Education Slice
Become more informed in minutes....
Education Slice Logo
USA
27th August 2026
Together with




THE HOT STORY

Schools tap reserves and consolidate bus routes as diesel costs surge

U.S. school districts are cutting transportation costs, consolidating bus routes, and tapping reserves as diesel prices climb to $5.62 per gallon, nearly $2 higher than a year ago. With roughly 90% of the country’s 480,000 school buses running on diesel, more than half of districts surveyed in May said fuel costs were already pushing them over budget. Districts are responding by reducing trips, putting more students on each bus, and, in some cases, exploring electric alternatives, but those measures can mean longer routes and added pressure on drivers and students. Elleka Yost, director of advocacy and research at the Association of School Business Officials International, said, “Many districts are tapping reserves or rainy-day funds as a temporary solution,” warning that doing so could weaken their ability to respond to future financial challenges. Washington state's Yakima School District expects diesel costs to rise 38%, or $130,000, this school year, while Boise, Idaho faces an approximately $600,000 increase in transportation costs despite efforts to streamline routes and the addition of eight federally funded electric buses.

 
NPR

STATE ASSESSMENTS

Why the Best State Assessment Scores Start Early

The schools that gain most on state assessments don't cram in spring, they practice all year with resources built to the test. That's what Lumos delivers:
  • Two full-length, tech-enhanced practice tests before test day
  • 100% aligned to your state standards and test blueprint
  • AI-powered intervention that closes each student's gaps automatically
  • Blended print + online, the same practice in class or at home
92% of schools using Lumos with fidelity see a 10–15% lift on state tests. See the print and online samples for yourself.

See State Test Samples Now

 

LEGAL

Meta faces tighter teen safeguards under multibillion-dollar U.S. settlement

Meta has agreed to pay up to $18 billion and impose wide-ranging restrictions on how children use Facebook and Instagram under a landmark settlement with U.S. states over alleged harms to young users. Subject to judicial approval, the agreement includes an initial $12.7 billion payment for youth online safety initiatives, blocks under-18s from accessing the platforms between midnight and 6 a.m., disables notifications by default during school hours, and limits daily use to two hours unless a verified parent removes the restriction. Meta will also introduce age-assurance technology and turn off “like” counts by default on teenagers’ posts. If YouTube and TikTok introduce equivalent measures, Meta’s restrictions would tighten to a 10 p.m.-7 a.m. blackout and a one-hour daily limit per app, triggering an additional $5.3 billion payment.

Montana agrees to stronger oversight of Indigenous education in schools

Montana’s Office of Public Instruction has reached a proposed settlement with students, families, and tribes in a yearslong class action lawsuit alleging the state failed to adequately implement its constitutional requirement to teach Native American history and culture in public schools. The agreement would strengthen oversight of the Indian Education for All program by requiring districts to document implementation and spending, formalizing tribal consultation, evaluating at least seven schools’ expenses annually, publishing a list of noncompliant schools, and potentially reducing funding for districts that fail to comply. The lawsuit, filed in 2021, alleged widespread misuse of funding intended for Indigenous education, with court documents stating that only 10% of districts could account for appropriate spending in 2019 and 2020. The settlement has received preliminary court approval and follows a separate 2025 agreement with the Montana Board of Public Education to improve content standards, tribal collaboration, and teacher training.

TECHNOLOGY

NYC schools could open without key software tools

New York City public schools could begin the school year without access to key digital tools, including electronic gradebooks, family communication platforms, and academic support software, as the Education Department maintains a software purchasing freeze ahead of the September 10 opening. Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels imposed the moratorium in July after families criticized the city’s initial artificial intelligence guidelines, but officials have yet to release a revised policy or say when purchases can resume. Principals report being unable to renew even longstanding programs that do not use AI, despite potential exemptions for software required to open schools or provide mandated services. While experts acknowledge concerns about student privacy, data breaches, and AI features being added to existing products, they warn that the last-minute uncertainty could disrupt school operations, teaching, and student support.

FINANCE

Wyoming weighs millions in new K-12 funding after court underfunding ruling

Wyoming lawmakers are moving forward with proposals to increase K-12 funding for school safety, nutrition, and technology after a district court ruled in 2025 that the state had unconstitutionally underfunded public schools. The Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration requested draft legislation that would provide funding for school resource officers, reimburse districts for 30% of food service expenditures at an estimated cost of $17.5 million, and fund computers at a 1:1 ratio for students in grades 3-12, with no devices provided for grades K-2. The technology proposal would provide $395 per student based on Average Daily Membership and include minimum technology staffing for each district. The committee will revisit the proposals in October as Wyoming continues to appeal the underlying court ruling.

DISTRICTS

Seattle schools face delayed start after educators overwhelmingly back strike

Seattle teachers and school staff have overwhelmingly authorized a strike that could delay the start of the school year if their union and Seattle Public Schools fail to reach a tentative agreement by September 1. The Seattle Education Association, which represents about 6,000 employees, said 91.2% of voting members supported strike authorization as negotiations continue over key issues, including pay, special education staffing, and class sizes. The union is seeking wage increases of 1% to 3% for certificated staff and 3% to 5% for classified staff, in addition to a state-set 2.6% cost-of-living adjustment. The negotiations come as the district addresses an $87 million deficit and has approved a $1.34 billion budget, while both sides continue bargaining ahead of the planned September 2 start of classes.

St. Louis school district considers 12 closures amid declining enrollment

St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent Myra M. Berry has recommended closing and repurposing 12 school buildings as part of the district’s Future Ready SLPS restructuring plan, which seeks to address declining enrollment, aging facilities, and the cost of maintaining underused campuses. The proposal would also phase out McKinley’s high school program, shift those students to Central Visual and Performing Arts High School, and transform Clyde C. Miller Career Academy into a districtwide career and technical education school. The closures have not been approved, and questions remain around transportation, staffing, student assignments, and the future use of the properties. Following further community engagement and board review, a vote is expected in October, with changes potentially taking effect in the 2027-28 school year.

Iowa City district launches enrollment and facilities review as further cuts loom

The Iowa City Community School District is considering redrawing attendance boundaries for the 2027-28 school year as it seeks $7.83 million in additional budget cuts, with officials saying potential school closures will also need to be evaluated. The district has approved $118,400 in contracts with RSP & Associates to analyze enrollment, building capacity, facility conditions, transportation, and attendance boundaries across its 27 schools serving more than 14,000 students. Proposed boundary changes are expected to undergo committee and public review before a school board decision in February 2027. The latest savings effort follows $7.5 million in cuts approved for 2026-27 as the district works to address financial and accounting problems, including cash-flow issues, rising payroll costs, and inadequate internal controls.

TEACHER TRAINING

Preparing teachers for the AI era

Teacher-education programs are being urged to move beyond tool-specific AI training and develop a broader approach covering ethics, pedagogy, professional judgment and classroom practice. A new AACTE framework calls for explicit preparation on AI literacy, equitable access, evaluating AI-generated student work, bias, hallucinations, critical thinking and teacher-student relationships. Anne Tapp Jaksa said: “AI forces us to reconsider what counts as evidence of learning,” particularly when candidates can use AI to produce polished academic work. The framework also argues that aspiring teachers with legitimate ethical, privacy, accessibility, cultural or pedagogical objections should be able to decline AI use without losing access to licensure. However, that principle could become difficult to implement as federal teacher-training funding increasingly prioritizes AI preparation.

ENROLLMENT

Public school enrollment slides across Central Florida amid demographic shifts

Central Florida public school enrollment has fallen by nearly 12,000 students this school year, continuing a decline that has reduced state funding and prompted school closures and staffing cuts. Orange County reported the region’s largest drop, losing 7,672 students, while Seminole and Osceola counties each lost about 2,000, and Lake County lost roughly 200. Officials attribute the declines to falling birth rates, demographic changes, some immigrant families leaving or withdrawing children from schools, and the expansion of taxpayer-funded vouchers for private schooling and homeschooling. Orange County, which lost about $50 million in per-pupil funding and closed seven schools following last year’s enrollment decline, does not currently expect additional campus closures or significant staffing reductions.

HEALTH & WELLBEING

California K-12 student homelessness climbs to record 298,000

Nearly 300,000 K-12 students in California experienced homelessness during the 2024-25 school year, reaching a record high of more than 298,000, according to a UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools report. Black and American Indian/Alaska Native students were disproportionately affected, with one in 12 identified as homeless, while many districts with the highest numbers were concentrated in Southern California. Although suspension and chronic absenteeism rates among homeless students have declined, they remain significantly higher than for the overall student population, and homeless students continue to record lower math and reading proficiency and graduation rates. Researchers said the statewide figure is likely an undercount because it only includes students who were formally identified as experiencing homelessness.

CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION

Flexible classrooms help support student gains at South Dakota school

A rural South Dakota school district has reported improved academic results after opening a new elementary school designed to make the physical environment part of the learning experience. Chamberlain Elementary School features flexible seating, mobile furniture, adaptable classrooms, and movement-friendly spaces, while its layout has allowed kindergarten teachers to gain an estimated two or more weeks of instructional time by reducing lengthy transitions. During the first two years in the building, the share of K–2 students scoring at or above benchmark on early-literacy assessments increased from 61.8% to 67.9%, with the strongest gains among lower-income students. Grades 3–5 results also improved for some lower-income and Native American students. Chamberlain Superintendent Justin Zajic said the results do not prove that architecture alone drove the gains, but suggest intentional school design can create better conditions for instruction, engagement, and intervention.

STEM

PA Smart grants strengthen technical education and workforce preparation

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has awarded about $3.5m in PA Smart grants to 17 organizations to expand access to career and technical education in advanced manufacturing, construction, digital technology, and energy. The funding is intended to connect classroom learning with high-demand careers and equip students with skills sought by Pennsylvania employers. Farrell Area School District was awarded $140,000 to build on its manufacturing and construction pre-apprenticeships while strengthening students’ foundational computer science skills and confidence. The investment comes as state projections show growing demand for workers with mathematics, computer, and electronics knowledge, with Pennsylvania expecting about 157,000 additional occupations requiring mathematics skills and 125,000 requiring computer and electronics knowledge by 2028.

LITERACY

Mississippi offers K-3 families statewide support on literacy standards

The Mississippi Department of Education will hold a series of statewide meetings from September 8 through September 28 to help families of children in kindergarten through third grade strengthen literacy skills and understand state requirements. The sessions will explain the Literacy-Based Promotion Act, which is designed to provide students with support and intervention as they work toward literacy goals before entering fourth grade. Families will also receive strategies for supporting reading development at home. Eight meetings are scheduled across Mississippi, and parents can attend any location that best fits their schedule.

INTERNATIONAL

Immigrant-background students in Korea hit record 210,838

The number of elementary, middle, and high school students from immigrant backgrounds in Korea reached a record 210,838 as of April 1, up 4.3% from a year earlier, according to government data. Students from multicultural or foreign-nationality families now account for 4.3% of all elementary and secondary school enrollment, with Vietnam the largest parental country of origin at 30.9%, followed by China at 26.7%, and the Philippines at 8.1%. International enrollment in Korean higher education also increased sharply, rising 21.3% year over year to 307,464 students. Vietnamese students became the largest international student group for the first time, totaling 96,834, or 31.5% of the total, surpassing 78,890 Chinese students, who accounted for 25.7%.

France expands school survey to measure scale of child sexual violence

France will add questions on sexual and gender-based violence to an annual school questionnaire completed by around 10 million students, from the final year of preschool through secondary education. Education Minister Édouard Geffray said he expects the results to be “seismic,” citing estimates that one in 10 children in France is a victim of sexual violence. The survey will initially be anonymous, although students will be able to identify themselves if they want to speak with a trusted adult. The questions will be developed with school staff, parents’ associations, and experts, including child psychiatrists. The move comes amid growing scrutiny of how authorities handle abuse allegations. France recorded 88,000 reports concerning children in 2025 related to sexual violence or parental failings, while a recent review found 85,047 complaints involving sexual violence against minors were still being processed. 

AND FINALLY......

Professoring beyond his years

Nathan Thomas, at just 20 years old, has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's youngest male professor, surpassing a 306-year-old record. He began his academic journey at Miami Dade College, where he excelled in his studies and later taught at the same institution. “I tried to emphasize that like my age is not important... [to] what we're doing here,” he said, reflecting on his teaching experience. Nathan's mother, Merlyn Rani Thomas, played a crucial role in his education, opting for homeschooling after realizing traditional schooling wasn't suitable for him. He accumulated 60 college credits by age 14 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering at 16. Now in law school at the University of Miami, Nathan continues to inspire others while taking a break from teaching. His mother advocates for the opportunities community colleges provide, emphasizing their value in education.
Industry Slice Logo

Education Slice delivers the latest, most relevant and useful intelligence to key educators, administrators, decision makers and teaching influencers, each weekday morning..

Content is selected to an exacting brief from hundreds of influential media sources and summarised by experienced journalists into an easy-to-read digest email. Education Slice enhances the performance and decision-making capabilities of individuals and teams by delivering the relevant news, innovations and knowledge in a cost-effective way.

If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities within Education Slice, please get in touch via email sales team

Follow us on FacebookFollow us on XFollow us on Linkedin

This e-mail has been sent to [[EMAIL_TO]]

Click here to unsubscribe