State Policy

Read more about state laws, regulations, and programs that impact education
Special education teacher Chris Simley, left, places a coffee order at a table staffed by student Jon Hahn, volunteer Phil Tegeler, student Brianna Dewater and student Mykala Robinson at Common Grounds coffee shop at Lincoln High in Lincoln, Neb., on Oct. 26, 2018. Down a hallway lined with Lincoln High School's signature red lockers, through the doors of Room 123, teachers can find a little early-morning salvation: a caffeine oasis open for business each Friday morning.
Special education teacher Chris Simley, left, places a coffee order at a table staffed by student Jon Hahn, volunteer Phil Tegeler, student Brianna Dewater, and student Mykala Robinson at Common Grounds coffee shop at Lincoln High in Lincoln, Neb., on Oct. 26, 2018. Policies regarding the maximum age at which students are eligible for special education services have changed quickly in recent years, providing a potential lifeline for families but a challenge for districts in keeping families abreast of the changes.
Gwyneth Roberts/Lincoln Journal Star via AP
Special Education Special Ed. Policies Can Change Fast. Districts Can Help Families Navigate Them
States have raised the maximum age of eligibility for special education services. But policies often change quickly.
Caitlynn Peetz, July 17, 2024
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4 min read
Parents, students, and staff of Chino Valley Unified School District hold up signs in favor of protecting LGBTQ+ policies at Don Antonio Lugo High School, in Chino, Calif., June 15, 2023. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law Monday, July 15, 2024, barring school districts from passing policies that require schools to notify parents if their child asks to change their gender identification.
Parents, students, and staff of Chino Valley Unified School District hold up signs in favor of protecting LGBTQ+ policies at Don Antonio Lugo High School, in Chino, Calif., June 15, 2023. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law Monday, July 15, 2024, barring school districts from passing policies that require schools to notify parents if their child asks to change their gender identification.
Anjali Sharif-Paul/The Orange County Register via AP
Equity & Diversity Should Schools Tell Parents When Students Change Pronouns? California Says No
The law bans schools from passing policies that require notifying parents if their child asks to change their gender identification.
Brooke Schultz, July 16, 2024
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5 min read
bible lying on a school desk with a lesson plan and calendar
tamaw/E+
Curriculum Should the Bible Be Taught in Public Schools?
Are recent pushes to include the Bible about cultural literacy—or a pretext for politicians who want Christianity in public schools?
Evie Blad, July 15, 2024
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10 min read
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signs bills related to his education plan on June 19, 2024, at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School in Lafayette, La. Louisiana has become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom, the latest move from a GOP-dominated Legislature pushing a conservative agenda under a new governor.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, signs bills related to his education plan on June 19, 2024, at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School in Lafayette, La. One of those new laws requires that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom, but the law is similar to one from Kentucky that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in 1980.
Brad Bowie/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP
Law & Courts Posting Ten Commandments in Schools Was Struck Down in 1980. Could That Change?
In 1980, the justices invalidated a Kentucky law, similar to the new Louisiana measure, requiring classroom displays of the Decalogue.
Mark Walsh, July 11, 2024
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13 min read
A school building rests on vanishing columns of rolled hundred dollar bills. Vanishing property tax support for schools.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Getty Images
Education Funding A State Considers a Future in Which Schools Can't Rely on Property Taxes
How would school districts fill the gap if a governor gets his wishes?
Mark Lieberman, July 9, 2024
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10 min read
Photo of a young student solving a math problem with a notebook while watching a help video on a monitor and listening with headphones.
iStock/Getty
English Learners English Learners with Disabilities Lack Consistent State Support
An analysis of state education agencies' resources on English learners with disabilities found room for improvement.
Ileana Najarro, July 3, 2024
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4 min read
Image of books, money, calculator, and graduation cap.
cnythzl/DigitalVision Vectors
States Why This State Will Take a Class Requirement Off the Ballot—And Why It Matters
Asking voters to decide on a curriculum issue could set a tricky precedent, experts say.
Evie Blad, July 1, 2024
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2 min read
Image of a bible sitting on top of a school backpack.
Canva
States How States Are Testing the Church-State Divide in Public Schools
A new order to teach the Bible in Oklahoma is the latest action to fuel debate over the presence of religion in schools.
Evie Blad, June 28, 2024
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7 min read
cellphone distraction policy bans in schools static
Laura Baker/Education Week via canva
Ed-Tech Policy Tracker Which States Ban or Restrict Cellphones in Schools?
See which states are requiring cellphone restrictions or bans in schools.
Arianna Prothero, Lauraine Langreo & Alyson Klein, June 28, 2024
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1 min read
FILE - The Supreme Court is seen under stormy skies in Washington, June 20, 2019. In the coming days, the Supreme Court will confront a perfect storm mostly of its own making, a trio of decisions stemming directly from the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take up a case about a state law that bars certain medical care for transgender minors, with the legal issues holding potential implications for schools.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Law & Courts Supreme Court Case on Transgender Youth Medical Care May Impact Schools
The justices will decide whether a Tennessee law that bars certain treatments for transgender minors violates the equal-protection clause.
Mark Walsh, June 24, 2024
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5 min read
Image of a student sitting outside of a doorway.
DigitalVision
School Climate & Safety Can a Teachers' 'Bill of Rights' Bring Order to the Classroom?
Alabama's new law gives teachers the authority to remove misbehaving students from class.
Elizabeth Heubeck, June 20, 2024
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4 min read
Teacher helping adult special-needs student with computer.
iStock
Special Education Who's Eligible for Special Education Services? Schools Struggle to Keep Up
Many states now require schools to offer special education services to students until they turn 22. Costs and logistics can be daunting.
Mark Lieberman & Caitlynn Peetz, June 18, 2024
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9 min read
Human hand holding a magnifying glass over open holy bible book of Exodus verses for Ten Commandments, top view
Marinela Malcheva/iStock/Getty
States Does a Ten Commandments Display in Classrooms Violate the Constitution?
Louisiana is poised to become the first state to require all schools to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
Libby Stanford, June 13, 2024
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7 min read
Image of a pregnant person at work.
E+
Teaching Profession Teachers Are Pushing for Paid Parental Leave. How It's Going
Efforts to implement paid parental leave policies are slowly gaining traction, with teachers often advocating on their own behalf.
Elizabeth Heubeck, June 12, 2024
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7 min read
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