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Recent Editions
Education Slice
National
U.S. school districts are cutting transportation costs, consolidating bus routes, and tapping reserves as diesel prices climb to $5.62 per gallon, nearly $2 higher than a year ago. With roughly 90% of the country’s 480,000 school buses running on diesel, more than half of districts surveyed in May said fuel costs were already pushing them over budget. Districts are responding by reducing trips, putting more students on each bus, and, in some cases, exploring electric alternatives, but those measures can mean longer routes and added pressure on drivers and students. Elleka Yost, director of advocacy and research at the Association of School Business Officials International, said, “Many districts are tapping reserves or rainy-day funds as a temporary solution,” warning that doing so could weaken their ability to respond to future financial challenges. Washington state's Yakima School District expects diesel costs to rise 38%, or $130,000, this school year, while Boise, Idaho faces an approximately $600,000 increase in transportation costs despite efforts to streamline routes and the addition of eight federally funded electric buses.
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Education Slice
California
Nearly 300,000 K-12 students in California experienced homelessness during the 2024-25 school year, reaching a record high of more than 298,000, according to a UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools report. Black and American Indian/Alaska Native students were disproportionately affected, with one in 12 identified as homeless, while many districts with the highest numbers were concentrated in Southern California. Although suspension and chronic absenteeism rates among homeless students have declined, they remain significantly higher than for the overall student population, and homeless students continue to record lower math and reading proficiency and graduation rates. Researchers said the statewide figure is likely an undercount because it only includes students who were formally identified as experiencing homelessness.
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Education Slice
Texas
Six Austin ISD campuses that earned C grades or higher in 2026 inherited four consecutive years of unacceptable accountability ratings after receiving students from schools that closed this summer. The TEA warned that an F in 2027 could count as a fifth consecutive failing rating, potentially triggering campus closure or appointment of a state board of managers. TEA also criticized the district’s late-July closure of Paredes Middle School, saying it “imposed an avoidable hardship on students and families” and questioning whether the anticipated fourth F influenced the decision. District officials said they expected the accountability histories to transfer and emphasized that receiving campuses retain their 2026 grades. An A, B or C next year would clear the inherited failing streak.
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Education Slice
Florida
STEM learning has become increasingly common in after-school programs, with 92% of parents whose children participate reporting access to science, technology, engineering, or math activities, up from 73% in 2020 and 69% in 2014, according to an Afterschool Alliance survey of 30,000 parents and guardians. About 6.4m of the 7m children enrolled in after-school programs now have regular STEM opportunities, including hands-on activities designed to build curiosity, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. However, another 22.6m children whose parents want after-school programming cannot access it because of barriers including cost and limited capacity. The report calls for expanded funding, particularly in underserved and rural communities, and recommends including after-school providers in legislation designed to promote STEM education.
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