Policy & Politics

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the legislation, guidance, policies and people involved in federal and state government
Law & Courts Trump Admin. Backs Catholic Charter, LGBTQ+ Lesson Opt-Outs in Supreme Court
The Trump administration filed briefs supporting conservative positions in two big cases on religion and public education
Mark Walsh
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5 min read
Federal Ed. Dept. Says SEL Can 'Veil' Discrimination. What Does This Mean for Schools?
A document from the Education Department flags social-emotional learning—a once bipartisan education strategy—as a means of discrimination.
Jennifer Vilcarino & Arianna Prothero
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9 min read
Federal Civil Rights, Research, and More: What’s Hit Hardest by Massive Ed. Dept. Cuts
An analysis of the Trump administration's cuts to the agency shows its civil rights enforcement and research arms are hit particularly hard.
Brooke Schultz, Mark Lieberman, Sarah Schwartz, Ileana Najarro & Matthew Stone
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17 min read
Law & Courts Parents Sue Ed. Dept. Over Civil Rights Office Layoffs and Delays
The lawsuit argues that the mass layoffs leave students and families with little recourse for discrimination complaints.
Brooke Schultz
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4 min read
The exterior of the Department of Education Building in Washington, DC on Thursday, December 14, 2017.
The exterior of the Department of Education Building in Washington on Dec. 14, 2017. Parents are suing the department over the firing of its office for civil rights staff, arguing that the layoffs will stifle civil rights investigations.
Swikar Patel/Education Week
Law & Courts Parents Lose Appeal in Gender Case Trump Called ‘Child Abuse’
A federal appeals court ruled against parents who contend their school district aided a "secret" gender transition of their child.
Mark Walsh
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4 min read
January Littlejohn of Tallahassee, Fla., center, stands as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. At left is second lady Usha Vance and at right is first lady Melania Trump.
January Littlejohn of Tallahassee, Fla., center, stands as President Donald Trump, during his March 4 address to Congress, highlighted her case alleging that school officials secretly aided her child's gender transition.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
Federal Data: Which Ed. Dept. Offices Lost the Most Workers?
Cuts disproportionately hit the agency’s civil rights investigation and research arms, according to an Education Week analysis.
Brooke Schultz
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3 min read
Chloe Kienzle of Arlington, Va., holds a sign as she stands outside the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Education, which were ordered closed for the day for what officials described as security reasons amid large-scale layoffs, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Washington.
Chloe Kienzle of Arlington, Va., holds a sign as she stands outside the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Education on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Washington. The department this week announced it was shedding half its staff.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Law & Courts States Sue Trump Over Education Department Firings
The challenge from 21 attorneys general comes just days after the Education Department announced it would shrink its staff by roughly half.
Brooke Schultz
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4 min read
A commuter walks past the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Education, which were ordered closed for the day for what officials described as security reasons amid large-scale layoffs, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Washington.
A commuter walks past the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Education on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Washington. The department this week announced it was shedding half its staff. Twenty-one states have sued over the mass layoff.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP

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More Policy & Politics

  • A bar graph melts into a puddle.
    iStock/Getty Images
    Federal Opinion The Threat to Federal School Data Is a Threat to Us All
    The erosion of this fundamental information will create immediate blind spots for districts and states.
    Ronald L. Wasserstein, March 12, 2025
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    6 min read
    The exterior of the Department of Education Building in Washington, DC on Thursday, December 14, 2017.
    The exterior of the Department of Education building in Washington on Thursday, December 14, 2017. The department's Washington office and regional offices will be closed on Wednesday for "security reasons," according to an email sent to staff members.
    Swikar Patel/Education Week
    Federal Ed. Dept. Will Shed Nearly Half Its Staff in Massive Reduction Under Trump
    The U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday it was getting rid of nearly half its staff through a variety of measures.
    Brooke Schultz & Matthew Stone, March 11, 2025
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    6 min read
    Children enjoy lunches provided by the Brownsville Independent School District on June 8, 2016, at the Olivera Park gymnasium in Brownsville, Texas. The local school district provides free lunches to any child under 18 who needs a meal, regardless of their status as a student with the school district.
    Children enjoy lunches provided by the Brownsville Independent School District on June 8, 2016, at the Olivera Park gymnasium in Brownsville, Texas. The USDA has terminated funding for a program that allows schools to purchase food from local farmers.
    Jason Hoekema/The Brownsville Herald via AP
    Federal Trump Admin. Cuts Program That Brought Local Food to School Cafeterias
    The $660 million Local Food For Schools program, which was started under President Joe Biden, was canceled for 2025.
    Brooke Schultz, March 11, 2025
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    5 min read
    California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks at a press conference to announce a lawsuit against the Trump administration over budget cuts to teaching training funds, at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building on Thursday, March 6, 2025, in Los Angeles.
    California Attorney General Rob Bonta announces a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the cancellation of teacher-training grants on March 6, 2025, in Los Angeles. A judge on March 10 ordered the temporary reinstatement of the funds in California and seven other states.
    Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times via TNS
    Education Funding Trump Admin. Ordered to Temporarily Restore Teacher-Prep Grants in 8 States
    A federal judge chided the Trump administration for offering what amounted to "no explanation at all" for terminating the grants.
    Mark Lieberman, March 11, 2025
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    4 min read
    President Trump signing an executive order.
    President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington.
    Evan Vucci/AP
    Federal Can Trump Do That? Which Actions on Education Are Legal, and Which Ones Aren't
    A guide to President Trump's actions and whether or not they're legal or constitutional.
    Mark Lieberman & Brooke Schultz, March 11, 2025
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    14 min read
    Student protesters gather inside their encampment on Columbia University campus on April 29, 2024.
    Student protesters gather inside an encampment on the Columbia University campus on April 29, 2024. The federal government has terminated $400 million in funds to the Ivy League university although investigations into alleged antisemitic harassment are continuing.
    Stefan Jeremiah/AP
    Education Funding Trump Axed $400M in Funds for Columbia. Could a School District Be Next?
    One legal expert described the move as arbitrary: “How can you predict what arbitrary punishment may come your way?"
    Brooke Schultz, March 11, 2025
    •
    7 min read
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  • Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Education, arrives for her Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee confirmation hearing, at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, on Feb. 13, 2025.
    Linda McMahon arrives for her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 13, 2025. The draft text of an executive order directs the newly sworn-in secretary of education to take steps to prepare for the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education.
    Graeme Sloan for Education Week
    Federal Draft of Trump Order Tells Linda McMahon to Prepare for Ed. Dept.'s Dismantling
    The draft executive order says that "the federal bureaucratic hold on education must end."
    Brooke Schultz, March 6, 2025
    •
    10 min read
    Education Secretary Linda McMahon, left, greets Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., before President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
    Education Secretary Linda McMahon, left, greets Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., before President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. The National Education Association and ACLU are suing the U.S. Department of Education over its letter seeking to end race-based programming in schools.
    Ben Curtis/AP
    Law & Courts Nation's Largest Teachers' Union Sues Education Department Over DEI Threats
    It's the second lawsuit to challenge the guidance that seeks to end diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools.
    Brooke Schultz, March 5, 2025
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    4 min read
    Vector illustration of a businessman's hands tearing a piece of paper in half with a large red dollar sign on it.
    DigitalVision Vectors
    Education Funding Teacher-Prep Programs Sue Trump to Get Their Funding Restored
    The programs say the grant terminations hurt their ability to prepare aspiring teachers and hurt the schools that depend on them.
    Mark Lieberman, March 4, 2025
    •
    4 min read
    Linda McMahon, former Administrator of Small Business Administration, speaks during the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.
    Linda McMahon, former Administrator of Small Business Administration, speaks during the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.
    J. Scott Applewhite/AP
    Federal Explainer Linda McMahon, U.S. Secretary of Education: Background and Achievements
    Background and highlights of Linda McMahon's tenure as the 13th U.S. Secretary of Education.
    Education Week Library Staff, March 4, 2025
    •
    2 min read
    A photograph of a stack of dollar bills frozen inside of a large block of ice on a white background
    iStock/Getty
    Education Funding Education Groups Demand Congress' Help to Reverse Trump's Grant Terminations
    More than 100 education organizations want top congressional lawmakers to help reinstate grant funding for teacher prep programs.
    Mark Lieberman, March 4, 2025
    •
    5 min read
    Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Education, testifies during her Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee confirmation hearing, at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, on Feb. 13, 2025.
    Linda McMahon testifies during her Feb. 13, 2025, confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee at the U.S. Capitol. The Senate has confirmed McMahon to serve as the next secretary of education.
    Graeme Sloan for Education Week
    Federal Linda McMahon Is Confirmed by Senate as Education Secretary
    The former wrestling mogul will become the nation's 13th secretary of education, and she has pledged to be its last.
    Brooke Schultz & Matthew Stone, March 3, 2025
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    4 min read
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EdWeek Market Brief

Regulation & Policy K-12 Market News Sizing Up DOGE's Education Contract Cuts: What's Been Targeted
EdWeek Market Brief examines claims made by the cost-cutting entity overseen by Elon Musk, which has cancelled an array of research-focused programs and projects.
Emma Kate Fittes & Maya Riser-Kositsky
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5 min read
Regulation & Policy Market Analysis What Gutting the Education Department Would Mean for the Education Industry: 4 Takeaways
As reports circulate of a draft executive order to dismantle the agency, product providers can offer districts assurance and counsel.
Michelle Caffrey & Emma Kate Fittes
•
12 min read
Meeting District Needs Market Analysis With Culture Wars Poised to Erupt Again, This Is the Support Districts Want From Companies
An EdWeek Market Brief survey asked K-12 leaders what help they need from vendors, as the Trump administration targets race- and gender-focused lessons
Sean Cavanagh
•
4 min read
Regulation & Policy K-12 Market News Quiz: How Much Do You Know About the Trump Administration’s Efforts to Change K-12 Policy and Funding?
The early months of President Donald Trump’s second term in office have been marked by rapid-fire and controversial actions that have aimed to upend decades-old federal education policies and practices.
Emma Kate Fittes
•
1 min read
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