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USA
9th September 2026
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THE HOT STORY

How school leaders can turn classroom observations from surveillance into support

Bridget Farr, a Ph.D. student in education policy at the University of Texas at Austin, discusses the need to transform fidelity checks from a surveillance mechanism into a supportive process for teachers. She reflects on her experiences as a principal, noting that frequent fidelity checks can lead to feelings of confusion and frustration among educators. To foster a more positive environment, Farr suggests naming processes and expectations clearly, involving teachers in program evaluations, and focusing on a limited number of impactful areas to monitor. She emphasizes the importance of providing teachers with preparation time and feedback opportunities. As a result of these strategies, over 95% of classrooms were using the new curriculum effectively, leading to improved student outcomes and increased state assessment scores. Farr concludes that classroom visits can strengthen teacher relationships and enhance instructional practices.

INTERVENTION VS REMEDIATION

Intervention or Remediation? The Difference Matters

When students struggle, the answer isn't always more of the same support. Remediation helps students access grade-level learning, while intervention delivers the intensive instruction needed to close significant skill gaps and drive accelerated progress. Understanding the distinction is critical for building an effective MTSS framework and ensuring every learner receives the right support at the right time. This article discusses practical strategies for identifying when students need remediation, intervention, or both.

Read more about intervention vs remediation

 

TECHNOLOGY

NYT journalist on how Big Tech has reshaped computer science education

New York Times reporter Natasha Singer argues in her new book, Coding Kids: Big Tech’s Battle to Remake Public Schools, that companies including Apple, Google, and Microsoft have gained significant influence over computer science education through investments, curricula, and branded technology. Singer credits organizations such as Code.org with dramatically expanding access to computer science, but argues that the push has often emphasized coding and commercial products at the expense of a broader education covering how technology works, data science, and its social and ethical implications. She contrasts this approach with researcher Jane Margolis’ efforts to make computer science more accessible to girls, Black and Latino students, lower-income students, and other historically underrepresented groups. Singer also highlights corporate involvement in Advanced Placement courses, including Apple curricula using its Swift programming language, as an example of the unusually close relationship between technology companies and schools, and warns that similar strategies are now being used as companies seek to bring artificial intelligence tools into classrooms.

Missouri, Google partner to expand free AI education and workforce training

Missouri is partnering with Google to provide free artificial intelligence (AI) training, career development programs, and educational resources across the state’s K-12 schools, colleges and universities, workforce centers, and broader education system. The initiative will include Google Career Certificates, online AI courses, and a dedicated AI literacy curriculum designed to help students evaluate AI-generated information and use the technology safely, ethically, and responsibly. Educators may also use AI tools for tasks such as drafting lesson plans, creating grading rubrics, and summarizing classroom discussions, although individual school districts and charter schools will retain full discretion over whether to adopt the tools. The partnership comes as Missouri seeks to prepare students and workers for AI-related careers while navigating concerns about technology use in classrooms. It also follows Google’s announcement in May of a $15bn investment in Missouri, including a new data center and workforce development programs.

FINANCE

Columbus City Schools plans deeper cuts as district targets another $50m in savings

Columbus City Schools has approved an additional $50m in cuts for the 2027-2028 school year, bringing total budget reductions to about $100m following roughly $50.4m in cuts approved in 2025. Administrators must identify the latest reductions by the end of 2026, and Superintendent Angela Chapman warned that the deeper cuts are likely to affect more staff and classroom programming. Previous measures included hundreds of job cuts, four building closures, program reductions, and cuts to student busing. Despite these actions, the district is projected to deficit spend more than $50m in the current fiscal year and run out of cash by fiscal year 2030, with a projected $93.4m increase in health insurance premiums over five years and changes to state property tax law adding to financial pressures.

Miami-Dade schools chief targets cost savings and student success

New Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Rafael Villalobos has outlined priorities for the nation’s third-largest school district as it confronts declining enrollment, competition from private and charter schools, and a budget deficit. Villalobos, who took office last week, has paused reviews of more than two dozen under-enrolled schools facing possible closure and begun consolidating central office staff, with administrative changes expected to save more than $1m. He also highlighted graduation rates, artificial intelligence, adult learning, workforce preparedness, school safety, and a November 3 referendum asking voters to renew a tax supporting district operations, teacher pay, and student safety and security.

Idaho colleges secure funding for AI literacy, teaching, and workforce initiatives

The Idaho State Board of Education has awarded $645,197 in initial funding to seven projects aimed at expanding artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and responsible AI use across the state’s public colleges and universities. Selected from 16 proposals representing all eight public institutions, the projects include initiatives focused on AI-enabled student advising, faculty training, teacher preparation, support for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and AI and cybersecurity education in rural communities. The awards are part of Accelerate Idaho, a four-year, $4m initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education, with projects expected to launch during the 2026-2027 academic year.

Milwaukee schools push back against proposed 14% We Energies rate increase

The Milwaukee School Board has unanimously called for the rejection of proposed We Energies rate increases, warning that higher utility costs would put additional pressure on families and Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS)' budget. The proposal would increase residential rates by about 14% by 2028, adding roughly $22 to a typical customer’s current $143 monthly bill, while also raising rates for commercial and industrial customers. MPS spent about $12.8m on electricity from We Energies in the 2025-2026 school year and has budgeted approximately $5.1m for natural gas in 2026-2027, with the district warning that higher energy costs could divert money from classrooms and make initiatives such as expanding school air conditioning more difficult. The Public Service Commission is expected to decide on the proposal by the end of 2026.

PARENTING

Seattle brings free breakfast and lunch to every public school student

Seattle Public Schools is providing free breakfast and lunch to all students during the 2026-2027 school year, with the city of Seattle funding the expansion. Previously, about half of the district’s schools offered universal free meals through the federal Community Eligibility Provision. The expansion comes as other states continue to invest in school nutrition programs: Pennsylvania is providing free breakfast to 1.7m students, while Minnesota has served more than 450 million free meals since launching its universal program three years ago. Pennsylvania served nearly 93 million breakfasts during the 2024-2025 school year, a 13.8% increase over two years.

SPORTS

Alabama lawmaker proposes automatic tax withholding for college athletes’ NIL income

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) has introduced legislation that would require a portion of college athletes’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation to be automatically withheld for federal taxes, similar to withholding from traditional paychecks. The proposal is intended to prevent athletes from facing unexpected IRS bills and penalties after spending income without accounting for estimated tax payments. Sewell cited concerns highlighted by former NFL player Sam Acho, who testified about an 18-year-old athlete who earned $750,000 in NIL income but was ultimately left with just over $6,000 and a $320,000 tax bill. The legislation comes as athletes navigate increasingly significant earnings and complex tax obligations following changes that have allowed them to profit from endorsements and other business partnerships.

SOCIAL & COMMUNITY

Strategic planning helps school boards navigate community tensions

U.S. school boards are increasing efforts to strengthen relationships with families and communities as they contend with misinformation, political divisions, financial pressures, academic performance concerns, staffing issues, special education, and school facilities. An EdWeek Research Center survey of 494 school board members found that boards using continuous strategic planning generally reported lower levels of conflict, with more than three-quarters of those routinely engaged in strategic planning saying community conflict had decreased or remained stable over the past year. Boards are also emphasizing empathy, public forums, parent surveys, translation services, and meetings held within local communities to improve communication and ensure residents feel heard. Larger districts face particular challenges, with 39% of respondents from districts serving more than 10,000 students identifying school openings and closures as a major source of conflict, compared with 17% in districts serving fewer than 1,000 students.

SCHOOL TRANSPORT

Connecticut towns embrace AI bus cameras

Several Connecticut municipalities, including New Haven, Vernon, Bridgeport, Danbury, Shelton, Stratford, and North Haven, are installing artificial intelligence (AI)-powered license plate readers on school buses to identify motorists who illegally pass stopped buses. Operated by BusPatrol, the cameras activate only when a bus is stopped with its warning lights and stop arm engaged, and footage of potential violations is sent to local law enforcement. New Haven’s system, installed on more than 300 buses, has already recorded 12,000 incidents, while Vernon recorded nearly 100 motorists passing stopped buses during the first three days of its program. The rollout comes amid broader concerns about automated license plate readers and how collected data could be stored, shared, or accessed by outside agencies. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont recently called for a 30-day pause on certain new automated license plate reader installations while officials develop data retention and sharing guidance, although the directive did not specifically identify school bus-mounted cameras. BusPatrol says data belongs to school districts by default and is retained only as long as necessary for law enforcement review or legal requirements.

HIGHER EDUCATION

ABA eliminates law school diversity requirement amid threat to accreditation role

The American Bar Association (ABA) has eliminated its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) requirement for law schools as it seeks to preserve its longstanding role as the federally recognized accreditor of U.S. law schools. The ABA’s law school council said the decision was a pragmatic move intended to maintain recognition from state courts and the U.S. Department of Education, which recommended in August that the ABA lose the accreditation role it has held since 1952. The department cited concerns about the council’s independence from the broader ABA and its response to the DEI requirement. An Education Department committee is scheduled to consider the recommendation on September 23, with a final decision expected in the coming months. The repeal follows nearly two years of efforts to revise the diversity rule after the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision restricting the consideration of race in college admissions. The ABA has also faced growing pressure from the Trump administration and Republican-controlled states, with Texas, Florida, and Alabama taking steps to reduce its role in lawyer licensing and accreditation.

INTERNATIONAL

China expands education pathways for students with disabilities

China has launched a new national action plan to strengthen special education, aiming to maintain a 97% compulsory-education enrollment rate for school-age children with disabilities through 2030. The plan, issued by the Ministry of Education and six other central government departments, focuses on expanding access, improving teaching quality, increasing digital and artificial intelligence use, strengthening funding and teacher support, and widening international cooperation. It also calls for more high school, vocational, and university opportunities for students with disabilities, including five-year vocational programs, expanded university majors, and stronger academic, living, and career support. By 2025, China had 2,464 special education schools serving 927,000 students with 85,100 specialized teachers, up 33%, 145%, and 95%, respectively, from 2012.
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