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The killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has led to significant scrutiny of teachers' online comments across various states and school districts. An analysis by Education Week revealed that at least ten educators have been terminated or resigned due to their remarks related to Kirk's death. Kirk, a prominent conservative figure and ally of former President Donald Trump, was shot on September 10. Following his death, over fifty additional teachers have faced investigations for comments deemed inappropriate. Matthew Kogol, a former art teacher, and Lauren Vaughn, a former teaching assistant, are suing for wrongful termination, arguing that their First Amendment rights were violated. The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification emphasizes the need for educators to maintain professional online conduct, stating: "The professional educator knows that trust in the profession depends upon a level of professional responsibility." The situation raises critical questions about the balance between free speech and professional conduct for educators.

 

Education Week News

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has informed the U.S. Department of Education (ED) that it will not retract its Black Student Success Plan or alter its policies regarding transgender students until a federal investigation concludes. Acting General Counsel Elizabeth K. Barton described the ED's demands as “unreasonable and untenable,” requesting a 30-day response period. The ED's acting assistant secretary of civil rights, Craig Trainor, indicated that CPS violated anti-discrimination laws, risking the loss of funding from the Magnet School Assistance Program. Barton countered that CPS's policies comply with state and local laws, which support transgender students' rights to access facilities corresponding to their gender identity. She emphasized that the ED's legal conclusions were premature, adding: “The Department has not articulated whether any specific students have been harmed by the Black Students Success Plan, as the Plan has not yet been implemented.” CPS plans to announce the members of the Black Student Achievement Committee next week.

 

Chicago Sun Times

Chalkbeat

The San Juan USD board may have violated California’s open public meetings law, the Brown Act, by censoring Board Member Nick Bloise for inappropriate conduct during a school visit. According to the Sacramento Bee, the board treated the censorship under rules for public employees rather than elected officials. Board President Ben Avey briefly summarized the board’s decision after a closed session on September 9, failing to disclose that Bloise was barred from visiting school sites for ninety days due to “inappropriate and excessive” statements. Aaron Field, an attorney with the First Amendment Coalition, emphasized that elected officials are held to a higher standard of disclosure, adding: “A post hoc statement of what already happened is not the same as the situation where the public has access to the discussion.” While district lawyers defended the board's actions, Field argued that the public should have been privy to the deliberations and votes.

 

EdSource

The Girls Athletic Leadership School (GALS) in Denver is experiencing enrollment growth, with approximately 250 students this year, a 35% increase from three years ago. Principal Leah Bock attributes GALS' success to its unique approach, stating, noting how "the design was around rethinking how middle school works and has worked forever, for specifically this group of people. In middle school, girls learn to be small, physically and emotionally. We want them to be loud. We want them to run in the hallway. We want them to say what they feel, in an honest space that is protected for them.” The school emphasizes movement and social-emotional learning, incorporating activities like running and yoga into the daily routine. Despite mixed research on single-gender education, GALS students and their families describe the environment as supportive and empowering. GALS aims to foster confidence in girls, encouraging them to express themselves freely. However, challenges remain, as previous attempts to expand the GALS model into high school and create an all-boys school faced low enrollment issues.

 

Chalkbeat

Since regaining local control in 2020, Newark Public Schools (NPS) has made significant strides in improving educational outcomes. Superintendent Roger León, who leads the district, has implemented a 10-year strategic plan aimed at enhancing school infrastructure, attendance, and curricula. As a result, graduation rates have risen to 86.3%, and chronic absenteeism has decreased to 11.5%. However, challenges remain, including low student test scores and concerns about community engagement in decision-making. Marques Lewis, former school board president, expressed cautious optimism, commenting: "I think today we still got a lot of work to do." Despite these hurdles, the district has opened ten new schools and increased enrollment, serving approximately 44,000 students in the 2024-25 school year. Community members continue to advocate for greater transparency and involvement in the district's future.

 

Chalkbeat

Recent research from Germán Reyes, an assistant professor of economics at Middlebury College, reveals that over 80% of students at the institution utilize generative artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their coursework. This finding, based on a survey conducted with colleague Zara Contractor, indicates a significant adoption rate, surpassing the 40% rate among U.S. adults. The study categorizes AI usage into two types: “augmentation,” which enhances learning, and “automation,” which simplifies tasks. Notably, 61% of students use AI for augmentation, while 42% employ it for automation. Reyes emphasizes that the narrative surrounding AI in education should focus on its beneficial uses rather than imposing blanket bans, commenting: “Instead of one-size-fits-all policies, institutions should focus on helping students distinguish beneficial AI uses from potentially harmful ones.” This approach aims to foster a more accurate understanding of AI's role in education.

 

U.S. News

Illinois' East Aurora School District 131 has approved a balanced budget for the 2025-26 school year, projecting expenses of over $263 million and revenues of approximately $263.3 million. Salaries make up a little over half of the district’s total planned expenses, associate superintendent and chief financial officer Michael Engel said, with employee benefits making up around 13% and purchased services around 19%. The district was previously estimating a roughly $2.8 million shortfall for this year, according to a budget presentation at the school board’s July 28 meeting. In total, officials are now estimating a surplus of a little over $240,000.

 

Chicago Tribune

The English-learner population is expanding rapidly across the U.S., yet funding, staffing, and state-level expertise have not kept pace, according to Khalil El-Saghir, vice president of the National Association of English Learner Program Administrators. A recent EdWeek Research Center survey revealed that fewer than half of educators feel adequately prepared to support English learners, with nearly one in five reporting no training at all. The survey highlighted significant disparities, particularly in smaller, rural, or majority-white districts. Alejandra Vazquez Baur, a fellow at the Century Foundation, said: “Immigrant students are highly mobile, and often can move several times throughout their education. State education agencies have the opportunity to address disparities in education from district-to-district by offering special guidance and setting policies at the state level that help to ameliorate the disparities that are experienced by students on the local level.” Furthermore, 57% of educators reported lacking training in translanguaging, a critical skill for supporting English learners. Overall, the findings underscore the urgent need for enhanced professional development to ensure equitable access to quality education for all English learners.

 

Education Week News

The Green Bay School District has announced stricter consequences for unsafe behaviors following a recent incident involving a loaded gun at Preble High School. Superintendent Vicki Bayer said: "We don't want to deny you your educational opportunity. That's, in fact, why we're here." The new policy includes suspensions for students caught fighting or possessing weapons, with a minimum suspension period from school and activities. A five-day "transition period" will be implemented for suspended students, during which they will be supervised at all times. The district aims to foster relationships between students and staff while addressing the root causes of violence. Bayer emphasized the need for community support, stating that engagement with positive adults is crucial to preventing such behaviors. The School Board is also considering physical security measures, including metal detectors, as part of its ongoing safety discussions.

 

Green Bay Press Gazette

In response to the renewed enforcement of immigration law by the Trump administration, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a series of bills aimed at safeguarding immigrants in schools and healthcare settings. Speaking at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex in Los Angeles, Newsom criticized the current administration, adding that it has turned the U.S. into a "dystopian sci-fi movie." The legislation includes Senate Bill 98, which mandates that school administrators inform families of federal immigration operations on campuses, and Assembly Bill 49, which restricts immigration agents from accessing nonpublic areas without a warrant. Additionally, Senate Bill 81 prohibits healthcare officials from disclosing a patient's immigration status without a court order. These measures have sparked tension between state and federal officials, with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security urging Newsom to veto the legislation. Legal experts question the enforceability of these state laws against federal immigration officials, citing the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution.

 

Los Angeles Times

The 6.3 magnitude Long Beach earthquake in March 1933 highlighted significant vulnerabilities in California's school building construction, leading to immediate legislative action mandating seismic safety standards. While California swiftly addressed these issues, Oregon lagged, only beginning to consider seismic safety in building codes over 40 years later. Yumei Wang, a civil engineer at Portland State University, along with state leaders, established the Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program in 2002, which has since allocated nearly $650m to improve the seismic safety of Oregon's schools. Despite these efforts, many districts, such as Estacada and Gladstone, continue to struggle with funding for necessary upgrades. The Beaverton School District has made notable progress, with new buildings designed to exceed current seismic codes, emphasizing community safety. As Aaron Boyle, administrator for facilities development, stated: "It takes community support... and consistent leadership." The ongoing challenge remains to secure adequate funding for comprehensive seismic retrofitting across all districts.

 

The Oregonian

The Trump administration has accused Harvard University of financial instability, and has warned that it could be placed on Heightend Cash Monitoring status, meaning that it could have to use its own funds to initially disburse federal student aid before going to the Department of Education, although students will still have access to federal money. “Today’s actions follow Harvard’s own admission that there are material concerns about its financial health. As a result, Harvard must now seek reimbursement after distributing federal student aid and post financial protection so that the Department can ensure taxpayer funds are not at risk,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said. “While Harvard remains eligible to participate in the federal student aid program for now, these actions are necessary to protect taxpayers.” In a separate letter, it warned Harvard about additional enforcement actions from the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights unless the university provides more documents related to its admissions policies, including individualized student data on race, gender and standardized test scores.

 

The Hill

Bloomberg

New York Times

Politico

California's high school class of 2025 has shown resilience amid challenges, with applications for state and federal financial aid rising by 11% year over year, according to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). This increase translates to an additional 33,300 applications, totaling nearly 340,000 statewide. Elizabeth Nicho, director of college and career success at Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, noted: "It’s the highest rate of completion that we’ve had in the last at least five to six years." Factors contributing to this turnaround include a 2021 state law mandating schools to encourage seniors to apply for financial aid and targeted outreach efforts. Despite the positive trend, there remains a need for improvement, as recent graduates filed almost 13,900 fewer applications for federal aid compared to the previous year. The next financial aid cycle opens on October 1, with a priority deadline of March 2, 2026.

 

EdSource

Huston-Tillotson University, a private institution in Austin, Texas, has received a historic $150m donation from The Moody Foundation, marking the largest gift ever to a historically Black college or university (HBCU). Announced by Ross Moody, trustee and vice president of The Moody Foundation, during the university's opening convocation, the donation is intended to support student scholarships and expand campus facilities. Melva K. Wallace, president and chief executive of Huston-Tillotson, described the gift as “transformational,” emphasizing its potential to enhance educational opportunities. The Moody Foundation, which has a long history of supporting education in Texas, originally planned to donate $130m but increased the amount due to their belief in the university's vision. Wallace called on other philanthropists to match this generosity, stating: “Our HBCUs need it, and they deserve it.”

 

CNN Edition

In Indonesia, over 800 students experienced food poisoning last week, officials said, due to free school meals provided by the government. The largest outbreak involved more than 500 students in West Java, where they suffered nausea and vomiting after consuming chicken and rice. Nurdin Yana, secretary of the Garut regional government, reported that ten students remain hospitalized. The program, which has seen over 4,000 cases of food poisoning since its launch in January, is under scrutiny for its oversight. Prabowo Subianto's spokesperson, Prasetyo Hadi, said: "We apologize for the re-occurrence of cases in several areas that are, of course, not what we had hoped for or intentional." The government plans to enhance surveillance of meal providers while continuing the program with simpler food options.

 

U.S. News

Nick Oswald, a choir director at Southview Middle School in Ankeny, Iowa, recently competed on "Wheel of Fortune" during Teachers' Week. With over two decades of teaching experience, Oswald finished in second place, winning $11,600, while Teryce Walters, a fourth-grade teacher from Illinois, took home over $30,000. Oswald started strong by winning a $2,000 toss-up with the phrase “THROWING DARTS.” He noted the common misconception about game show winnings, stating: "If you win prizes at a game show and you're not from California, you have to pay California's tax off the top." Oswald has previously appeared on other game shows, including "You Bet Your Life" and "Let's Make a Deal."

 

Des Moines Register