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USA
3rd August 2026
 

THE HOT STORY

Student behavior tops list of concerns for U.S. schools

Student behavior is expected to be the biggest challenge facing U.S. schools in the 2026-27 academic year, with 75% of teachers and administrators surveyed by the EdWeek Research Center identifying it as a major concern, followed by student engagement at 70%. Many educators also expect behavior to worsen further, citing the lasting effects of the pandemic, increased screen time, and insufficient support for classroom discipline. Financial pressures remain another major concern, with 42% of respondents highlighting budget uncertainty as a significant issue amid declining enrollment, inflation, and concerns over state and federal funding. School leaders said budget constraints are forcing difficult decisions, including staff reductions, larger class sizes, cuts to intervention programs, and the elimination of student support roles that help address behavior and academic needs. The survey also found 41% of educators expect at least one school in their district to close within the next three years, 54% anticipate teacher layoffs over the next year, and 64% believe their jobs will become more difficult. Despite these challenges, many respondents said they remain committed to supporting students, even as funding pressures and political uncertainty continue to weigh on public education.

POLICY

Illinois mandates statewide school cellphone restrictions

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has signed legislation requiring all public school districts to adopt policies restricting students' use of cellphones and other personal wireless communication devices during the school day before the start of the 2027-28 school year, with the aim of reducing distractions and improving classroom engagement. The new law requires "bell-to-bell" restrictions on devices including cellphones, tablets, laptops, gaming devices, and smartwatches, while exempting school-issued educational devices. Exceptions must be made for medical needs, special education, language translation for English learners, and, in some cases, students with caregiving responsibilities. High schools may also allow device use during lunch and passing periods. The legislation prohibits schools from enforcing the policy through fines, fees, suspensions, or expulsions unless a device is used in connection with more serious misconduct. School districts must review their policies at least once every three years in consultation with teachers, administrators, parents, and community members. Officials said districts that have already introduced similar restrictions have reported improved student engagement and stronger social interaction among students.

LEGAL

Lawsuit argues mandatory posters violate Texas religious freedom law

Three Texas parents have filed a state lawsuit seeking to block and remove mandatory Ten Commandments posters from public school classrooms, arguing that the displays violate the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act and infringe on parents' rights to direct their children's upbringing. The lawsuit, filed in Harris County, takes a different legal approach after federal courts upheld the state's law requiring the displays. Rather than challenging the law under the U.S. Constitution, the plaintiffs contend that the state-mandated posters substantially interfere with their families' religious beliefs and parental rights under Texas law, and are asking the court to order their removal before the new school year begins in August. The state has defended the requirement, arguing the Ten Commandments have historical significance and are an important part of teaching U.S. history. The plaintiffs represent families with nonreligious, Sikh, and multi-faith backgrounds, and argue that compulsory classroom displays conflict with their own religious instruction and beliefs.

FINANCE

Chicago school district warns schools could face midyear cuts

The Chicago Board of Education has approved a nearly $10bn budget that reverses many planned layoffs and restores school funding, but depends on an additional $150m in state aid that has yet to be approved. Chicago Public Schools chief executive Macquline King warned that uncertainty over the funding could complicate the district's ability to secure short-term borrowing needed to meet September payroll, although municipal finance experts said a loan is likely, even if it comes at a higher cost. If the anticipated state funding does not materialize, CPS could be forced to make midyear staffing and spending cuts, despite allocating $100m to reinstate layoffs and another $50 million to ease hiring and spending freezes. The budget debate comes amid broader tensions over Illinois' school funding formula and ahead of November's school board elections, with district leaders continuing to argue that Chicago schools remain underfunded by the state.

Cincinnati board expected to rescind first-ever earnings tax proposal

The Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education is expected to vote today to rescind its recently approved 0.75% earned income tax levy, following widespread community criticism and opposition from both Hamilton County's Democratic and Republican parties. Board President Brandon Craig said the move is intended to allow more public discussion before the August 5 filing deadline, rather than being driven by political pressure, and would reopen consideration of previously approved five-year property tax levies of seven or eight mills. The proposed income tax, which would have been the district's first, was expected to cost someone earning $100,000 about $750 annually, while supporters argued it would avoid increasing property taxes that could price some homeowners out of their homes.

Laguna Beach USD faces financial review

The Orange County Department of Education in California has ordered an independent review of Laguna Beach USD's finances, with the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) set to examine financial and administrative matters related to employee health benefit contributions, contracting decisions, and the use of district resources from fiscal years 2021-22 through 2025-26. Superintendent of Schools Stefan Bean said the review was initiated following requests from community members, while emphasizing that it does not indicate fraud or financial misconduct. Newly appointed Superintendent Don Austin said the district will fully cooperate with the review, which will be funded by the county at a cost of up to $125,000, and that the findings will be made public once the investigation is complete.

DISTRICTS

Revamping education: Fort Worth ISD's bold move

Fort Worth ISD in Texas has established a School Choice Committee to enhance educational opportunities and attract families in Tarrant County. The committee, which includes leaders from various sectors, was formed after the district's enrollment fell below 70,000, a significant drop from 2018-19. Superintendent Peter Licata emphasized: “Every family deserves access to a public school that reflects their child's unique interests, talents, and aspirations.” The committee will guide the district in aligning educational offerings with workforce needs and expanding access to Advanced Placement courses. Chief of Staff Louis Kushner noted that the committee aims to strengthen programs and create innovative pathways for the community. Upcoming meetings will focus on improving school choice accessibility and aligning education with future workforce demands. The district has also faced staffing reductions due to declining enrollment, as families have opted for other districts or private schools.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Ozark academy prepares school safety leaders for evolving security challenges

About 125 school resource officers and school administrators from across Missouri recently attended the Missouri School Boards Association's School Safety Specialist Academy in Ozark, where they received training on emerging security threats, including the misuse of artificial intelligence to create deepfakes, impersonate school leaders, and spread false emergency messages. Hosted by the MSBA's Center for Education Safety, the three-day program also covered topics such as school climate, threat reporting, emergency operations, and active shooter preparedness, while helping participants meet the requirements of a 2025 Missouri law mandating specialized school safety training.

TECHNOLOGY

Commentary urges districts, not individual teachers, to oversee AI data governance

Andrew Rice, chief executive and co-founder of Education Analytics, and Mark Schneider, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, argue that Anthropic's Claude for Teachers offers valuable instructional tools, including curriculum-aligned lesson planning and personalized learning support, but warns that its design could expose educators to significant legal and employment risks if they upload student data without district authorization. The authors contend that while the platform includes stronger privacy protections than many consumer artificial intelligence (AI) tools, individual teachers generally lack the authority under federal student privacy rules to designate Anthropic as a school-approved data handler, potentially leaving them personally liable for any misuse of sensitive student information. Rather than relying on teachers to share data directly with AI platforms, the authors call for school districts, states, and technology providers to collaborate on secure, district-controlled AI governance systems that protect student privacy while enabling responsible adoption of AI in education.

SCHOOL TRANSPORT

Florida district tightens micromobility rules

The Orange County School Board has unanimously approved new rules that effectively ban most of the Florida district's students from riding e-bikes and e-scooters to school, following the death of an Orange County Public Schools student in an e-scooter crash in May. Under the policy, only students with a valid learner's permit or driver's license may bring qualifying devices to campus, higher-speed models are prohibited, and charging e-bikes or e-scooters on school grounds is banned. Board members said the restrictions are needed to address growing safety concerns as injuries involving electric micromobility devices continue to rise, while some parents argued that education and parental responsibility would be more effective than a ban. District leaders said the policy could be reviewed after the first nine weeks of the school year as local governments consider broader regulations.

OPERATIONS

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative ends funding for California education project

The Primary School, the tuition-free East Palo Alto school co-founded by Dr. Priscilla Chan and funded with more than $125m from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), has closed after a decade as CZI shifted its philanthropic focus from education and social initiatives toward scientific research. Established in 2016 to support low-income students through wraparound services, including health care, dental care, early intervention, and family wellness programs, the school sought to address the effects of poverty and childhood trauma alongside academic learning.  While the model improved student well-being, it struggled to meet academic expectations and attract additional long-term funding, leading the board to vote to close the school after learning CZI would end its financial support. CZI has committed $50m to help wind down operations.

CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION

New York charter school pairs mass timber with high-performance design on a tight budget

Martin Hopp Architect has completed Evergreen Charter School in Hempstead, New York, an 89,000-square-foot K-12 facility designed to deliver healthy, high-performance learning environments while maximizing value within a limited budget. The school features a mass-timber structure, flexible classrooms, abundant natural daylight, enhanced ventilation, and exposed timber interiors that improve thermal comfort, acoustics, indoor air quality, and student well-being. To optimize the constrained site, the building is divided into two volumes that bring daylight deep into the five-story interior, while exterior timber shading devices and a rooftop pergola with solar panels help improve energy performance. Built around a "most from least" design philosophy, the project combines durable, low-carbon materials with passive and active sustainability strategies and is on track to achieve LEED Platinum certification.

INTERNATIONAL

Japan urged to expand language support for multilingual students

Japan is expanding Japanese-language education for students with foreign backgrounds, but nearly 9,700 public-school students who required language instruction in 2025 received no specialized support, highlighting persistent educational gaps. Experts say that schools should adopt a plurilingual approach that strengthens both academic Japanese and students’ family languages, warning that preserving heritage languages is essential for educational achievement, family relationships, emotional well-being, and Japan’s long-term success as a more diverse society.

AND FINALLY......

Columbus educator honored with Manilow award

Gretchen Wyder Zunic, a recently retired orchestra teacher from Upper Arlington Schools, has received the Manilow Music Teacher Award, which includes a $10,000 prize to support underfunded school music programs. Zunic, who dedicated 31 of her 35 years in public education to the district, expressed her excitement, stating: "This award is a wonderful way to wrap up my teaching career." The award will help purchase instruments for the district's orchestra program, particularly smaller cellos and basses. The Manilow Music Project, founded by Barry Manilow in 2008, aims to enhance music education by providing grants and instruments to schools. Matt Parrish, president of the project, emphasized the importance of music education, noting: "It's an incredibly short-sighted decision when school music funding is cut." Zunic looks forward to thanking Manilow for his commitment to music education during their upcoming meeting.
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