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Policy & Legislation

The latest Policy & Legislation news affecting school districts across America, updated twice daily and credited to original publishers.

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The 74
Policy & Legislation
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Proposes Penalties for Schools That Keep “Vulgar” Books on Library Shelves

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Wednesday vowed to pass legislation punishing public schools that do not remove graphic books from their shelves by knocking them down a notch in the state’s annual school performance ratings,...

The 74
Policy & Legislation
JB Pritzker’s Education Record Earns Key Endorsement from Illinois Teachers Union

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is seeking reelection this November, received a key endorsement on his education policies from the state’s largest union this week. Monday’s announcement marks the third time the Illinois...

Chalkbeat
Policy & Legislation
The Marion County Election Board took her off the ballot. Now, she’s challenging that decision in court.

Lindsey Cornett and Chris Bultman were both finalists to be appointed to fill the IPS District 4 seat ahead of the election. Now, Bultman is on the ballot for November. Cornett, however, wants to be put back on the...

Chalkbeat
Policy & Legislation
Back to school in Michigan: New cellphone rules, a fitness test, and more

Michigan schools are implementing policies for the 2026-27 school year that restrict students' use of cellphones during instruction.

Chalkbeat
Policy & Legislation
Where the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial candidates stand on education issues

Tennessee voters will head back to the polls on Nov. 3 to elect a new governor who will shape education policy for the next four years.

Education Dive
Policy & Legislation
Education Department proposes accreditation overhaul

The rule would ease the way for new accreditors to form and give agencies significant new duties, including overseeing intellectual diversity policies.

Chalkbeat
Policy & Legislation
Colorado’s 2026 CMAS scores: See how your school and district did

Math scores continued to rise, but progress was uneven in literacy, according to the latest Colorado state test results.

The 74
Policy & Legislation
FCC Review Could End School Internet Program. Advocates Plan ‘Very Loud’ Protest

As superintendent of Desert Sands Unified in California’s Coachella Valley, Kelly May-Vollmer has a hard time naming a system that’s not somehow connected to the district’s broadband network. Parents can check a school...

District Admin
Policy & Legislation
15 states have laws that allow corporal punishment in schools. Here’s where, and why

There is broad consensus among psychologists that corporal punishment can be harmful to children, but the U.S. has no federal laws banning it in public schools. Instead, it's up to states and local districts to...

Chalkbeat
Policy & Legislation
Arizona court kills voucher ballot measure, leaving a national school choice debate unresolved

Arizona's expansive school choice program has drawn national attention from admirers and detractors alike. A proposal to add more oversight won't appear on the ballot this fall, but the debates linked to it aren't over.

Chalkbeat
Policy & Legislation
As more Colorado students take college-level classes, a report says it’s time to make improvements

A new national report says Colorado and other states can improve results for high school students taking college-level classes.

EdSource
Policy & Legislation
Fresno State opens first student housing development in 50 years

Fresno State opened new student housing last week with some students moving in this week, The Fresno Bee reported. While the 22-campus California State University system has been adding thousands of beds over the last...

The 74
Policy & Legislation
Oklahoma Students Head Back to School With Focus on Literacy

OKLAHOMA CITY — Hundreds of thousands of Oklahoma children returned to school this week for their first academic year under strict new literacy laws. It will be their final school year before reading scores carry even...

The 74
Policy & Legislation
Opinion: 6 Keys to Moving CTE From Pilot to Permanent Part of a Redesigned HS Experience

Media stories about the skills mismatch between applicant qualifications and employer expectations have been a regular feature for decades. Among the most recent entries are a Washington Post story titled “Why...

District Admin
Policy & Legislation
Texas lawmakers push for later school start dates amid summer heat

State Rep. Jared Patterson is preparing legislation that would move the start of the school year to after Labor Day. The post Texas lawmakers push for later school start dates amid summer heat appeared first on District...

The 74
Policy & Legislation
SC Students Improve in Math and Reading, but Less Than Half Meet Math Benchmarks

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Elementary and middle school students posted their best scores yet on end-of-year standardized tests, though more than half still can’t calculate as expected for their age, according to state testing...

The 74
Policy & Legislation
Opinion: Head Start Was Built to Include Children With Disabilities. Don’t Weaken It

The federal government last week proposed sweeping changes to Head Start, describing them as a way to expand access for children. For families of children with disabilities, the question is what support will still be...

District Admin
Policy & Legislation
15% of Texas Schools scored below a ‘C’ on the state accountability scores

The scores grade how well specific campuses and school districts as a whole perform academically and prepare students for college and to enter the workforce. The post 15% of Texas Schools scored below a ‘C’...

Education Dive
Policy & Legislation
Unions sue Education Department over ‘professional’ degree rule

Under a new rule, the designation allows students to take out $200,000 in federal student loans versus $100,000 for other graduate programs.

Chalkbeat
Policy & Legislation
Colorado school board involved in ‘public Christian school’ drama violated open meetings law, judge rules

The Pueblo County District 70 school board is likely to immediately appeal the decision from a state judge that found it violated open meetings law.

The 74
Policy & Legislation
Opinion: Don’t Blink: Why NYC Reads Must Stay on Course

Nearly 25 years ago, I walked into the U.S. Department of Education at what felt like a remarkable moment in the history of reading instruction. The National Reading Panel had just been released, and for the first time...

Chalkbeat
Policy & Legislation
A controversial Colorado education group was in danger of dissolving. A 2013 agreement just saved it.

Pikes Peak State College planned to drop its membership in a controversial public education group. Now, it will stay on for 10 more months.

Chalkbeat
Policy & Legislation
Chicago Board of Elections rules on final challenges to school board candidacies

Candidates walk inside the Chicago Board of Elections Supersite in downtown Chicago to file paperwork on Monday, May 18, 2026. The board made its final rulings on petition challenges Tuesday.

District Admin
Policy & Legislation
The school year begins in LA with one big change

This year brings a new challenge for Armaghan Khan and many other teachers in the nation's second-largest school district: Ban screen time for younger students, and significantly limit it for older kids. The post The...

Education Dive
Policy & Legislation
Most 4-year graduates work in same state as their alma mater, report finds

States looking to grow their college-educated workforce should focus on "homegrown talent” over wooing outside workers, according to the analysis.

Chalkbeat
Policy & Legislation
NYC is acting faster on special education legal orders but still misses most deadlines

Manhattan federal Judge Loretta Preska signed a court order in 2023 requiring to the city to complete dozens of reforms to more quickly provide special education services and payments to families. The city has yet to...

Chalkbeat
Policy & Legislation
Newark piloted the state’s cellphone ban with positive results. Here are lingering concerns.

Newark piloted a cellphone ban last school year. The experience was positive in several respects, but teachers and parents still have concerns.

The 74
Policy & Legislation
Nearly 15 Years After Student Discipline Reform, School Suspensions in Mass. Are Falling. Are Emergency Removals Taking Their Place?

In 2012, after child advocates spent years trying to reduce punitive suspensions in schools, Massachusetts passed sweeping education reforms under Chapter 222, kickstarting a longstanding policy shift away from...

District Admin
Policy & Legislation
Trump administration moves to deregulate Head Start, opening door for sweeping change

The Trump administration is proposing significant changes that would diminish the program's federal standards and give states and parents more control. The post Trump administration moves to deregulate Head Start,...

Education Dive
Policy & Legislation
The Heritage Foundation releases sweeping model bill to overhaul higher ed

The conservative think tank framed the proposal as a way for state lawmakers to “codify the principles” of the Trump administration’s higher ed compact.