Freedom in Education: Bi-Weekly Policy Brief

August 18, 2025/

Freedom in Education: Bi-Weekly Policy Brief

Issued by: The Freedom in Education Media Team 

Coverage Dates: July 28–August 17, 2025

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DOE) NEWS

🏫 Flexibilities Under ESEA

This week, the Department of Education (DOE) urged state education leaders to utilize existing flexibilities and waivers under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). 

Key Notes:

  • This directive, issued via a letter to all chief state school officers on July 29, aims to give states more discretion over federal academic programs and reduce burdens. 
  • The move is a direct response to the poor 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math and reading scores. 
  • The Department encourages states to innovate and improve academic achievement by leveraging these flexibilities, including the option to seek waivers through Title VIII of the ESEA. 

🙏 Innovative Statewide Assessments

The DOE approved Missouri to pilot an innovative statewide assessment program, starting this academic year. 

  • This initiative, part of the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority (IADA) program, aims to reshape how student learning is measured in reading, language arts, and mathematics, focusing on “personalized learning” and “real-time feedback.”
  • Missouri’s “Success-Ready Student Assessment System” will conduct smaller assessments throughout the school year to achieve this initiative. to provide “real-time reporting” and support “personalized learning” for students.

NOTABLE COURT DECISIONS

👨‍⚖️ Oklahoma and Arkansas Courts Rule on Curriculum and Religious Displays

  • Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Supreme Court has allowed new social studies standards to go into effect for the upcoming school year. 
    • The standards, championed by State Superintendent Ryan Walters, are described as promoting “American exceptionalism.”
    • Opponents, however, allege that the curriculum violates the state constitution by including overtly religious teachings and false information. 
  • Arkansas: A U.S. District Judge has blocked a new Arkansas law that would mandate the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. 
    • The judge ruled that the law is part of a multi-state effort to introduce Christian-based teachings into public schools.

FEDERAL NEWS

News Events:

  • Federal Funding “Unfreeze”
      • The White House released over $5 billion in federal funding to school systems after withholding it for weeks. To learn more, read our previous Bi-Weekly Brief.
  • President Trump Revives the Presidential Fitness Test
      • Trump signed an Executive Order to revive the Presidential Fitness Test, a more rigorous set of requirements for students in American gym classes; the test includes pull-ups, timed laps, and other monitored exercises. It was previously replaced by the Obama Administration with the Pacer Test.
  • Linda McMahon’s State Tours Spotlight Local Schools and Communities
    • Education Secretary Linda McMahon has launched her “Returning Education to the States” tour—visiting Louisiana, Arkansas, and beyond—to meet with teachers, families, and leaders and promote localized K‑12 governance.

SCHOOL CHOICE

🚸 Arizona’s School Voucher Program Under Scrutiny

Within the broader debate on school choice, a recent Washington Post article highlights how Arizona’s expansive school voucher program, also known as Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs), is impacting its public education system. 

  • This program, which provides state funds for students to attend private schools, has contributed to financial strain and declining enrollment in public schools, leading to the closure of several schools in the state. 
  • The topic is polarizing — critics argue the program diverts essential resources from public education, while supporters maintain it offers families greater freedom in choosing the best educational environment for their children.

📢 Parents Desire Educational Freedom

Parents’ demand for school choice nationwide has risen, based on the results of a new survey from Navigate School Choice as a part of the National School Choice Awareness Association. 

  • 74%, or nearly 47 million parents, responded to the survey, indicating that they considered sending their children to a different school in the past year. 
    • Over 3000 parents weighed in on the June 2025 survey.
RESOURCES & LINKS

📧 Contact Us: press@freedomined.org

Policy
Posted in
Shopping Cart
Scroll to Top