Preliminary Reports Say Gov’t Shutdown Results in 466 More Furloughed at USDE
It has been reported that on October 11, 2025, 466 employees at an already depleted U.S. Department of Education (USDE) have been furloughed. Unconfirmed reports say that only two employees are left at the Office of Elementary and Secondary Ed. (OESE), and two are left at the Office of Special Education…
Lawsuit Alleges H-1B Visa $100K Fee Will Exacerbate Teacher Shortage, Impacting Sp. Ed.
According to a lawsuit filed October 10, 2025 by the Global Village Academy Collaborative, President Donald Trump’s $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas risks worsening the nation’s teacher shortage by keeping affected schools from hiring teachers from other countries. The Global Village Academy Collaborative is a public nonprofit that oversees…
Senate Confirms New OCR Boss
On October 7, 2025, the U.S. Senate confirmed Kimberly Richey as the next assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Education in a 51-47 vote along party lines. The approval came as part of a resolution allowing senators to consider for confirmation Richey and over 100 other…
U.S. Supreme Court Begins New Session
On Monday, October 6, 2025. the U.S, Supreme Court will begin its new session and important K-12 cases will once again be heard. With a Title IX case on its docket for this term the justices are expected to impact student civil rights issues, particularly in West Virginia v. B.P.J.,…
Suits Filed by Schools and States Challenge USDE Civil Rights Enforcement
As the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) changes the way things have been done, states and school districts have pushed back by filing lawsuits. Historically, the USDE and its funding recipients have usually collaborated to resolve civil rights complaints, but recently that has not been the case. As a result,…
How the Government Shutdown Affects K-12 Education
As the government shutdown moves forward, many are wondering what impact it will have on K-12 schools. The shutdown officially commenced at midnight EST on October 1st when the new fiscal year was to begin. Initially, the shutdown is expected to have fairly imperceptible impact on schools and school districts,…
FCC Vote Removes School Bus Wi-Fi, Hotspots from E-rate
On September 30, 2025, in a 2-1 vote, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) removed both school bus Wi-Fi and internet hotspot services from eligibility for federal E-rate funds. The move means schools and libraries will no longer be able to receive discounts on these services, as allowed under an E-rate…
USCCR Issues Report on Sp. Ed. Teacher Shortage
According to an investigation by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR), a persistent shortage of special education teachers nationwide is leading to a lack of supports and services needed to help students with disabilities thrive in schools. The investigation into special educator shortages comes amid an increase in the…
Appeals Court: USDE Can Cut Half of OCR Staff for Now
According to a September 29th ruling by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) can move forward with plans to cut half of its Office for Civil Rights (OCR) staff as litigation against the reductions proceeds. The decision overturns a lower court’s order requiring…