Issued by: The Freedom in Education Media Team 

Coverage Dates: June 9–20, 2025

1. LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

? SCOTUS Ruling Strengthens Disability Rights in Education

On June 12, the United States Supreme Court ruled to remove obstacles facing students with disabilities in seeking equal access to education.

Key Notes:

• The case, A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools, centers on Ava Tharpe, a teenager with severe epilepsy, and her family’s lawsuit against a Minnesota school district.
• The Tharpe family alleged that the district refused to accommodate their request that Ava receive instruction in the evening — it is challenging for her to participate during regular hours due to her epilepsy — as she had in her previous school, causing her to have access to fewer instructional time than her peers.
• SCOTUS reversed a federal court’s ruling that sided with the district. In the prior decision, the Tharpes were required to show that the district acted in “bad faith” or with “gross misjudgment.”
• Chief Justice John Roberts lowered this bar and wrote that the family only needed to show “deliberate indifference.”

Disability groups and advocates celebrate this decision, as it lowers the standard of proof in cases related to disability challenges and allows Americans to bring these cases forward successfully.

? FIE’s Perspective: Educational Freedom

The routine failings of the public school system to address students’ special needs emphasize the goal of FIE’s “Educational Freedom” philosophy: to bridge educational disparities. 

Enabling a parent’s ability to choose institutions with specific expertise to suit their child’s learning differences is one of the many facets of educational freedom.

? Federal Suit Questions Constitutionality of HSI Grants

On June 11, the state of Tennessee, in collaboration with the organization Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), filed a lawsuit against the Department of Education (DOE).

• According to Higher Ed Dive, the DOE has a “decades-long practice” of allocating a portion of federal grant funding to “Hispanic-serving institutions,” otherwise known as HSIs.
  
  • Context: an HSI is a nonprofit higher-education institution that enrolls an undergraduate population of at least 25% Hispanic students.
    
• TN and SFFA allege that this is unconstitutional and that the grant program has “ethnicity-based requirements.”
  
• Their primary argument is that these stipulations are discriminatory and reduce funding opportunities to support all students in the face of these “arbitrary ethnic targets.”

2. FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DOE)

9️⃣ DOE Escalates Title IX Investigations Involving Gender Identity

• The DOE announced on Thursday that it is elevating two Title IX investigations to the newly formed Title IX Special Investigations Team (Title IX SIT), which includes the U.S. Department of Justice.
  

• • This action comes after a male athlete was permitted to compete in a female softball match under the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL), which had already stated its intentions to adhere to “gender identity” versus biological sex.
    
• The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and MSHSL will be subject to these inquiries, as the MDE was also reported via complaint, which alleged it had policies allowing males in female intimate facilities.
  

? Title IX Rewrite Update – August 2024 Context

• In August 2024, Freedom in Education released an update outlining concerns about the legality and impact of the Biden-era Title IX reinterpretation:
  
  • Dismissal of biological distinctions
    
  • Suppression of free speech
    
  • Retaliation concerns for educators and students who objected
    
• The current administration’s return to statutory alignment reflects deference to Congressional authority and underscores a commitment to lawful protections for women and girls in schools.

3. HEADLINES FROM K-12 + BEYOND

• USA Today reported on June 11 that a growing number of Gen Z high school graduates are reconsidering traditional higher education plans in favor of learning a trade.
• The 74 published an article on the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ)’s findings that 20+ states are not adequately preparing K-12 instructors to teach math.
  
• The Hechinger Report states that, following significant cuts, the DOE is reinstating research and data contracts and rehiring employees.

4. STATE LEGISLATION/UPDATES

?️ Additional State Notes:

? Central Region

• Louisiana

• • • The State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Brumley, is proposing a set of policy recommendations to be decided on by a statewide board on August 20-21.
      • These recommendations would streamline redundant training materials, enhance teacher autonomy in lesson planning, and enforce stricter discipline.
• “Students and teachers deserve peaceful schools.” – Dr. Brumley

? Western Region

• California

• • • As of mid-June, the Trump Administration and the state of California have been at odds over Title IX policies, particularly the inclusion of biological males in female sports.
    • As a result of the discord, $8 billion in government funding is at risk and may not be allocated to the state.

• Oregon

• • • A staggering $11.4 billion in education funding has been passed by state lawmakers and is awaiting Governor Kotek’s decision.
      • Specific student needs, which have been rising in cost, have been targeted:
        • Special needs students
        • Teacher retention
        • Dual language programs

• Washington State

• • New data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a charity focused on the well-being of American children, highlights the decline of Washington in national elementary reading and math proficiency.
    • In 2015, WA was ranked 20th. In 2025, it is ranked 27th.
    • This raises concerns about the state’s adherence to Common Core.
    • Key figures:
      • 66% of 4th graders failed to meet reading standards.
      • 70% of 8th graders failed to meet math standards.
      • 11% decrease in reading proficiency since 2017 for 8th grade.
      • 8% decrease in math proficiency since 2017 for 8th grade.

5. RESOURCES & LINKS

• ✒️ Supreme Court Ruling
  
• ✍️ Letter from TN AG
• ? FIE on Educational Freedom
• ? DOE Press Release
• ? FIE Title IX Guide
• ? State Bill Tracking Portal
• ? Annie E. Casey Foundation Data

? Contact Us: press@freedomined.org