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USA
14th July 2026
 

THE HOT STORY

Lawsuit seeks to preserve $1bn school mental health initiative

A coalition of 15 Democratic-led states, including California, Maine, New Mexico, Oregon, and Rhode Island has sued the Trump administration over plans to end funding for a $1bn federal grant program that supports school-based mental health services. The states argue the U.S. Department of Education is unlawfully attempting to terminate the grants despite a court order issued in late 2025 that blocked an earlier effort to end the program. The grants, established by Congress following the 2018 Parkland school shooting and expanded after the 2022 Uvalde tragedy, have helped schools hire and train mental health professionals, providing services to nearly 775,000 students nationwide. The administration has argued the grants conflict with its policy priorities because of alleged links to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, while the states contend the funding is essential for supporting students' mental health and that the administration lacks the authority to revoke it.

ATTENDANCE

New state laws strengthen attendance tracking and parental accountability

At least six states have enacted new laws this year aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism, as policymakers respond to attendance rates that remain well above pre-pandemic levels. The new measures include enhanced attendance monitoring, public reporting of absenteeism data, updated guidance for schools, and, in some states, tougher penalties for parents of students who repeatedly miss class. The legislation varies by state, with Utah introducing an attendance monitoring system and potential misdemeanor charges for parents who fail to address truancy, Oregon requiring public reporting of attendance data, Vermont overhauling its absenteeism and truancy policies, Tennessee strengthening the tracking of unexcused absences when students transfer schools, Mississippi expanding attendance officer staffing, and New Jersey creating a task force to recommend solutions. Although attendance has improved nationally since its pandemic peak, no state has yet returned to pre-pandemic attendance levels, according to recent data.

DISTRICTS

Baltimore schools to introduce new platform for community feedback

New Baltimore City Public Schools chief executive Dr. Jermaine Dawson has outlined a 100-day entry plan centered on improving student achievement, with a particular focus on strengthening literacy and math instruction. The plan includes three phases: an initial listening period with students, families, and community members, followed by a discovery phase led by an independent transition team, and a final implementation phase to begin immediate improvements while laying the groundwork for a longer-term strategic plan. As part of the initiative, Dawson will launch a six-stop listening tour across Baltimore later this month to gather feedback from school communities. The district also plans to introduce a new customer service platform, Onflow, allowing students, staff, and families to submit questions, report concerns, and engage more directly with school leadership.

Columbus City board member calls for former chief of staff to explain salary adjustment

A Columbus City Schools board member is calling on former Chief of Staff Mike De Fabbo to explain how he received a 2023 pay increase that an internal audit found may have resulted in an additional $54,000 over four fiscal years. Board member Brandon Simmons described the situation as "inappropriate" and said De Fabbo should meet with the district's auditors to explain how the raise was approved, particularly after the audit found the superintendent had not authorized the salary adjustment. The district's internal audit concluded that De Fabbo may have used his previous role overseeing human resources to revise salary schedules that increased his own compensation. However, the Ohio Auditor of State later closed its investigation, finding the school board had properly approved De Fabbo's contract addendum and that no additional board action was required. District officials have since updated their procedures to improve transparency around executive compensation decisions.

FINANCE

Cincinnati board remains divided over property tax versus earned income tax

The Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education has postponed a decision on which tax levy to place before voters in November, with members divided between pursuing a property tax or an earned income tax. The board will hold a special meeting before the August 5 filing deadline after members expressed concerns about voter fatigue over rising property taxes, while others argued that more time is needed to finalize the district's four-year strategic plan before asking residents for additional funding. The district is considering three options: a 7-mill property tax expected to generate more than $66 million annually, an 8-mill property tax raising $75.8m a year, or a 0.75% earned income tax projected to raise $74m annually. The levy debate comes as the district addresses a $58.6 million budget deficit following more than 100 staff reductions, with education leaders and the teachers' union arguing that additional local funding is needed to stabilize school finances.

LEGISLATION

Virginia Ed. Dept. says proposed pause was tied to legislative requirements

The Virginia Department of Education says its unsuccessful proposal to delay higher reading and math proficiency standards by two years was driven by legislative requirements, recommendations from the state's Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), and feedback from educators and stakeholders. The department argued that aligning changes to academic benchmarks and the state's school accountability system would have reduced confusion and allowed for a smoother transition. However, the Virginia Board of Education voted to reject the proposal, preserving the original plan to raise Standards of Learning proficiency benchmarks gradually over the next four years, beginning this fall. The board said delaying the higher standards could hinder student achievement, while the department will continue reviewing broader accountability reforms, including school performance ratings and measures affecting English learner students, later this summer.

TECHNOLOGY

Minnosota district aims to balance tech literacy with screen-time limits

Duluth Public Schools is reviewing its classroom technology strategy as aging devices, the expiration of pandemic-era funding, and growing concerns over student screen time force the Minnsota district to rethink its long-term plans. Technology Director Greg Krueger said the district can no longer afford to replace student devices at the pace needed, with many Chromebooks purchased using COVID-19 relief funds now reaching the end of their useful lives. While the district's technology budget totals less than $4m out of nearly $185m in annual spending, Krueger said it supports far more than student laptops, including cybersecurity, internet services, school safety systems, and classroom technology. Officials expect any changes to the one-to-one device program to begin in elementary schools, while emphasizing that technology will remain an essential part of teaching and learning, with future efforts focused on ensuring its use is intentional and balanced rather than the default approach in classrooms.

SCHOOL TRANSPORT

Ohio panel urges end to 'impractical to transport' policy for students

An Ohio state work group has recommended phasing out the practice of declaring students "impractical to transport," a designation that allows school districts to pay families instead of providing bus service. The recommendation comes after more than 22,000 students, most of them attending charter and private schools, were classified as impractical to transport during the 2025–2026 school year. The panel's June report, which is advisory and would require legislative approval to take effect, also calls for fully funding the state's transportation mandate, expanding regional transportation partnerships, creating a statewide transportation database, and improving bus driver recruitment. The group said the goal is to ensure transportation for as many students as possible to their school of choice. Columbus City Schools (CCS), one of the largest users of Ohio's Payment in Lieu of Transportation (PILO) system, said the recommendations fail to address the financial burden districts face. CCS transports more than 28,000 students each day, operates more than 9 million miles of bus and van routes annually, and spends over $75m on transportation, significantly more than it receives in state funding. District officials warned that eliminating the impracticality option without additional funding would impose substantial costs on public schools and local taxpayers.

CHILD CARE

Washington child care providers call for better coordination as public pre-K expands

Washington state's rapidly expanding Transition to Kindergarten (TK) program is drawing more four-year-olds into free public school pre-K classes, creating financial challenges for some private child care providers that rely on older preschoolers to help offset the higher cost of caring for infants and toddlers. While educators praise TK for improving school readiness and expanding access to early learning, some providers say enrollment declines have forced them to market aggressively, reorganize classrooms, or consider closing their businesses. The program has grown from about 500 seats in 2020 to more than 7,000 this school year, although recent state budget constraints have slowed further expansion. Providers argue that school districts often face fewer regulatory requirements than licensed child care centers and say stronger coordination is needed when launching new TK programs. State officials maintain that TK delivers strong educational outcomes, while advocates say broader reform is needed to address the underlying economics of child care and ensure both public and private early learning providers remain sustainable.

LITERACY

Teachers say curiosity, not criticism, has driven classroom changes

Educators say the growing emphasis on the science of reading has significantly changed literacy instruction, leading many to adopt more explicit phonics instruction, improve assessment methods, and better align teaching practices with research on how children learn to read. While several teachers acknowledged initially feeling defensive about criticism of previous approaches, they said deeper engagement with the research ultimately improved student outcomes, particularly for struggling readers. Educators also cautioned that the focus on foundational reading skills should not come at the expense of writing, grammar, or broader literacy development. They argued that effective literacy instruction should combine systematic phonics and decoding with comprehension, rich content, grammar, writing, and student engagement, emphasizing that the science of reading complements, rather than replaces, many established classroom practices.

INTERNATIONAL

EU pushes for bloc-wide child safety rules on social media

The European Commission is preparing to propose a bloc-wide minimum age for social media access, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlining plans for a "social media start date" that would generally prevent children under 13 from accessing platforms unless supervised by a parent or caregiver. The proposal, expected after the summer, would introduce phased access for older teenagers, with platforms required to demonstrate that their services are age-appropriate and safe before restrictions are eased. The initiative follows mounting pressure from several EU member states, including France, which have argued that social media companies have failed to adequately protect children online and, in some cases, have already introduced national restrictions. While most major platforms officially require users to be at least 13, regulators acknowledge that these limits are frequently bypassed. Alongside the proposed age restrictions, the European Commission is developing an age verification app that would allow users to confirm their age without sharing unnecessary personal information with platforms.

AND FINALLY......

Student engineers transform classroom pastime into aviation achievement

A team of aerospace engineering students from the University of Pisa has set a new Guinness World Record by building and flying the world's largest paper airplane. Named Icarus, the aircraft measured more than 23 feet long, had a 65.75-foot wingspan, weighed about 63 pounds, and glided nearly 200 feet during its record-setting flight at the We Make Future technology expo in Bologna, Italy. The project, developed in collaboration with engineering content creator Jakidale, evolved from students folding paper airplanes between classes into a months-long engineering challenge involving computer modeling, prototype testing, and aerodynamic design. The successful flight surpassed the previous record set by Germany in 2013, returning the Guinness title to Italy for the first time in more than a decade.
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