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On Friday, the White House issued reduction-in-force (RIF) notices across the federal government, including at the Education Department. According to court filings, 466 employees across the department were inpacted, including most of the staff at the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). The National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NADSE) has suggested that only the most two senior staff remain in OSEP, while just one staff member remains in the Rehabilitation Services Administration. The Education Department still has not officially confirmed the specifics of the layoffs. “These RIFs, if true, will make it impossible for the Department to fulfill those responsibilities,” the NASDSE statement said, continuing to say that there is "a significant risk that not only will Federal funding lapse, but children with disabilities will be deprived” of a free, appropriate public education. Meanwhile, Myrna Mandlawitz, policy and legislative consultant for the Council of Administrators of Special Education, said on Sunday that the OSEP staff reductions will put an “extreme burden on states and locals that are already really stretched." The federal staff reductions take away “one very vital piece of the partnership. It’s just hard to understand how it can possibly function,” she added.

 

AP News

USA Today

K-12 Dive

PBS News

10 Expert Tips to Prevent Bullying and Suicide in Schools  

In recognition of Bullying Prevention Month, this guide provides 10 evidence-based strategies for K-12 leaders to help reduce bullying and suicide risk. From staff training to parent involvement and policy creation, discover practical steps to build a safer and more connected school community.  

Download Guide

 

Recent research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and GSAFE highlights significant gaps in school district policies regarding protections for transgender and gender non-conforming students in Wisconsin. While nearly all districts have policies against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, only 8% have protections for gender expression. Mollie McQuillan, lead author of the study, said: "This is helpful for school board members, LGBTQ+ advocates and youth leaders to see what they're doing in the district and what they're not doing." The study reveals that the comprehensiveness of protections varies by region, with some areas lacking any policies for gender expression. The findings underscore the urgent need for clearer, more inclusive policies to support the well-being of all students, particularly those who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming.

 

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

New testing data from the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) reveals that third- through eighth-graders are still struggling in reading, with scores significantly below 2019 levels. Karyn Lewis, vice president of research at NWEA, commented: "Math is crawling back, however modestly, but reading isn't budging." While some grades have shown slight improvements in math, all remain below pre-pandemic performance. The NWEA has introduced a new performance dashboard to assist school leaders and policymakers in assessing student performance relative to national averages. This dashboard will be updated three times a year, providing more frequent insights than the Nation's Report Card, which is released biennially. Tom Kane from Harvard University emphasized the importance of timely data, likening it to health checks for students recovering from the pandemic's impact. Megan Kuhfeld, director of growth modeling and data analytics at NWEA, noted that understanding national trends is crucial for local decision-making regarding academic support and resources.

 

NPR / National Public Radio

Evanston Township High School (ETHS) Board of Education held a public hearing to discuss a potential $21m bond to finance capital projects. This funding could lead to increased property taxes for residents in District 202, which includes Evanston and Skokie. The Illinois district's officials indicated that the funds would be allocated for various improvements, including locker room renovations and window replacements, as well as construction costs for a new studio theater. Chief financial officer Kendra Williams said the district has been wanting to update its HVAC system for some time, “but just have not had the means” to do so.

 

Chicago Tribune

Recent discussions among experts highlight the ineffectiveness of common accommodations for students with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), particularly the practice of providing extended time for assignments. Gregory Fabiano, a professor of psychology at Florida International University, said: "For many kids with ADHD, that's an absolutely absurd recommendation." Research indicates that over 80% of students diagnosed with ADHD receive extended time, yet studies show that this practice may not improve academic outcomes and could even worsen them. Judith Harrison, an associate professor at Rutgers University, emphasizes the need for evidence-based interventions rather than simply extending time. Schools are encouraged to adopt strategies that teach students self-advocacy and organizational skills, which can benefit them beyond the classroom.

 

Education Week News

Parents of Waukegan Community District 60 students can now utilize the Stopfinder app to track their children's bus routes in real-time. Alicia Williams, the district's manager of transportation and child nutrition, stated: "Parents can know precisely where their children are while they are on their way to or from school." The innovative tool enhances communication and ensures parents are informed about their children's transportation status. While using Stopfinder, Williams said people are able to ask the app to let them know when the bus is five or 10 minutes away. They can also program it for multiple children in the event, for example, one child is at an elementary school and another at a middle school.

 

Chicago Tribune

Portland Public Schools is grappling with a significant challenge regarding the allocation of $100m designated for seismic retrofits from a $1.8bn bond approved by voters. The district faces pressure to prioritize which elementary and middle schools will receive funding while simultaneously considering potential closures due to declining enrollment. Robert Jole, a senior project manager with the Office of School Modernization, said: "We don't want to go into a school and spend millions of dollars [on a seismic retrofit] just to have it be right-sized." The draft formula for funding allocation weighs seismic risk at 35%, overall facility condition at 20%, and the likelihood of school closures at another 20%. Parent advocates express frustration over the perceived insufficient emphasis on seismic needs in the decision-making process. The district plans to initiate discussions on school closures next month, with full seismic retrofits not expected to commence until summer 2027.

 

The Oregonian

Concerns are rising among educators regarding the decline of longer, more challenging texts in English/language arts classrooms. Laura Patranella, a fifth-grade teacher in Seguin, Texas, emphasizes the importance of reading full novels, such as Sharon Creech's Love That Dog, to foster deep discussions and emotional connections among students. “That was a really powerful time for everyone,” Patranella noted about her students' collective experience. Research indicates that prolonged reading of complete works is essential for developing reading skills, as Maryanne Wolf, director of the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice at the University of California, Los Angeles, said: “The reading brain needs to be exercised.” However, a 2023 EdWeek survey revealed that a quarter of educators in grades three to eight primarily rely on excerpts, raising questions about the future of novel reading in schools.

 

Education Week News

As local news outlets decline, high school and college journalists are increasingly reporting on their communities, addressing the gaps left by disappearing media. Jayden Lovelady, editor-in-chief of Cal State Fullerton’s Daily Titan, expressed concern over the Fullerton City Council's decision to restrict non-government news publications, stating: "They’re making it more difficult for a lot of people in the community to get information that should be available to them." Steve O’Donoghue, a journalism teacher, founded the Sacramento School Beat to train students as education reporters, highlighting the need for more coverage in the region. Meanwhile, Adalia Luo, editor-in-chief of The UCSD Guardian, successfully advocated for a fee referendum to support their print edition, emphasizing its importance: "It’s more ethical. It’s more accountable. And it’s more accessible." These efforts illustrate the vital role student journalists play in maintaining local news coverage amidst challenges.

 

EdSource

A group of Indigenous educators in Ontario has urged the federal government to increase funding for on-reserve schools rather than recalculating allocations, following a letter from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) warning of delayed 2025–2026 payments and adjustments to funding models. Although the overall education budget has increased, protections for previous funding levels have been removed, and ancillary support has been cut, prompting concerns about sustainability, planning uncertainty, and long-term development of culturally relevant curricula. The situation has left Indigenous schools unable to plan for the year or beyond, and waiting to see if cuts will be needed, said Chippewa Chief Joe Miskokomon. "You can't program anything if you don't know what you're getting," he said. "It's placed the whole system in a state of not knowing whether you'll have resources to open." Some new ancillary funding, which can go to pay for additional needs such as tutoring for a struggling student, has been cut, said Leslee White-Eye, who heads the First Nations With School Collective, a group of eight Ontario First Nations pushing for a new funding model. The ISC said in the letter to educators that it remains committed to funding First Nations schools so they're "at a minimum, directly provincially comparable."

 

CBC News

In Malaysia, approximately 6,000 students have contracted influenza, leading to the closure of several schools to ensure the safety of children and staff. Mohd Azam Ahmad, the director general of the education ministry, stated: "We already have extensive experience in dealing with infectious diseases from the COVID-19 pandemic." He emphasized the importance of following health guidelines, including the use of face masks and minimizing large group activities. The health ministry reported a significant increase in influenza clusters, with 97 reported last week, primarily in schools and kindergartens.

 

U.S. News