Staff reporter at Desks and Bells, covering Schools.
The U.S. Department of Education has issued new school discipline guidance, calling on schools to 'stop racial balancing' and rebuffing previous attempts to reduce discipline disparities for Black and other historically marginalized students.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has opened a public comment period on a proposed rule that could change or discontinue the E-rate program, which provides discounted internet services to schools and libraries.
Two prominent challenges to laws requiring school districts to display the Ten Commandments have been appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
A California elementary school is piloting a multi-tiered system of supports model for social-emotional learning, which includes SEL curriculum, group support, and individual support for students.
Science educators advocate for shifting lab reports from dry, compliance-based exercises to engaging, inquiry-driven experiences that foster critical thinking and creativity. By encouraging students to develop their own procedures, analyze data, and justify conclusions, labs become more meaningful and memorable. Local partnerships and real-world applications further enhance student engagement and prepare them for STEM careers.
New York City Public Schools will introduce liaisons in all school buildings to address school avoidance, a behavior linked to chronic absenteeism and emotional distress. The initiative follows a federal lawsuit alleging inadequate support for students with disabilities. The program aims to identify and address mental health barriers, provide professional development, and create individualized attendance plans.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools will end its district-wide free meal program this August due to federal cuts to safety net programs under the Trump administration. The move follows a decline in SNAP participation, forcing the district to rescind universal free meals for most schools. Over 173,000 students relied on the program last year, and families now face significant financial burdens to cover school meals.
Dyscalculia, a learning disability affecting number and math processing, impacts as many students as dyslexia but receives far less attention in schools. A recent brief highlights the lack of identification systems, teacher training, and policy support, leaving many students undiagnosed and unsupported.
A coalition of unions, including the American Federation of Teachers, has sued the U.S. Department of Education over its regulatory definition of a 'professional degree', which excludes education graduate programs.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has released a collection of free K-12 cybersecurity resources to help school leaders mitigate and respond to unique cyber risks.
The U.S. Department of Education has announced it will no longer pursue systemic race-based discrimination investigations under the disparate impact legal theory. This move may impact cases currently under investigation, potentially narrowing or dropping them. We explore what this means for education and the future of systemic discrimination cases.