Story Archive

Every K-12 education story we've tracked, newest first. Budget, technology, safety, infrastructure, policy, and leadership news from districts across America.

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EdSource
Policy & Legislation
Commuter school no more? Some Sacramento State students now must live on campus

Seeking to shed its reputation as a commuter school and increase student engagement, Sacramento State now requires some first-year students to live on campus, where monthly residential costs start at about $1,000.

EdSource
Technology & AI
California lawmakers reach long-awaited deal on school sexual abuse lawsuits

State lawmakers have reached a deal that would provide school districts some relief from the costs of childhood sexual abuse lawsuits filed after a 2020 law allowed victims to sue for abuse by public employees going...

Chalkbeat
Leadership
Newark’s chronic absenteeism rate drops to 8.5%. Here’s what district leaders say is working.

Newark Public Schools’ chronic absenteeism rate is the lowest in district history.

EdSurge
Technology & AI
AI Can Help One of K-12’s Biggest Challenges: Middle School Reading

Artificial intelligence can bridge the middle grades literacy gap by providing individualized student reading instruction at scale.

Chalkbeat
Policy & Legislation
Indianapolis Public Schools reverses no-zero grading policy

After roughly six years, IPS changed its grading policy to make it possible for students to receive a zero. However, students have multiple opportunities before that happens.

Chalkbeat
Leadership
Detroit school district to hold parents accountable for too many unexcused early sign-outs

DPSCD parents will have to meet with administrators if their child has three or more unexcused absences in a quarter. After six, they will be asked to sign an attendance contract.

Chalkbeat
Policy & Legislation
Judge dismisses conservative-leaning Colorado school districts’ lawsuit over transgender athlete policies

A group of Colorado school districts and charter school lost their lawsuit challenging the state's non-discrimination law, specifically protections for transgender people.

Chalkbeat
Leadership
Chicago school board delays proposal to steer more dollars to Chicago Arts High School

An exterior photo of the Chicago Arts High School in Chicago, Illinois. School board members decided Thursday to put off a vote on a resolution steering extra resources to the school.

EdSource
Technology & AI
CTA campaigns for Prop. 3, renewal of income tax for high earners

The California Teachers Association called for more funding for public schools and campaigned for Proposition 3 at a Thursday morning news conference. The CTA presented a joint report from the Economic Policy Institute,...

Chalkbeat
Leadership
Jennifer Custer drops out of race for Chicago school board president

Jennifer Custer, an incumbent member of the Chicago Board of Education, dropped out of the race to become the first elected president of the CPS school board.

Chalkbeat
Technology & AI
Virtual school enrollment has doubled in recent years, following pandemic-era surge

The increase in students in fully virtual public schools reflects families' growing power to opt out of traditional schooling. But research has raised major questions about the quality of online learning.

Chalkbeat
Budget & Finance
Illinois education advocates grow more divided on Pritzker’s impending federal tax-credit program choice

Chicago school board member Angel Gutierrez came out in support of Illinois’ participation at a Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, news conference outside South Loop Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois.

Leadership
20 Michigan colleges join new direct admissions program

Through MI College Match, students will be able to get automatic acceptance offers by uploading their transcripts to a free online portal.

The 74
Leadership
56% of Michigan Teachers Are Thinking About Leaving in Five Years, Poll Says

Most Michigan teachers feel deeply dedicated to their profession, but a quarter of them are considering leaving the profession within a year, and 56% might leave within five years. Those are the results of a new poll...

EdSource
School Safety
County superintendents race to enlist lawmakers’ help in battle with Tony Thurmond

County superintendents of schools argue that State Superintendent Tony Thurmond is threatening to undermine their ability to oversee financially distressed districts and want the Legislature to step in.

EdSource
Infrastructure
Candidate for California governor vows to ban classroom supply wish lists

Steve Hilton, Republican candidate for California governor, says he will ban California school staff from requesting parents send supplies to school with their children, if elected. “California spends nearly $28,000 per...

EdSource
Policy & Legislation
Orange County school district is first to ban e-bikes, scooters on K-8 campuses

An Orange County school district has banned e-bikes, and other electric vehicles such as scooters and boards from its K-8 campuses. The Newport-Mesa Unified School District is the first in California to ban the electric...

EdSource
Technology & AI
Central Coast school district wants revenue share if state’s only nuke plant stays open

A school district in San Luis Obispo County wants to keep receiving a cut of revenue from California’s only nuclear power plant should it remain in operation, The San Luis Obispo Tribune reported. Negotiations to close...

Chalkbeat
Budget & Finance
Eric Adams inked a $200 million internet deal for student Chromebooks. Mamdani is canceling it.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is canceling a $200 million initiative from his predecessor to equip hundreds of thousands of Chromebook laptops with free internet service.

Chalkbeat
Technology & AI
Chronic absenteeism rate fell in Colorado schools last year, still well above pre-pandemic level

More than a quarter of Colorado students were chronically absent in 2025-26, according to new state data.

The 74
Policy & Legislation
What to Know About State Takeovers as Texas Wrestles With the Future of Austin Public Schools

Chronic academic underperformance at two Austin public schools has the district in jeopardy of severe state sanctions. Now, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath will decide what intervention looks like for the...

Chalkbeat
Leadership
See how your Tennessee school performed on the 2026 TCAP

Tennessee released its school-level TCAP scores this week from spring 2026 assessments.

The 74
Technology & AI
Beyond Policy: Why Literacy Reform Is Entering a New Phase

Over the past several years, states across the country have rewritten early literacy policy at an unprecedented pace. Science of reading legislation, teacher training requirements, instructional material reforms, and...

District Admin
Policy & Legislation
Pa. may ban cellphones in schools. Some educators say they’re already seeing results—without pouches

The “bell-to-bell” bans face skepticism from students and parents. After going phone-free, early adopters say the difference is striking. The post Pa. may ban cellphones in schools. Some educators say they’re already...

The 74
Policy & Legislation
Opinion: What Districts Actually Need to Implement College & Career Pathways at Scale

In the past five years, there has been a surge in states playing a prominent role in improving outcomes for K-12 students. They’ve adopted evidence-based literacy policies, focused attention on math, and invested public...

The 74
Policy & Legislation
Veteran Educator Robert Franklin Wins GOP Runoff for Oklahoma Ed Chief

Robert Franklin, a retired Oklahoma educator, was enjoying life as a grandfather and giving lectures on the politics of education when he decided to become a candidate himself.  Now he’s likely to be the next state...

Technology & AI
Anna Maria bankruptcy sale of property faces objection from neighbor

The Roy family says the now-shuttered college promised to gift them a 2.4-acre parcel. The institution is disputing their property claim.

EdSource
Policy & Legislation
What Meta’s $17B social media addiction settlement means for California teens

Meta’s landmark settlement agreement with states is unprecedented in that it forces Meta to redesign key features of Instagram and Facebook for teens.

EdSource
Technology & AI
Education Beat is ending after 5 years. Here are the episodes we’ll remember most

The final episode of Education Beat airs this week. Podcast host Zaidee Stavely remembers some of the most noteworthy episodes over its five-year run.

EdSurge
Technology & AI
Student Artists Wrestle with AI’s Promise and Peril

Four student artists map out what artificial intelligence means for their communities today — and 50 years from now.