphasized the need for a modern camera system, adding: “We cannot afford to have these campuses be blind spots.” Newport Beach Police Chief Dave Miner echoed her sentiments, highlighting the importance of real-time access to information during critical incidents. The district's board voted to renew the program for the 2025-26 school year, while discussions about camera implementation are ongoing. Councilmember Noah Blom reiterated the priority of ensuring children's safety in schools.

 

Los Angeles Times

Former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been suspended from coaching his former high school team in Miami due to providing financial benefits to players, which he claims he reported to the school. In a social media post, Bridgewater stated, “I'm not going anywhere,” expressing his commitment to continue coaching. Last season, he led Miami Northwestern High School to a Class 3A state championship. He previously covered costs for rides, meals, and treatment for players and sought donations for this year. Despite the suspension, Bridgewater said he remains determined to support the team he once played for.

 

Al.com

U.S. News

According to a report by the Urban Institute, there has been a notable increase in college applications from Black and Latino students between fall 2023 and fall 2024, with Black applicants rising by 0.47% and Latino applicants by 0.65%. However, the report reveals a concerning trend: fewer of these students were admitted to colleges, marking the first decline in Black admissions since 2018 and in Latino admissions since 2021. Jason Cohn, a researcher at the Urban Institute, emphasized the importance of looking beyond enrollment numbers, stating, “One of the big takeaways for me is just how much can be hidden if you only look at the enrollment numbers and aren’t seeing what’s happening in the rest of the admissions pipeline.” This highlights the ongoing challenges faced by underrepresented groups in higher education.

 

EdSource

Japan's Education Ministry reports that the average correct answer rates in the Japanese language and math sections of a national achievement test for students in 2025 fell to 67%, from 67.8% the previous year. Among third-year junior high school students, the rate dropped to 54.6% from 58.4%, the lowest level since the current question format was introduced in 2019. For the math section, the rate slid to 58.2% from 63.6% among elementary school sixth-graders, while in science it declined to 57.3% from 63.4% in 2022, the last time it was held. The tests were conducted in April, with 1.9m students from 28,000 schools participating.

 

Japan Times