Every week our newsroom monitors the news for the top stories in education from a variety of sources ranging from the mainstream media to blogs and other analysis, and compile them for you. Here’s the latest in education:
What Cuts Have Been Made at the Department of Education? Nearly $1B Slashed
Newsweek
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has cut nearly $1 billion from the Department of Education, terminating 169 contracts within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). While key programs like the National Assessment of Educational Progress remain, long-term studies on student learning and disability support are affected. Critics, including Senator Patty Murray, argue the cuts undermine public education research. Trump, who aims to dismantle the department, supports Musk’s role in downsizing federal agencies. An executive order to further reduce the department’s influence is expected soon, though congressional mandates may limit the extent of these cuts.
Washington Senate passes changes to parental rights in education
Fox 13 Seattle
The Washington State senate has passed a bill, effectively making changes to parental rights in education. Democrats were able to pass the bill on a party-line vote, given that the party has control of the state senate. The changes include removal of parental notice for medical procedures or treatments of children, angering Republican officials in opposition to the passage of the bill. After passage of the bill, there will also be protections against parents reviewing school curriculum and classroom standards, as well as preventing parents from accessing student records. Proponents of the bill argue that it allows young adults to make decisions about their own medical needs and bodily autonomy, but opponents argue that the bill is too bureaucratic and puts an unnecessary wedge in between parents and their children.
New Hampshire Bill Proposes Fewer Requirements for High School Graduation
Forbes
A bill has been proposed in New Hampshire with the hopes of lowering the prerequisites for graduation. This would eliminate several subjects from being essential toward graduation including arts education, world languages, personal finance literacy, and others. With the reduction of the overall course load and the minimization of existing subjects, the credits for a high school diploma would drop from 13 to eight. The goal of the bill, according to its author, State Representative Dan McGuire, is to help make educators concentrate on reading, writing, and math. The public comment page of the bill has received negative feedback that mostly consists of people who believe their kids will be less educated if this is passed.
House GOP outlines education funding proposal with 2.25% increase for K-12
Cedar Rapids Local
Iowa’s house GOP proposed a 2.25% increase in K-12 education funding. This increase would include a $5.3 million addition to transportation funding. To ensure that all districts reach the state funding average. Additionally, 25 new staff positions would be created, for districts to share administrative costs. Not only would this proposal affect students in public school but also students/families who are considering private schools. $97 million would go towards education savings accounts to allow for more students to attend private schools statewide.
Gutted courses, fewer majors, faculty layoffs: Who will feel Cal State’s 8% budget cut?
CalMatters
Governor Gavin Newsom proposes cutting $375 million from the California State University System. This would amount to an 8% reduction that could lead to fewer course offerings, fewer majors, and faculty layoffs. This falls under Newsom’s 2025-26 budget proposal on reducing budgets in California to fix the state’s budget deficit. Sonoma State University has already made plans to make significant cuts by shutting down their NCAA Division II athletics. Senator John Laird stated that these reductions are “untenable” and warned that they can have long-term consequences for CSU campuses.
Trump calls for withholding federal money from schools and colleges that require COVID vaccines
AP News
Schools and universities that require students to have received a COVID-19 vaccine could lose federal funding, under an executive order signed into law on Friday, February 14th. This action relates to a campaign promise from President Trump, who said he would “not give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate.” How much impact this order will have remains yet to be seen however, as COVID-19 vaccine mandates have been largely dropped at educational institutions across the U.S., and many states have already passed legislation against such laws. Nonetheless, the order is in place, and it says that, “Given the incredibly low risk of serious COVID-19 illness for children and young adults, threatening to shut them out of an education is an intolerable infringement on personal freedom.”
