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A federal judge in Boston has ruled that a coalition of eight states, including New York, California and Massachusetts, can continue their lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s decision to cut $600m in federal grants intended for recruiting and training teachers. U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley found that the states may pursue claims that the funding cuts were unconstitutional and violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), though she dismissed their attempt to reclaim the funds in her court, stating that monetary remedies must be sought in the Court of Federal Claims. The lawsuit, filed in March, argues that the Department of Education unlawfully terminated the Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development grants, which support educator training in high-need districts. The Trump administration claimed the grants funded training in “divisive ideologies” like antiracism, part of a wider effort to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programmes.

 

Bloomberg Law

Courthouse News Service

Reuters

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has partnered with Hazel Health to provide free virtual therapy for high school students, addressing a growing mental health crisis. However, privacy advocates are raising concerns about the contract, suggesting it may violate the Illinois Student Online Privacy Protection Act. Cassie Creswell of Illinois Families for Public Schools said: "If these services are for the students, they shouldn't be guinea pigs." Advocates argue that CPS should focus on expanding its social worker and clinician resources instead of relying on for-profit services. While CPS claims that over 70% of its schools have utilized Hazel Health's services, concerns remain about the potential misuse of student data and the quality of care provided. The contract is set to automatically renew in December, prompting board member Che “Rhymefest” Smith to consider the advocates' concerns seriously while acknowledging the therapy's benefits during a time of scarcity.

 

Chalkbeat

According to the recent rankings by Children at Risk, six out of the ten highest-scoring middle schools in San Antonio were charter schools. BASIS San Antonio Shavano ranked seventh in the state, while D'Hanis School ranked second locally and 27th statewide. The rankings evaluated 151 middle schools based on STAAR scores, focusing on raw achievement, poverty levels, and growth. San Antonio's average score was 41, below the state average of 50. The most improved school was Jourdanton ISD's Junior High, which raised its score significantly. However, charter schools also faced declines, with Great Hearts Texas experiencing notable drops at several campuses. "While charter schools comprised most of the region's top-performing middle schools, they also represented the majority of schools experiencing significant performance declines," the report noted.

 

Star-Telegram

The Special Education Research Collaborative (SPARC) has released a comprehensive study revealing that many teachers certified in special education do not remain in the field. The study highlights that over 15% of special education teachers leave their positions annually, often transitioning to general education roles. Allison Gilmour, the lead author and a principal researcher at the American Institutes of Research (AIR), said: "Our shortages aren't really from not having enough people; it's having people teaching the wrong thing." The research indicates that inadequate professional development and support contribute to high turnover rates. In Texas, for instance, nearly 36% of special education teachers left their positions each year during the study period. The findings suggest that states must enhance mentoring and professional development tailored to the unique challenges of special education to retain qualified educators.

 

Education Week News

In a progressive approach to education, Jessica Pack, a sixth-grade language arts teacher at James Workman Middle School in Riverside County, California, is integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into her classroom to enhance reading comprehension. Students utilize Adobe Express to create prompts that generate images based on their reading, which is particularly beneficial for English-learner students and accommodates various reading levels. Pack noted: "It’s particularly helpful for English-learner students who benefit from non-text representations of what they’re reading." This innovative use of AI not only supports comprehension but also engages students in a creative learning process.

 

Education Week News

The Columbus City Schools (CCS) board is contemplating significant job cuts, potentially affecting up to 445 positions to save $50.2m amid a financial crisis. Board President Michael Cole remarked: "It's a tough decision and set of decisions we have to make." The proposed cuts could impact various roles, including teachers and administrators, as the district grapples with rising personnel costs, which constitute over 83% of its budget. Superintendent Angela Chapman indicated that reductions would begin with central office staff, as the administration has grown during the COVID-19 pandemic. The district is also exploring service cuts and potential changes to transportation policies. Board Member Ramona Reyes emphasized the long-term impact of budget cuts, urging the board to take decisive action to address ongoing financial challenges. The district has identified over $61m in possible budget reductions, including the closure of certain schools.

 

The Columbus Dispatch

The Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) board has approved a new two-year teacher contract that guarantees a minimum salary increase of $1,510 for the current school year and $1,010 for the following year. The agreement affects employees represented by the Indianapolis Education Association, including teachers, nurses, and psychologists. Raises are contingent upon receiving evaluations of “highly effective” or “effective.” Despite the raises, IPS faces financial challenges, including the expiration of a voter-approved tax increase and new laws requiring the sharing of property tax revenues with charter schools. Tina Ahlgren of the Indianapolis Education Association (IEA) expressed pride in the collaborative effort that led to the agreement, noting that “most districts across the state are feeling their own financial stress.” Superintendent Aleesia Johnson emphasized the positive relationship between the district and the IEA, adding: “We very much appreciate the thought partnership, strategic partnership, and leadership of our partners in the IEA.”

 

Chalkbeat

First Lady Melania Trump is leading a new initiative to enhance career and education opportunities for children in foster care. On November 13, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the “Fostering the Future” program, which collaborates with federal agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, and the private sector. The initiative aims to create an online hub for foster youth to access essential resources, including vouchers and grants. Melania Trump expressed her pride in the initiative, describing it as “both empathetic and strategic.” She urged leaders from various sectors to join her cause, emphasizing the need to “rise above the ease of inaction.” The program is an extension of her “Be Best” campaign, which began in 2021 and provides scholarships to foster youth, with participating schools including Vanderbilt University and the University of Miami. The initiative involves several federal agencies, including the Departments of Health and Human Services and Treasury.

 

Bloomberg

U.S. News

Iowa’s largest public school districts are seeing notable enrollment drops, with Cedar Rapids losing 622 students this year, a 4.3% decline that will cost the district about $5m in future state funding. District leaders say this downturn, combined with the recent failure of a $117m bond referendum, means they must reassess facilities, staffing, and long-term plans. They’ve launched a Strategic Planning & Community Coalition to involve families and community partners in shaping the district’s future. A key challenge, emphasized by Sarah Enfield, chief financial officer of the Waukee Community School District and president-elect on the Iowa Association of School Business Officials’ board, is that declining enrollment doesn’t reduce operating costs in a proportional or predictable way. “It’s not like you can easily reduce teachers or buses … A lot of times you have to have the same number of teachers and bus routes,” she said, describing the fiscal impact as a “roller coaster” for districts and taxpayers.

 

The Gazette

California schools have shown incremental improvements in graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, academic achievement, and college readiness, according to the California School Dashboard released by the California Department of Education (CDE). State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said: "Seeing modest improvement on every Dashboard indicator should encourage us to deepen our investments in every child’s progress." However, challenges persist, particularly with chronic absenteeism, which remains high among certain student groups, including foster and homeless students. The dashboard indicates that 418 school districts are eligible for support, a decrease from 436 the previous year. Despite the overall positive trends, California School Boards Association chief executive Vernon M. Billy emphasized the need for a statewide plan to address persistent achievement gaps, commenting: "While incremental gains are welcome, they cannot obscure the basic facts, that our academic performance is not improving fast enough to meet the needs of California or those of its 5.8 million students."

 

EdSource

Los Angeles Times

U.S. News

Pennsylvania has enacted a new law requiring schools to adopt evidence-based reading curricula by the 2027-28 school year, as part of the state's 2025-26 budget signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro. The budget allocates $10m for literacy initiatives and emphasizes structured literacy, which includes phonics and phonemic awareness. Shapiro said: "The budget invests in something known as structured literacy," highlighting the need for effective reading instruction. The law mandates that districts report their chosen curricula and provide professional development for teachers. Additionally, schools must screen students in kindergarten through third grade for reading competency and implement intervention plans for those struggling. Rachael Garnick, manager of the Pennsylvania Literacy Coalition, emphasized the importance of accountability measures to ensure progress in literacy instruction. Despite challenges in curriculum implementation, the new requirements represent a significant advancement in Pennsylvania's literacy education.

 

Chalkbeat

Central Ohio private colleges and universities have reported stable enrollment growth this fall, with several institutions experiencing significant increases in new, first-time student enrollment. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, undergraduate enrollment across all sectors grew by approximately 2.4% this fall, while private, nonprofit, four-year institutions saw a national increase of about 1%. Notably, Ohio Wesleyan University recorded an 8% rise in undergraduate enrollment, totaling 1,652 students, and Otterbein University experienced a nearly 12% increase in new students, with 650 enrolled. Capital University also reported a remarkable 24.5% increase in new, first-time college students, totaling 467. Capital University President Jared R. Tice stated: "Our growth this year reflects more than strong enrollment. It reflects Capital's growing reputation and renewed momentum." Despite these positive trends, some institutions, such as Kenyon College and Denison University, reported slight declines in enrollment.

 

The Columbus Dispatch

Ontario’s Ministry of Education has announced that all school boards in the province will be required to open new Student and Family Support Offices designed to handle parent concerns that were not resolved at the school level. The five school boards currently under provincial supervision, Ottawa-Carleton, Dufferin-Peel Catholic, Thames Valley, Toronto District, and Toronto Catholic, must open their offices by January 2026, with full details posted on their websites by January 19. All other boards must open theirs by September 1 2026. Each office will be overseen by a supervisor, respond to inquiries within two business days, and aim to provide resolutions within five. The government says the initiative is part of broader reforms to modernize the school board governance structure.

 

CBC News

Toronto Star

Toronto Today

English Teacher, a comedy featuring Brian Jordan Alvarez, Stephanie Koenig, and Enrico Collantoni, has been canceled by FX after two seasons. Reports from Deadline, TVLine, and The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the cancellation, although no official reason has been provided by the network. Alvarez, who created and starred in the series about a gay Texas high school teacher navigating personal and professional challenges, faced allegations of sexual assault earlier this year, which he denied. FX stated that the complainant did not reach out directly to express concerns.

 

Star-Telegram