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USA
18th August 2026
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THE HOT STORY

States avoid immediate funding overhaul as Education Department retains G5 system

The U.S. Department of Education will distribute more than $12.5bn in K-12 formula funding through its existing G5 grants system on October 1, despite the Trump administration’s broader effort to transfer responsibility for many education programs to other federal agencies. The funding includes $10.8bn in Title I grants for schools serving low-income students and $1.7bn for teacher professional development, while competitive grants will be handled by the agencies to which their programs have been transferred. State education leaders welcomed the decision, citing concerns that an abrupt switch to the Department of Labor’s system could disrupt access to funding after previous transitions experienced delays. However, the administration’s wider restructuring continues, and education officials have warned that using multiple federal grants platforms could create additional complexity and inefficiency.

BLENDED LEARNING

An Administrator's Guide to Blended Learning

Online learning doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach. Explore blended learning with this comprehensive guide from FlexPoint®, which includes:
  • Worksheets to define your school’s needs
  • Outline of blended learning classroom models
  • List of questions to ask curriculum providers
  • Best practices for educator training
  • Instructional strategies and tips
  • Key benefits for you, students, and staff
Download the FlexPoint® guide to find the right mix of face-to-face and online instruction for your school or district.

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FINANCE

FCC weighs E-rate changes as debate grows over connectivity and screen time

The Federal Communications Commission has opened public comment on proposed changes to the 30-year-old E-rate program, which provides discounted internet services to schools and libraries, including whether the program should be limited or phased out given widespread connectivity. The FCC is also seeking feedback on whether E-rate funding should be tied to schools giving parents an opportunity to opt their children out of screen-based instruction, amid concerns about growing technology use in classrooms. E-rate advocates argue that the program, which provided nearly 25,000 schools, districts, consortiums, and libraries with $13.2bn between 2021 and 2025, remains essential for affordable, reliable connectivity, and does not fund student devices or educational content. The public comment period closes October 13.

Michigan turns to weighted school funding as student needs rise and enrollment falls

Michigan’s efforts to improve student outcomes, teacher recruitment, literacy, and student support will depend heavily on how the state funds public education, which accounted for more than $21 billion, or over 25% of state spending, in fiscal 2025. While the foundation allowance will reach $10,300 per student in 2026-27, Michigan’s K-12 enrollment has fallen by 360,000 students over 25 years, while the number of districts has increased from 524 to 822, leaving schools with higher fixed costs spread across fewer students. At the same time, more than 50% of students are now economically disadvantaged, the proportion with disabilities has increased by more than 25% since 1995, and the share of English learners has nearly doubled since 2007, increasing the resources required to achieve comparable outcomes. Michigan is responding with a new weighted funding model that provides additional funding for economically disadvantaged students and English learners, with plans to extend the approach to students with disabilities in fiscal 2028. Researchers argue that more stable, needs-based funding, particularly when directed toward classrooms and teacher compensation, will be critical as pandemic-era federal support expires and districts face renewed financial pressure.

LEGAL

Supreme Court petition challenges Texas mandate for Ten Commandments in classrooms

Civil liberties groups have asked the Supreme Court to review a Texas law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom, setting up a potentially significant test of the First Amendment’s establishment clause. More than a dozen families of multiple faiths argue that the mandate improperly imposes religious scripture on students and interferes with parents’ ability to direct their children’s religious education, while Texas maintains that displaying the Ten Commandments does not compel students to participate in a religious exercise. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law in a 9-8 ruling in April, relying on the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision protecting a public school football coach’s on-field prayers and its emphasis on historical understandings of church-state separation. The justices are expected to decide in the coming months whether to hear the case, which comes as several states pursue measures expanding religion’s role in public schools and the Supreme Court’s conservative majority has broadened religious rights in a series of recent decisions.

TECHNOLOGY

Retiring CoSN chief urges thoughtful AI adoption

Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) chief executive Keith Krueger, who will step down in April 2027 after more than 30 years with the organization, says artificial intelligence (AI) represents a transformative shift for K-12 education, but its success will depend on how educators, administrators, and policymakers use it. Krueger acknowledged legitimate concerns around screen time, social media, and digital distractions, but argued that policymakers should focus on the quality and educational impact of technology rather than imposing broad limits based on screen time alone. He also called for technology vendors to act as strategic partners, emphasized the growing need for district technology leaders to combine technical, educational, and policy expertise, and identified protecting the federal E-rate program as a priority for his remaining months at CoSN. Krueger warned that school connectivity remains essential not only for instruction, but also for operations including payroll, transportation, security, and student information systems.

TEACHER TRAINING

Milwaukee PS targets low reading proficiency with intensive phonics training for teachers

Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) has provided more than 1,000 teachers with intensive training on its new phonics-based literacy curriculum as the district seeks to raise low reading proficiency rates. The $7.9m curriculum, introduced in January to align with Wisconsin’s Act 20 and the “science of reading,” received its first in-depth districtwide teacher training at an inaugural literacy summit on August 10 and 11. Teachers and administrators practiced new instructional techniques, received classroom coaching, and learned leadership approaches designed to create greater consistency across the district. The effort comes after 2024 data showed that just 9% of MPS fourth graders and 15% of eighth graders were proficient in reading. MPS plans to track progress through daily monitoring and quarterly assessments, provide additional support, including one-on-one tutoring, for students who are struggling, and continue professional development, coaching, and classroom observations throughout the school year.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Safe Routes to School projects receive funding across 14 Ohio counties

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Transportation have announced an $8.8m investment in 17 Safe Routes to School projects across 14 counties to improve safety for students who walk or bike to school. The funding will support infrastructure improvements between 2027 and 2030, including design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction, as well as school travel plans, public education, and safety campaigns. Individual awards range from $40,000 to $1m, with DeWine saying the initiative is intended to improve student safety, health, and well-being, while giving families greater confidence in children’s journeys to and from school.

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Vaccine exemptions hit record 4.2% as U.S. kindergarten coverage declines

U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates declined again during the 2025-26 school year, while the share of children receiving vaccine exemptions reached a record 4.2%, up from 3.6% a year earlier and representing an estimated 155,000 children. The exemption rate has now hit a new high for four consecutive years, driven overwhelmingly by nonmedical exemptions, which increased in 41 states and Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination coverage fell to 92.4%, compared with 95% before the COVID-19 pandemic, and rates also declined for polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and chickenpox vaccines. The trend comes as the U.S. experiences its worst year for measles since 1991, with experts warning that more than a quarter-million children entering kindergarten are susceptible to the disease and that concentrations of unvaccinated students could increase the risk of outbreaks.

EARLY YEARS

Study links public pre-K attendance to stronger academic performance through high school

A 20-year study published in the Early Childhood Research Quarterly suggests that children who attend public school pre-K achieve stronger academic outcomes through high school than those who receive family-based childcare. Researchers tracked 400,000 Miami-Dade County public school students from third grade through high school and found that those who attended pre-K generally earned higher grades, performed better on standardized tests, and were less likely to repeat a grade. Students who attended public school pre-K had about 35% lower odds of being held back in third grade than children who received family-based childcare at age four. Researchers said the findings highlight the importance of qualified teachers, structured curricula, and early socialization, noting that public school pre-K teachers are required to hold college degrees. The study suggests that high-quality early education can help children enter kindergarten better prepared academically, socially, and emotionally, with benefits continuing into their teenage years.

EXAMS

Iowa reworks student assessments

Iowa is facing questions over an “honesty gap” between its state reading assessments and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NEAP), with 75% of fourth graders rated proficient on Iowa’s test in 2025, compared with less than a third on NAEP. Unlike Virginia, where a similar discrepancy prompted tougher standards and assessments, Iowa officials have attracted criticism for limited public discussion of the issue, even as the state updates its testing system following the adoption of new standards in 2024. A panel of 155 educators has recommended new minimum passing scores, with the state board expected to vote on final thresholds in November, potentially resulting in fewer students being classified as proficient. State officials say the changes have been broadly communicated and should give families clearer information about student progress, while some policymakers question whether state proficiency standards should align closely with NAEP.

CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION

Asbestos setback disrupts Philadelphia school reopenings

Philadelphia’s ongoing school asbestos problems are disrupting the new academic year after asbestos concerns discovered during a $17m HVAC renovation at Kensington High School prompted the district to relocate more than 400 students and 90 staff members to the vacant Austin Meehan Middle School building, seven miles away, for the remainder of 2026. Union officials said an uncertified contractor demolished an area containing asbestos without following proper removal practices, potentially contaminating multiple parts of the building, although the district has not explained how the damage occurred. The incident follows several asbestos-related school closures and comes after the district was criminally charged last year for failing to properly monitor asbestos between 2015 and 2023. Nearly 300 district buildings still contain asbestos requiring monitoring, while Philadelphia lacks the funding needed to complete all the facility upgrades sought under Superintendent Tony Watlington’s broader plan.

INTERNATIONAL

Victorian educators endorse new pay deal, averting third statewide strike

Victorian public school teachers, principals, and support staff have backed a new state government pay and conditions offer, prompting the cancellation of a third statewide strike planned for Wednesday. The Australian Education Union said 79% of voting members endorsed the agreement, which provides a minimum 28.3% pay increase over four years and a A$2,000 ($1,424) bonus when the deal begins. Under the agreement, graduate teacher salaries will rise from A$79,589 to A$96,589 from November 2027, while experienced teachers will earn A$151,419 by 2029, up from A$118,063 currently. After-school meeting hours will also be halved to 40 annually, while existing maximum face-to-face teaching hours will be secured in the agreement. The deal will now go to a vote of all employees, with the state government expecting it could be endorsed by October. The union will continue pressing the government to reach an agreement with the Commonwealth to fully fund Victoria’s public schools.
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