Education attorneys are set to launch a new organization by fall 2025 that would defend students’ civil rights in court and also track and report civil rights data. The effort, according to its founding nonprofit, aims to fill the gap left by the Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Department…
On May 21, 2025, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon fielded questions at a House hearing about school choice, literacy achievement, and closing the U.S. Department of Education (USDE). In the process, she defended the Trump administration’s proposed spending plan for fiscal year 2026 saying the budget will “shrink federal bureaucracy,…
According to an analysis of data by the Center for Learner Equity (CLE), a nonprofit that supports inclusive school approaches, charter schools focused on serving students with disabilities (specialized charter schools) may offer unique learning programs tailored for a specific disability, but school leaders and management organizations should ensure they…
In a May 19, 2025 settlement, the California Department of Education and the Los Angeles Unified School District will include religious private schools as potential placements for students with disabilities. The plaintiffs in Loffman v. California Department of Education had challenged a California code that excluded religious private schools from…
According to a National Education Association (NEA) report, public school teachers made $72,030 on average in the 2023-24 school year, with salaries projected to increase 3% for 2024-25, according to a new report from the National Education Association. In fact, the estimated growth for 2025 represents a 26.9% increase from…
According to a May 6, 2025 order issued by a New York federal judge the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) must allow the temporary extension of federal COVID-19 emergency funds to flow to 16 states and the District of Columbia (DC). The preliminary injunction states that USDE is prohibited from…
In March 2025, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the National Center for Youth Law and the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates filed suit on behalf of the students and parents in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in March. The lawsuit asked for a permanent reversal…
On May 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) confirmed to K-12 Dive that it will not renew $1 billion in grants that were initially awarded to school districts nationwide to improve students’ well-being by placing more mental health professionals in schools. The shutting off of federal grant funding…
According to K-12 Dive, the Trump Administration's FY 2026 proposed budget would turn Title I and IDEA into single, separate grants, zero out key teacher grants, and add $60 million for charter schools. The deep cuts would hit programs meant to ensure equitable access to education for underserved students and…
On May 2, 2025, Office of Budget Management (OMB) Director Russell Vaught sent a letter to Appropriations Committee Chair Senator Susan Collins providing her with President Trump's recommendations on discretionary funding levels for fiscal year (FY) 2026. The "Skinny Budget" provided is in advance of the President's full fiscal plan.…
