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Recent Editions
Education Slice
National
Teacher shortages are becoming an increasingly widespread global challenge, with nearly 40% of 15-year-olds attending schools where principals said staffing shortages hindered instruction in 2025, up from 27% in 2018, according to OECD data. The share of teachers working without full certification has also increased in two-thirds of countries reporting data, with nearly one in 10 primary and secondary teachers across OECD countries not fully qualified in 2025. Schools are struggling particularly to recruit qualified STEM educators, while growing demand for special education and multilingual-learner support is adding to staffing requirements despite declining student enrollment in many countries. In the U.S., teachers generally work longer hours and spend more time teaching than the OECD average, but report comparatively strong morale and satisfaction with employment conditions beyond salary. The U.S. also draws more heavily on career changers, with 16.3% of teachers having previously spent at least a decade in another profession, nearly double the OECD average of 8.4%. The OECD argues that improving working conditions, leadership, career opportunities, and how teachers’ time is structured will be important to attracting and retaining educators.
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Education Slice
California
The California Federation of Teachers (CFT) has joined a lawsuit with the California Teachers Association against Governor Gavin Newsom and the Legislature, alleging they illegally withheld billions in state funds designated for TK-12 schools and community colleges. CFT President Jeff Freitas said: “When billions in guaranteed education funding are withheld and diverted away from schools, immediate consequences are felt in classrooms throughout the state.” The lawsuits seek to recover $3.9bn in education funds withheld in the 2026-27 state budget. Newsom has defended the deferral of these funds as a prudent measure due to the state's unstable revenue outlook, without committing to a timeline for repayment. Prop. 98, enacted in 1988, guarantees minimum funding based on the state's economic health and student enrollment, with current conditions resulting in schools receiving about 40% of general fund revenues.
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Education Slice
Texas
Texas public schools experienced a significant decline in immigrant student enrollment, losing over 14,200 students last year, reflecting a 7% drop. Experts suggest the actual loss is likely higher due to the federal definition of immigrant students being too narrow. Matias Segura, Superintendent of Austin ISD, said: “When you look at where we're seeing students leave... you're seeing them a lot in these areas where there is that (enforcement) activity.” The increase in deportations and fears surrounding immigration enforcement have led families to withdraw their children from school. Paige Duggins-Clay, chief legal analyst for the Intercultural Development Research Association, warned that this trend could harm civic engagement and cultural diversity in schools. Despite the overall decline, some districts, like Northside ISD, reported an increase in immigrant students due to resettlement efforts.
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Education Slice
Florida
The Orlando Sentinel's Scott Maxwell argues that Florida’s publicly funded voucher system does not provide equal school choice for students with disabilities because private schools can often refuse admission while public schools must serve all children. He cites ProPublica reporting that more than half of Florida voucher schools do not serve students with any disability, including cases involving children with complex medical needs, autism and ADHD. Religious-school exemptions from federal disability protections can further limit families’ legal recourse. Disability-rights attorney Kimberley Spire-Oh warned that voucher participants may lose “most of their legal protections and all of the civil rights protections.” Maxwell contends that schools accepting public money should serve the broader public, while acknowledging some private, charter and traditional public schools successfully provide specialized education. He says the problem is spreading as other states adopt similar voucher policies, leaving some families with fewer practical choices despite expanded funding for private education.
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