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In his State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Donald Trump devoted limited attention to education, focusing primarily on a nationwide K-12 artificial intelligence (AI) competition spearheaded by First Lady Melania Trump. The initiative encourages students and educators to develop AI-based solutions to real-world problems, with finalists set to showcase their work at the White House later this year. Trump did not address major education policies that have defined his administration, including deep staff cuts at the U.S. Department of Education, the transfer of key federal education programs to the Department of Labor, or expanded support for private school choice. He also avoided discussion of controversial moves such as revoking protections that limited immigration enforcement at schools and scaling back STEM grants and the department’s office of educational technology. While briefly referencing parental notification policies related to student gender identity, the president offered no new education proposals, leaving his longer-term agenda unclear as midterm elections approach.

 

Education Week News

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A Ninth Circuit panel has declined to pause a lower court ruling that blocks the U.S. Department of Education from canceling nearly $1 billion in school mental health grants without following required legal procedures. The three-judge panel rejected the department’s emergency request to stay a permanent injunction issued in December by a federal judge in Seattle. The appeals court said the department had not shown it was likely to succeed in arguing that its cancellation of the grants complied with the Administrative Procedure Act. Judges found the department’s termination notices were not sufficiently tailored to individual grants and lacked adequate explanations. Sixteen states, including Washington, sued the Education Department in July after it discontinued funding under two grant programs aimed at expanding school-based mental health services, citing conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities. The states argued the cuts threatened programs designed to address shortages of mental health professionals in low-income and rural schools, initiatives they say have reduced suicide risk, absenteeism, and behavioral issues. The district court previously ruled the department’s actions were unlawful and ordered it to issue legally compliant decisions by March 2. State officials welcomed the appellate decision, saying it protects critical support for students’ mental health.

 

Courthouse News Service

Bloomberg Law

Several Wisconsin school districts, including the Green Bay Area Public School District, are suing the state Legislature, claiming the current school funding system is unconstitutional. The lawsuit, filed on February 23 in Eau Claire County Circuit Court, argues that state funding has not kept pace with rising costs, forcing districts to rely on local property tax referendums. Plaintiffs, including teachers and parents, assert that the state has failed to uphold students' rights to a "sound basic education" as mandated by Wisconsin's constitution. Green Bay School Board President James Lyerly said: "It's been 17 years of inaction." The lawsuit also challenges the state's private school voucher programs and the underfunding of special education services, emphasizing that the lack of adequate funding has led to declining student outcomes. The plaintiffs seek a court ruling to compel the state to implement a new, constitutionally compliant funding system for public schools.

 

Green Bay Press Gazette

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) officials are expressing concern over two proposed bills aimed at addressing pension costs for employees. One bill, introduced by Sen. Robert Martwick, would require CPS to contribute to a municipal retirement fund, while the other seeks to transfer the responsibility of funding the district's teacher pension costs from CPS to the state. CPS leaders argue that these proposals could exacerbate the district's existing financial challenges, stating: "Without a corresponding increase in state or local funding, this shift would force a choice between pension payments and student education." The district is currently facing a deficit exceeding half a billion dollars, and officials warn that the proposed changes could lead to significant cuts affecting classroom resources. Martwick emphasizes the need for financial disentanglement between the city and CPS, advocating for a collaborative approach to address these pressing issues.

 

Chalkbeat

The Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) board has voted to close or consolidate five schools for the next school year, citing financial pressures and aging infrastructure. In a series of votes, the board approved the closure of Georgian Hills Elementary, Chickasaw Middle, Ida B. Wells Academy and Frayser-Corning Elementary, while Lucy Elementary will be transferred to Millington Municipal Schools. Approximately 1,295 students will be affected. Displaced students will be reassigned to nearby schools, with some consolidations creating new grade configurations, such as a middle-to-high school pathway at Westside High and a K-8 structure at Woodstock Middle. Because Ida B. Wells Academy is a choice school, its students may enroll in their zoned school, another choice school or Norris Achievement Academy. The district faces mounting deferred maintenance costs and aging school buildings, with an average facility age of 64 years. MSCS officials said a transition plan is in place for affected staff, though it remains unclear whether layoffs will occur.

 

The Daily Memphian

Memphis Commercial Appeal

New York City public schools reopened for in-person learning after a significant snowstorm, with only 63% of students attending, according to preliminary attendance figures shared by Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels. Approximately 12,000 educators, or 15%, were absent, prompting the use of 5,000 substitute teachers. Despite parents advocating for a remote learning day—evidenced by over 172,000 petition signatures—Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that the city was unprepared for a swift transition to remote instruction. He emphasized: "It was not possible to ensure that enough students had the devices they needed to effectively participate in remote learning." The reopening was also crucial for providing meals and childcare to families in need. Although efforts were made to clear school entrances, many sidewalks remained unplowed, raising safety concerns among parents.

 

CBS News

Chalkbeat

New York Daily News

Washington High School in Cedar Rapids may face the loss of up to seven teachers due to the district's staffing model, raising concerns among families and students about the potential impact on beloved programs. During a recent school board meeting, Darius Ballard, the district's chief of human resources, emphasized that schools have the autonomy to allocate supplemental funds to retain essential positions. Mira Gibbons, a sophomore, expressed her worries, adding: "If AP courses are reduced, I will not be able to take the courses I need to compete for admission to a highly selective college." The Cedar Rapids School District is implementing these cuts as part of a $12.9m budget reduction, which includes a proposed increase in the property tax levy for the first time in over a decade. The district is also exploring further budget cuts through potential school closures.

 

The Gazette Cedar Rapids Iowa

The Indiana Senate has narrowly approved House Bill 1423, a measure that would significantly restructure public education governance within Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS). The bill passed 27-21 and now returns to the House for approval of amendments before heading to Gov. Mike Braun's desk. At its core, the legislation creates a nine-member board appointed by the Indianapolis mayor to oversee transportation and facilities within IPS boundaries. The board would also have influence over closing underutilized or low-performing schools as traditional public schools begin sharing property tax revenue with charter schools. Supporters, including bill sponsor Sen. Jeff Raatz, say the measure is intended to address financial instability, centralize accountability, and ensure equitable resource sharing. Charter advocates argue it could help streamline operations and allow schools to focus more on student achievement. Critics, however, fear the bill would accelerate charter school expansion in an already crowded education market and weaken democratic oversight by sidelining the elected IPS school board. Opponents argue a mayor-appointed board reduces community accountability and could allow well-funded charter interests greater influence.

 

The Indianapolis Star

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more embedded in daily life, some U.S. high schools are introducing AI literacy courses aimed at teaching students to use the technology thoughtfully and responsibly rather than relying on it passively. At North Star Academy Washington Park High School in Newark, seniors are taking a new elective that frames AI as something students should “drive,” not be driven by. Teachers Mike Taubman and Scott Kern developed the course to help students critically examine AI tools, understand their societal impact, and set personal guidelines for responsible use. Lessons range from analyzing how algorithms shape social media feeds to debating authorship and intellectual property in AI-generated art. In history class, students test their arguments against teacher-designed chatbots, which challenge their reasoning without replacing foundational critical thinking. Educators emphasize that core learning activities, such as initial analysis and peer discussions, should remain AI-free. The class comes amid national debate over AI in schools. While proponents argue students need AI skills to compete in a technology-driven economy, critics warn that chatbots can enable cheating, spread misinformation, and erode comprehension. Some studies suggest students retain more information when working independently rather than relying on AI assistance. Newark’s approach seeks a middle ground: equipping students to understand how AI works, question its outputs, and help shape its future development. School leaders hope to expand the course to all seniors.

 

New York Times

The OhioSEE program, a $10m initiative established by the DeWine administration, aims to provide vision exams and glasses to students in 15 counties, including Franklin and Cuyahoga. During a recent event, students expressed joy as they received new glasses, with Kindergartener Mia Hernandez and first grader Sandra Martinez experiencing clear vision for the first time. Despite state law requiring vision screenings for students, many do not receive necessary follow-up care; in the 2022-2023 school year, only about 17,000 of over 93,000 referred students received follow-up exams. Gov. Mike DeWine emphasized the program's importance, commenting: "We just have too many children in the state of Ohio who need glasses and an eye exam and they're simply not getting it." The pilot program aims to assist up to 14,000 children annually and hopes to expand statewide. Dr. Shane Foster of iSEE Ohio noted: "Vision care is not optional, it is essential."

 

The Columbus Dispatch

Creating a sense of belonging in schools is crucial for enhancing student attendance and engagement. Rose Prejean-Harris, the assistant superintendent of 6-12 curriculum and instruction for DeKalb County Schools in Georgia, emphasized the importance of an environment where students feel naturally included: "You want to walk into a space where you don't need an invitation." To promote belonging, educators should focus on daily interactions, such as greeting students by name, and implement structured environments that foster relationships. Hedy Chang, the founder and executive director of Attendance Works, noted that schools must assess and address barriers to belonging, including communication practices that may alienate families. Ultimately, fostering belonging requires a shift in mindset from fixing students to improving the school environment.

 

Education Week News

A new study of more than 2,000 parents suggests that families are far more likely to respond to slipping grades than declining standardized test scores, a pattern researchers say could lead to underinvestment in children’s learning. In an online experiment, researchers from Oregon State University and the University of Chicago presented parents with hypothetical student profiles showing different combinations of grades and percentile-ranked test scores. Parents were asked how they would spend an imaginary $100 per week to support the child, choosing options like tutoring, after-school programs, or saving the money. They could also invest their own time helping with homework. Parents were most likely to increase support when both grades and test scores were low. However, when grades were high but test scores were weak, parents were much less likely to step in. More than 70% of parents said they trusted grades more than standardized tests, while fewer than 9% trusted test scores more.

 

The Hechinger Report

New math, English, and science resources are being introduced in New Zealand's schools after earlier delays drew criticism from teachers, with Education Minister Erica Stanford announcing the rollout alongside Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland. The package includes a 12-week teacher-led writing programme called Scribo for Year 6 to 10 students who are a year or more behind in literacy, along with new digital math textbooks and workbooks for Years 9 and 10. The resources are curriculum-aligned and expected to support around 140,000 students and 6,000 teachers annually over the next three years. Professional development will also be provided. The announcement follows complaints from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association that the delayed materials caused frustration at the start of the school year. In addition, NZ$40m ($23.8m) from Budget 2025 has been allocated to supply hands-on science kits to primary and intermediate schools nationwide by early 2027. The kits, which will operate under a rotational “library” model managed by House of Science, will allow teachers to book experiment sets delivered directly to classrooms. The initiative will expand access from about 10% of students currently reached to nationwide coverage and includes new kits for Māori medium education. Officials said potential conflicts of interest in the contract process were appropriately managed.

 

Inside Government NZ

RNZ