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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
Study finds 44% of U.S. schools are near known hazardous sites

A nationwide analysis, carried out by researchers from Brown University and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has found that 44% of U.S. pre-K through grade 12 schools are located within one mile of a known hazardous site. Nearly 10,000 schools, or about 8% of U.S. schools, are within a quarter mile of sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency, including Superfund sites, brownfields, and Toxics Release Inventory facilities. Native, Black, Hispanic, and low-income students are more likely than white students to attend schools near hazardous sites, while proximity levels are similar for public and private schools. Researchers said the findings likely underestimate schools’ overall exposure to environmental hazards because the analysis excludes unlisted hazardous sites and other pollution sources, including highways, wildfire smoke, and lead plumbing inside schools. The study highlights potential health and educational concerns because children are particularly vulnerable to environmental exposures as their bodies and brains develop. Airborne pollutants can also enter classrooms through windows and ventilation systems, leading the researchers to emphasize indoor air quality as an important factor in maintaining safe school environments.

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Education Slice
California
States raise teacher credit standards

States including Illinois, Ohio, and Kansas are tightening standards for professional development courses that teachers can use to qualify for salary increases, amid concerns about low-quality programs offering academic credits for minimal work. A new Illinois law requires qualifying courses to come from regionally accredited higher education institutions, be taught by appropriately credentialed instructors, and provide graduate-level credit on an official transcript, while still allowing separate pay increases for microcredentials and additional certifications. The changes follow scrutiny of programs such as the Albion Institute, whose courses have been barred from counting toward license renewal in several states after reports that some three-credit courses could be completed in as little as 15 to 45 minutes. However, education experts argue that stronger academic standards may not be enough, noting limited evidence that master’s degrees generally improve student achievement and suggesting that professional development tied to salary increases should more closely support districts’ instructional priorities.

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Education Slice
Texas
Teacher misconduct reports skyrocket

The implementation of a new accountability law in Texas has led to a significant increase in teacher misconduct reports, which have tripled in one year. The Texas Education Agency's Educator Misconduct Reporting Dashboard revealed that 19,766 reports were filed during the 2026 fiscal year, averaging 1,647 monthly. This surge represents about 6% of the state's public school teachers, with the majority of reports coming from school superintendents. Notably, 7,288 investigations were related to violence or injury to children, while over 3,000 involved sexual misconduct allegations. The new law, SB 571, introduced by state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, aims to enhance transparency and accountability in educator misconduct cases. “Educators, school employees, parents, students, service providers, and community members can use this page to understand their legal responsibilities,” the Texas Education Agency stated.

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Florida
Art teacher's social media sparks controversy

The recent decision regarding Hope McMath, an art history teacher at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, has sparked significant discussion. McMath faced charges related to her social media posts following the killing of Charlie Kirk in September 2025. In her post, she referred to the incident as "Karma," which raised concerns about her professional conduct. However, Administrative Law Judge Garnett Chisenhall concluded that the state failed to provide substantial evidence that McMath's posts impaired her service in the community. "The social media postings did not reflect any use, attempted use, or threatened use of violence by Ms. McMath," Chisenhall stated. Despite the controversy, the Duval County School District issued a verbal warning and reassigned her temporarily. McMath is now pursuing a federal lawsuit against the school district, alleging retaliation and discrimination.

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