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Education Slice helps you stay ahead of essential education news shaping your profession. With a dedicated daily National Edition and three strategic State Editions in California, Texas and Florida, we bring our unique blend of AI and education expertise to research and monitor 100,000s of articles to share a summary of the most relevant and useful content to help you lead, innovate and grow.

From Kindergarten to K-12, Edtech news, school management and teaching strategies… Education Slice is the only trusted online news source in the US dedicated to covering current headlines, articles, reports and interviews to make sure you’re at the forefront of changes in the education industry.

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National
Education Department reprogrammed major funding amid oversight concerns

The U.S. Department of Education redirected or failed to spend roughly $1bn in congressionally appropriated education funding during the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term, including more than $700m shifted between programs and nearly $300m in research funding at risk of expiring unused. Budget documents show funds were reallocated away from programs such as teacher training, arts education, and educational media, often by canceling existing grants, and redirected toward priorities including charter schools, civics education, and certain higher education institutions, in some cases exceeding Congress’s intended funding levels. The administration argues the changes reflect greater scrutiny of federal spending and a focus on student outcomes, while critics and budget experts say the scale of the reprogramming is unprecedented, potentially undermines congressional authority, and creates uncertainty for schools, universities, and nonprofits. Concerns have also been raised that allowing large sums of education research funding to lapse could violate federal law and weaken long-term evidence-based policymaking

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Education Slice
California
California phone ban debate deepens

California’s school smartphone restrictions are sparking state and local disputes as districts prepare policies ahead of a July 2026 deadline. Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi scaled back AB 1644 after resistance, exempting high schools from a proposed bell-to-bell ban while arguing that “the evidence is overwhelming” that stricter bans work. Supporters say full-day restrictions protect focus, especially for older students, while opponents cite local control, educational uses and emergency concerns. Districts are adopting varied approaches, from sealed pouches to limited lunchtime use. The debate is also expanding into broader questions about screen time, digital wellness, AI in schools and whether classrooms should return to more paper-based learning.

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Education Slice
Texas
Texas awards vouchers to 42,000 students

This week, over 42,600 students will receive award notifications under the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program, as announced by Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock. "These awards put tens of thousands of Texas families one step closer to the educational path that works best for their children," Hancock said. The program prioritizes low- and middle-income students with disabilities, with 63% of applicants having documented disabilities. A significant portion, 74%, plans to use the funds for private schooling. Houston Independent School District leads in applications, with over 12,000 submitted statewide. The comptroller's office will conduct a lottery for additional awards in the coming weeks, with students having until July 15 to confirm their enrollment in a participating school or opt for homeschooling.

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Florida
VPK program sees 13,000 families enroll

Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program has seen over 13,000 families participate just four months after its launch, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis. Established in 2005-06, the VPK program offers free prekindergarten to all four-year-olds, focusing on literacy and math, regardless of family income. Since its inception, more than 3.1m students have benefited. Parents can also receive a $100 bonus upon applying. DeSantis emphasized the program's success, stating:"This is a huge thing to have this many people signing up so soon after the launch." Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Stasi Kamoutsas highlighted the initiative's goal of prioritizing families, saying, "It's called putting students first." The program is part of a broader effort to enhance early childhood education and financial planning for families.

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