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The American Federation of Teachers has unveiled a new artificial intelligence (AI) strategy calling for tighter restrictions on classroom technology, including bans on most screen use in early grades, limits on student-facing AI tools, and a proposed “Big Tech tax” to help offset the economic impact of AI. AFT President Randi Weingarten said schools should roll back digital technology use after what she described as a large-scale experiment on children, arguing that teachers, parents, and school districts cannot manage the rapid expansion of education technology alone. The union is proposing bans on all screen use through third grade unless required for accessibility needs, prohibiting AI-powered tutoring and other student-facing AI tools in elementary schools, and banning AI companion chatbots for students under 16. The plan also calls for expanded teacher training on AI, stronger federal oversight of AI safety and privacy standards, and greater independent research into the effects of AI in education. The proposals come less than a year after AFT partnered with companies including Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic to launch a $23m National Academy for AI Instruction aimed at training teachers and developing safety standards for classroom AI tools.

 

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New York Times

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The Pittsburgh Public Schools board has approved a facilities restructuring plan that will close 12 schools and nine buildings beginning in phases during the 2027–28 school year. Board members voted 6-2 in favor of the “Future-Ready Facilities Plan,” with one member abstaining because of a conflict of interest. District officials said the overhaul is intended to modernize learning environments, improve operational efficiency, and expand equitable access for students. The district expects the plan to save approximately $8 million annually through lower staffing, utility, and maintenance costs, while avoiding more than $100 million in future facility expenses. Officials also plan to invest more than $103m into upgraded learning spaces over the next seven years. Superintendent Wayne Walters said declining enrollment, which has fallen from 32,000 students to 18,000 over the past two decades, made it difficult to justify maintaining underused schools. About 15 district schools currently enroll 200 students or fewer.

 

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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Rural school leaders are warning that the Trump administration’s proposal to fold the Rural Education Achievement Program into a broader $2bn block grant could jeopardize critical services for small districts that rely on the funding for tutoring, technology, staffing, and afterschool programs. The administration wants to consolidate 17 education funding streams, including the $220m REAP program, into a single state-controlled block grant. Under the proposal, governors and state education leaders would decide how funds are distributed, raising concerns among rural educators that small districts could lose out to larger systems with greater financial needs. Superintendents from districts in New York and North Dakota said REAP funding provides essential support for services that would otherwise be difficult to sustain. Sackets Harbor Central School District in New York uses the funding to support technology operations, while North Dakota’s Velva Public Schools has used it to pay teaching assistants working with struggling students.

 

The 74

Minnesota voters will have the opportunity this fall to amend the state constitution to increase funding for public schools without raising taxes. The proposal, which has bipartisan support, aims to allow schools to draw more from the Permanent School Fund, which has grown to $2.3bn. Currently, distributions are capped at 2.5%, but proponents, including Senator Mary Kunesh, advocate for an increase to approximately 4.5%. Kunesh said: "I think everybody recognizes the need for additional funding for public schools, and this is one way to do it without putting an additional burden on our taxpayers." The amendment could provide significant relief to districts facing budget constraints, allowing them to address specific needs such as curriculum materials and teacher training. The initiative reflects a long-standing commitment to funding education through the state's school trust lands.

 

U.S. News

Arkansas has submitted requests to the U.S. Department of Education seeking waivers from certain federal education requirements, as state officials push for greater flexibility and reduced federal oversight under a new “unified education plan.” The Arkansas Department of Education is seeking three waivers related to federal funding, accountability, and assessment requirements, arguing the changes would reduce administrative burdens, streamline planning, and allow districts to direct resources more effectively based on student needs. State Education Secretary Jacob Oliva said the proposals align with the Trump administration’s efforts to return more control over education to states. Federal officials now have 120 days to review the requests. Supporters, including several school district superintendents, said the waivers could improve efficiency, reduce duplication, and allow districts to respond more quickly to local needs. Critics, including the Arkansas Education Association, warned the proposals could weaken equity protections, reduce accountability, and increase risks around funding for vulnerable student groups. Arkansas officials said the state is not seeking to reduce civil rights protections, support for struggling schools, or funding requirements for high-need students, and pledged to maintain oversight safeguards.

 

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

School districts across the United States are using the summer months to recruit bus drivers as persistent staffing shortages continue to disrupt transportation services, force schedule changes, and require educators to step in to fill gaps. Districts including Fort Wayne, Indiana, are offering incentives such as $5,000 signing bonuses and recruitment events after shortages caused repeated delays and even prompted rotating virtual learning days this spring. School systems in Washington state, Texas, and North Carolina are also considering schedule changes or asking families to transport students themselves as driver shortages persist. The issue has intensified since the Covid-19 pandemic, when many older drivers retired and competition from higher-paying delivery and logistics jobs increased. Around 26 million students rely on school buses each day across the country. A recent EdWeek Research Center survey found that nearly one in five educators now spend time every day helping with transportation duties, including managing pickup lines or driving buses. Several states are loosening rules to expand the potential driver pool. Alabama recently approved legislation allowing some retired bus drivers to return to work while continuing to collect retirement benefits.

 

Education Week News

 Green Bay-area colleges and school districts are expanding education programs and teacher support initiatives as Wisconsin continues to face teacher shortages driven by retention challenges, stagnant compensation, and budget pressures. The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College have introduced new pathways designed to make it easier and less expensive for aspiring teachers to enter the profession and remain in Northeast Wisconsin after graduating. Under a new transfer agreement, students completing NWTC’s teacher education associate degree can transfer all 60 credits directly into UWGB’s education bachelor’s program, reducing duplication of coursework and shortening the time needed to earn a teaching degree. Local school districts, including Green Bay and Pulaski, are also partnering with NWTC to offer dual-credit education courses that allow high school students to begin earning college credits earlier. At the same time, UWGB has launched the Early Educator Collective, a support program for teachers within their first five years in the profession. The initiative will provide monthly virtual coaching sessions focused on classroom management, workplace expectations, and relationships with administrators and parents, alongside one-on-one mentoring support. Education leaders said the program is intended to improve teacher retention, particularly in smaller and rural districts that may lack formal mentoring resources.

 

Green Bay Press-Gazette

Colorado’s CareerWise youth apprenticeship initiative has enrolled only about 3,200 students over its first decade, far below the original goal of 20,000 apprentices, highlighting the challenges of scaling high school work-based learning programs despite broad bipartisan support. Founded in 2016 by businessman Noel Ginsburg after studying Switzerland’s apprenticeship system, CareerWise was designed to connect high school students with paid, multi-year apprenticeships in industries including healthcare, manufacturing, finance, education, and the skilled trades. CareerWise estimates about 1,200 students directly participated in its programs, while another 2,000 joined apprenticeship initiatives inspired by or launched through CareerWise partnerships. School districts and employers cited multiple obstacles, including difficulty convincing families of the value of apprenticeships, competition from other career and college-preparation programs, and the challenge businesses face balancing teenage workers’ schedules with operational demands. Several employers also withdrew after discovering regulatory, insurance, or logistical barriers.

 

Chalkbeat

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu withdrew from a speaking engagement at Harvard Law School due to the ongoing strike by the Harvard Graduate Students Union, which began on April 21 after prolonged contract negotiations. Wu's office stated that her team "made repeated efforts to reach a compromise" with the union to allow her participation, but these attempts were unsuccessful. Despite offering to acknowledge the strike or participate virtually, the union declined, leading Wu to respect the picket line. A spokesperson noted: "The Mayor is a strong ally of the labor movement and believes in respecting picket lines." The union expressed gratitude for Wu's solidarity, highlighting her decision as a demonstration of principled leadership.

 

Boston Globe

The New Zealand government has agreed to pause proposed homeschooling regulation changes following feedback from stakeholders, MPs, coalition partners, and the wider education sector, Education Minister Erica Stanford said. The Ministry of Education and the Education Review Office had advised in late 2025 and early 2026 that additional regulation was needed to ensure homeschooled children were receiving an adequate education, prompting the government to move quickly to introduce legislation. However, Stanford said the issue had proven “more complicated than first thought,” and the government would take more time to develop an appropriate approach. She emphasized that most homeschooling parents work hard to provide quality education, while adding that “reasonable” oversight checks were still necessary. As part of the decision, homeschooling-related amendments will be removed from the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill, which had been due for its third reading. The bill will instead be referred back to the Committee of the Whole to strip out the proposed changes. The government said it may revisit homeschooling provisions in future legislation.

 

Inside Government