A crossing guard assists students as they arrive for classes at Chalmers STEAM Elementary school on Jan. 22, 2026, in Chicago. Extreme cold hitting much of the United States in the coming days could test schools' aging infrastructure and force school closures. Chicago Public Schools called off classes for Friday, Jan. 23.
Students at Merganthaler Vocational-Technical High School board buses at the end of the school day on Dec. 13, 2024 , in Baltimore. Federally funded programs in the city's schools allow students access to services they might otherwise not get, such as tutoring and after-school programs, Baltimore Superintendent Sonja Santelises said at a recent panel discussion of the finalists for AASA's Superintendent of the Year award.
A Somali flag, right, flies alongside the United States and Vermont flags outside the Winooski School District building, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, in Winooski, Vt. The district's effort to show support for Somali students drew intense backlash.