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USA
3rd February 2026
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THE HOT STORY

NY Gov. Hochul’s universal pre-K plan praised as progress, but funding gaps worry districts

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed a major expansion of universal pre-kindergarten, pledging $1.7bn in new funding and requiring all school districts to offer full-day pre-K for four-year-olds by 2028–29. While lawmakers and advocates welcome the move as long-overdue progress, many warn the funding may not be sufficient to cover space, staffing and transport costs, potentially leaving districts, especially in higher-cost areas,  struggling to deliver truly universal access. “This actually is pretty generous and pretty far reaching,” commented Brian Cechnicki, executive director of the Association of School Business Officials of New York. “It may not be fully sufficient to get to the full universal goal that everybody wants, but it is definitely a step in the right direction.” The plan will now be negotiated with the state legislature ahead of the April 1 budget deadline.

CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Level Up Your Students’ Future-Ready Skills

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LEGISLATION

Colorado bill aims to enhance gun safety

Colorado Senate lawmakers have approved a bill that would allow K-12 schools and colleges to request the temporary confiscation of firearms under the state's “red flag” laws. This legislation, known as Senate Bill 4, aims to streamline the process for educators who may not be familiar with filing such petitions. State Senator Tom Sullivan, who sponsored the bill, emphasized the importance of allowing institutions to file petitions, stating: "Teachers, doctors and therapists were not trained to fill out the forms to file this type of paperwork." The bill has faced opposition from Republican lawmakers and gun rights advocates, who argue it infringes on gun owners' rights. If passed, this would mark the third update to Colorado's extreme risk protection orders since their inception in 2019. The Colorado Office of Gun Violence Prevention reported that from 2020 to 2024, 692 petitions were filed under the existing law, with 478 temporary orders granted.

Iowa's new law erases nonbinary students

Iowa's recent legislation mandates that schools report student demographic data strictly as male or female, resulting in the erasure of nonbinary students from official counts. Previously, over three hundred nonbinary students were recognized, but the latest data shows none. Landen Hoadley, a Mason City High School sophomore, expressed the emotional impact of this change, commenting: "It hits hard because knowing that other people are going through the same stuff that I'm going through, it hurts." The law, Senate File 418, removed gender identity as a protected class, compelling schools to categorize students solely by biological sex. Advocates argue that this legislation undermines the visibility and rights of LGBTQ+ students, with Zach Rus, executive director of Iowa Safe Schools, noting that "data collection, a critical tool for policymakers, has been effectively nullified for this population." The implications of this law extend beyond data collection, affecting the overall support and recognition of nonbinary students in Iowa's educational landscape.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee pushes for major school voucher expansion

In his final State of the State address, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee proposed a major expansion of the state’s private school voucher program, asking lawmakers to at least double the number of Education Freedom Scholarships from 20,000 to 40,000. His budget sets aside $155m in new funding, potentially raising total voucher spending to more than $300m. The scholarships, worth about $7,295 each, are available statewide with minimal eligibility requirements, and Lee cited more than 54,000 applications as evidence of demand. Supporters say the expansion would give more families educational choice, but critics argue it is premature and lacks transparency. They note the state does not track key data such as student income, demographics, prior school enrollment, or academic outcomes, and warn that expanding the program without stronger oversight could divert resources from public schools. Some Republicans also signaled caution about the program’s long-term cost. The proposal will be debated as part of budget negotiations ahead of the April deadline.

DISTRICTS

School closures spark outrage in NJ's Paterson district

In a significant restructuring effort, four of Paterson's five citywide elementary schools will close in June, impacting approximately 1,000 students. Superintendent Laurie Newell announced the changes on January 23, stating that the plan aims to provide “all students with access to strong, high-quality programs close to home.” The closures are part of Phase 3 of the district's restructuring plan, which will also reconfigure four additional schools by September. However, the decision has faced criticism from board members, including Kenneth Simmons, who argued that community input was lacking: “In all honesty, only a school board can close a school. We did not vote on this.” Concerns have been raised about potential enrollment losses and the impact on community dynamics, with some parents considering charter schools as alternatives. Newell indicated that the closed school buildings would be “repurposed for future use,” but details remain unclear.

Transforming social studies for Indian Prairie students

Indian Prairie School District 204 is set to implement a new middle school social studies curriculum starting in the fall, following school board approval. The revised curriculum will distribute world geography and U.S. history across seventh and eighth grades, with seventh grade focusing on the American Revolution and the nation's expansion, while eighth grade will cover the Civil War, World War II, and modern America. Additionally, a stand-alone financial literacy unit will be introduced in eighth grade. Barbi Chisholm, the district's director of middle school curriculum, noted that the change addresses challenges teachers faced with the previous curriculum, which lacked core resources. The modifications also align with state mandates for teaching U.S. history, allowing for a more comprehensive coverage of instructional requirements over two years. Students can expect to engage with the new curriculum in the upcoming school year.

FINANCE

Nevada schools face financial challenges

Nevada school districts are grappling with significant financial challenges despite a historic 26% funding increase for K-12 education three years ago. Superintendents attribute these difficulties to flat funding, rising costs, declining student enrollment, and changes in the state's funding formula. Districts such as Carson City, Douglas County, Elko County, and Washoe County are facing budget deficits, prompting tough decisions like program eliminations and job cuts. Washoe County School District has reduced its projected budget deficit from $18m to $5.7m through various cost-saving measures. Superintendent Frankie Alvarado of Douglas County noted: "I was hired to come in and clean this place up, and unfortunately I have to make all the unfavorable decisions to put us in a stabilized budget position." Without a significant funding boost, districts may have to resort to staff reductions to manage their financial challenges.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Minneapolis parents on edge amid ICE patrols

The recent surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minneapolis has created a climate of fear among students, parents, and educators. Kate Lundquist, a local teacher and mother, expressed concern for her children’s safety, commenting: “Knowing my son was going to be driving home from high school… how do I prepare my kids for that potential danger?” The impact of these operations extends into classrooms, with many students withdrawing from school due to fear of detention. Breonna Robinson, a third-grade teacher, noted a significant drop in attendance, with some students not returning after the holidays. The psychological toll on students is evident, as they grapple with questions about safety and the role of ICE. Education Minnesota has called for ICE to refrain from operating near schools, emphasizing the need to protect students and educators from the emotional harm caused by these actions. The situation highlights the urgent need for change in how immigration enforcement interacts with educational environments.

TECHNOLOGY

Anthropic research shows AI can weaken early skill development

An Anthropic study has found that while artificial intelligence (AI) tools can assist with task completion, heavy reliance on them may weaken skill development, particularly when people are learning new technical concepts. In experiments with developers learning an unfamiliar Python library, participants using AI scored about 17% lower on measures of conceptual understanding, code reading and debugging compared with those working without AI, and showed no significant overall productivity gains. The research shows that how AI is used matters: participants who delegated most thinking to AI learned the least, while those who used AI to ask conceptual questions or seek explanations retained stronger skills. The findings raise concerns for education and workforce training, suggesting that unstructured AI use could undermine long-term competence unless learning is deliberately designed to keep humans actively engaged.

CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION

Detroit Public Schools plans major upgrades

The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) is considering a proposal to allocate $79.4m from surplus funds for essential infrastructure improvements. The plan, which has received preliminary approval from the finance and academic committees, includes demolishing 11 vacant buildings, boarding up another 11, constructing an athletic complex, and repaving 36 parking lots. Board Member Iris Taylor stated: "I think it's a major, major investment in our kids, and we can afford it — the time is right." Superintendent Nikolai Vitti emphasized the need for more equitable state funding to address the district's $2.1bn infrastructure needs, as federal funds cannot be used for these costs. The proposal aims to enhance safety and operational standards across the district, which has already invested over $123m in urgent repairs since 2019.

THE ARTS

Arts education boost for California schools

California schools are facing challenges in utilizing the $11.5m Arts Education Accelerator Fund, aimed at addressing the shortage of qualified arts educators. The fund, supported by organizations like the Hewlett Foundation, will develop training and credentialing programs for visual and performing arts teachers over five years. Tom DeCaigny, co-chair of the fund’s advisory board, emphasized the importance of creating a workforce pipeline, stating: "Our strategy is to be supporting programs that are going to help bring the next generation of visual and performing arts educators into schools." Despite the Arts and Music in Schools Act allocating approximately $1bn annually for arts education, nearly 90% of California schools did not meet state arts education requirements prior to the act. The fund also aims to improve arts access in low-income and rural communities, which often have the lowest participation rates in arts education.

HIGHER EDUCATION

California colleges face $350m loss

California colleges are facing a significant loss of over $350m in federal grants that have historically supported research, mentoring, and student assistance at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). College leaders argue that these programs benefit low-income and first-generation students, regardless of race. Gabriel Muñoz, a psychology undergraduate at Chico State, exemplifies the impact of these grants, which funded his research opportunities and mentorship. However, due to recent cuts, Chico State will lose more than $3m in federal funding, affecting various programs designed to support students. Marybeth Gasman, executive director of the Center for Minority-Serving Institutions at Rutgers University, emphasized the diversity of HSIs, stating: "The thing about HSIs is that they're so diverse." The cuts, attributed to the Trump administration's view of MSI programs as racially discriminatory, have left many institutions scrambling to find alternative funding sources.

INTERNATIONAL

Taiwan tops global and East Asian education average

Taiwan outperformed both global and East Asian averages across multiple education indicators in 2024, according to a Ministry of Education report released in January. Completion rates reached 100% at primary level, 99.69% at lower secondary and 98.81% at upper secondary, well above global and regional norms. The share of students over-age for their grade was close to zero, far below international averages, while tertiary gross enrolment stood at 94.35%, more than double the global average and significantly ahead of East Asia. The report also showed full gender parity in completion rates across all school levels, with slightly higher female participation in tertiary education.
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