As reported by K-12 Dive, according to a summary of state determinations issued June 18, 2026 by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) more than half of U.S. states and territories did not meet annual targets for implementing federal special education services for students with disabilities ages 3-21. The recent…
According to a May 27, 2026 report by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), 74% of school districts are concerned about the effect on school meals from looming federal budget cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid. In fact, according to FRAC, children are set to lose…
As reported by The 74, the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) is among the 17 funding sources that the Trump administration wants to roll into a $2 billion block grant. Congress approved $220 million for REAP this year, but under the president’s plan, governors and state education chiefs would decide…
The U.S. Department of Education’s (USDE) professional degree definition is now being challenged in court as 25 states and the District of Columbia sued the USDE on May 19, 2026 for excluding graduate nursing and other major fields, including education. The plaintiffs, led by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, said…
According to a May 20, 2026 announcement from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE), Louisiana became the second state to receive a federal waiver from certain K-12 funding requirements, allowing the state to consolidate funding streams. Louisiana’s waiver is similar to the one approved in January 2026 for Iowa. The…
On May 6, 2026, a federal judge denied two Minnesota school districts’ request to temporarily stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity on school grounds in a lawsuit that ultimately seeks to overturn a Trump administration policy allowing such enforcement. The case was filed by Duluth Public Schools and Fridley…
Through the use of universal screenings, schools have discovered a deeper pool of gifted students from populations like English learners, those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and those whose parents didn’t know how to advocate for them. They’ve also noted “twice exceptional” students whose challenges, such as dyslexia, might have masked…
Despite a proposed $539 million dollar increase over the FY 2026 budget, special education administrative organizations and disability rights advocacy groups say the federal spending plan zero funds and consolidates several programs for FY 2027, similar to the administration’s FY 26 proposal. Those changes would make states less accountable for…
On March 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education’s (USDE) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced the District of Columbia Public Schools violated the civil rights of students with disabilities by denying timely evaluations, individualized placements and reliable transportation, according to results of a year-long investigation. OCR said the district…
As reported by K-12 Dive, amid funding challenges some state leaders draw attention to budgets and programs that support students with disabilities. In fact, special education initiatives were a priority for several governors in their annual state of state addresses — including in Idaho, Kansas, New Mexico and Pennsylvania —…
