Today in education

Education news, clearly reported.

Verified developments, original reporting, and useful context for the people who make learning happen.

A school records office with paper folders on a desk, a filing cabinet, and an empty hallway beyond the doorway.

California and Washington face new federal pressure on parent access to records

After recent court rulings, the U.S. Department of Education asked both states to explain what policy changes districts should make on student records, privacy, and parent access before the school year begins.

Jul 31, 20267 min read

Paper files and folders on a conference table in a federal office, with the Capitol blurred through a window behind them.

Policy & Funding

Senate committee backs bill to block four Education Department transfers

The 13-9 vote targets offices tied to special education, K-12 grants, higher-ed programs, and tribal education while leaving other transfers untouched.

Jul 31, 20266 min read

Rows of empty exam tables with closed laptops and chairs inside a convention center hall.

Exams & Assessment

Washington cancels July bar exam after Yakima tech failure

Most applicants now must choose a Sept. 1-2 makeup exam in Tacoma, a transfer to February 2027, or a refund, creating immediate problems for law schools, bar-prep programs, and employers.

Jul 30, 20266 min read

The briefMore developments worth your attention

Policy & FundingBethel and Denver face new federal parent-rights probes6 min read Policy & FundingIllinois Requires School Phone Policies by 2027-287 min read Policy & FundingRichmond voters will weigh a 1% sales tax for school construction6 min read EdTech & AIWest Virginia rolls out a statewide AI framework for schools6 min read

A school district administrative office with closed file folders on a desk, empty chairs, and a hallway leading to offices.

Policy & Funding

Education Department escalates FERPA cases against Anne Arundel, Ann Arbor

Federal officials said Anne Arundel could face Justice Department enforcement and possible funding consequences, while Ann Arbor has until Aug. 10 to explain its records and parent-disclosure practices.

Jul 28, 20266 min read

A teenage classroom assistant works with two elementary students at a small table while a teacher stands nearby in a bright classroom.

Teaching & Learning

How San Diego Unified Built a Paid High School Teaching Internship

San Diego Unified’s fifth summer of Teach Lead offers something rare in teacher-pipeline coverage: a district that has published the nuts and bolts. The paid, five-week program placed teens from five high schools in 18 elementary schools, with public details on eligibility, training, scheduling and credit.

Jul 28, 20266 min read

Three university-age researchers stand around a worktable in a greenhouse lab with hydroponic lettuce, food samples, and a small habitat model.

Opportunities

NASA’s Mars to Table challenge closes July 31 for higher-ed teams

The final registration window is open for NASA’s food-system design challenge, which asks teams to create a Mars crew meal plan and a broader Earth-independent habitat food system. Global teams can enter; partner materials say NASA prize money is limited to eligible U.S. teams.

Jul 27, 20266 min read

A teacher, a student, and a school administrator sit together at a table in a school library with open laptops.

K-12

Google Classroom’s new role-based homepage starts rolling out July 27

The redesign gives teachers, students, and administrators different default dashboards, but analytics and Gemini-linked tools still depend on licensing, settings, and user eligibility.

Jul 26, 20266 min read

A school office staff member and an administrator review attendance paperwork at a front desk before classes begin.

School Leadership

Mississippi districts roll out new attendance routines for 2026-27

As Senate Bill 2103 takes effect, schools are contacting families after three cumulative absences, referring students after five unlawful absences, and posting district attendance policies and chronic absenteeism plans online.

Jul 25, 20266 min read

A school district office conference table with folders, papers, a calculator and coffee mugs, with a school building visible through the window.

Policy & Funding

South Dakota gets federal OK to pool some education funds, ease Title I carryover

Two federal approvals let South Dakota consolidate more than $19 million in selected state-level funds through 2029 and give it broader authority to approve district Title I carryover waivers.

Jul 25, 20267 min read

An elementary teacher works with a small group of young students writing in notebooks at a classroom table.

Teaching & Learning

Colorado case shows a practical model for early writing

At Sand Creek Elementary in Douglas County, writing sits inside structured literacy with a protected WIN intervention block, universal screening and a named routine such as thinkSRSD. The lesson for schools is less about assigning more writing and more about building time, staffing and shared practice around it. Public evidence so far is strongest on implementation, not districtwide writing results.

Jul 24, 20266 min read

A school staff member checks a Chromebook at a student desk in an empty classroom with rows of desks and a laptop cart nearby.

EdTech & AI

School web filters can look compliant and still miss proxy game sites

A Hechinger investigation found students bypassing managed-device filters through proxy and other workarounds, giving districts a clear back-to-school task: test what real student accounts can actually open.

Jul 24, 20267 min read

A school administration conference room with file folders, a closed laptop, and glasses on a table by windows facing a campus.

Policy & Funding

Education Department finalizes Title VI rollback, rescinds CTE guidelines

The two final rules shift federal civil-rights enforcement toward intentional discrimination, with immediate implications for complaint handling, staff training, and policy reviews in districts, colleges, and career and technical education programs.

Jul 24, 20266 min read

Our focus

Education is a system. We cover the connections.

06EdTech & AI

Platforms, procurement, interoperability, product strategy, and the practical use of AI in education.

05Exams & Assessment

Testing, admissions, credentialing, grading reform, exam preparation, and assessment operations.

15Higher Education

College and university strategy, faculty work, enrollment, student success, and campus operations.

03K-12

District strategy, curriculum adoption, implementation, accountability, and school improvement across K-12.

05Opportunities

Competitions, grants, fellowships, free programs, and challenges for educators and learners.

13Policy & Funding

State, national, and regulatory shifts affecting funding, accountability, AI guidance, compliance, and governance.