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:
Using Too Many School Apps May Burden Parents, Teachers
With the innovations technology provides, k-12 schools have become more reliant on apps and web programs in the classroom. While many believe that they are helpful in the classroom ,studies show that teachers are overwhelmed by the obedience of apps. Many rated their satisfaction with the apps a 2 out of 10. They cite excessive administrative work and program glitches as concerns. 54% of teachers use between 10-15 different apps, and hope to see a reeducation in the number of apps used.
Teacher training grants temporarily reinstated in 8 states
A Federal Judge has blocked the U.S. Department of Education from terminating two teacher training grant programs. Which resulted in them temporarily being restored in eight states, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Wisconsin. The funding disruption has affected teacher pipeline programs throughout the nation, which has created additional lawsuits from teacher preparation groups. The attorney general will seek a preliminary injunction. To maintain the funding until a final court ruling is decided on.
Why waste, fraud and abuse may increase in schools after Trump cuts
USA Today
In his first two months back in office, President Trump has pushed for drastic cuts in the U.S. Department of Education, citing “waste, fraud, and abuse.” The layoffs have slashed the workforce, impacting oversight of student aid, civil rights enforcement, and college regulations. Critics warn that reducing staff will weaken protections for students and open the door to fraud. The FAFSA system experienced a major outage following the cuts, raising concerns about future issues. Lawsuits have been filed, arguing the cuts exceed executive authority. Former officials fear the department’s shift toward politically motivated investigations over essential student protections.
Judge Orders Education Dept. to Restore Some Grants to Schools
New York Times
A federal judge has issued an order that will require the Department of Education to restore multiple federal grants that were originally taken away on account of an executive order from the Trump Administration. Judge Julie R. Rubin of the Federal District Court for the District of Maryland states that President Trump acted illegally when cutting grants at the Department of Education and that the grants were an important step for ensuring resources be placed in underserved schools. The grants had totaled $600 million and were especially important for attracting talented teachers into these particular schools, including special needs educators. Critics however argue that the grants were prioritizing social-justice activism and were not serving the educational needs of students.
Portland teachers, parents join national protests against Trump’s cuts to education
Yahoo News
Teachers and parents in Portland, Maine are engaging in mass protest movements against cuts to the Department of Education by the Trump Administration. The group totaled 80 participants and is part of a national movement of organizing against public education cuts that is being spearheaded by the National Education Association. Maine has joined other states as a part of a lawsuit against these cuts that could impact school resources and disrupt public school funding. Maine received $250 million in K-12 funding for FFY 2024-2025, funding that is especially important for lower-income and disabled students.
Trump administration pauses $175M in funding to UPenn over trans athlete policy
NBC News
The White House announced in a post on X that it would be suspending $175M in funding to the University of Pennsylvania over its continued policy of permitting transgender females to compete in sports with biological females, which runs contrary to Executive Order 14201: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports. A UPenn spokesperson said that the university was aware of the post, but that it hadn’t received any official notification or details. UPenn also asserts however that it has previously been and continues to be in agreement with the NCAA and Ivy Leagues’ policies pertaining to student participation on athletic teams. Penn was the college that had permitted Lia Thomas to compete on the women’s swim team in 2022, which resulted in Thomas becoming the first transgender woman to win an NCAA swimming championship. A White House official has claimed that the funds were paused due to Thomas’s participation, and not due to two Title IX investigations launched by the Department of Education last month.
The Incredible Shrinking Department of Education
Education Next
Frederick M. Hess’s The Incredible Shrinking Department of Education examines the unprecedented layoffs at the U.S. Department of Education, which cut nearly half of its 4,000 positions. While Hess acknowledges inefficiencies in the department, he criticizes the lack of transparency regarding the cuts’ rationale and impact. He argues that simply reducing staff won’t address regulatory red tape or significantly shift power to states. The administration’s rush to downsize, without clear justification, risks backlash and potential legal challenges. Hess ultimately supports the concept of streamlining but warns that poor execution could undermine future education reform efforts.
California wants more kids in bilingual classes — but won’t spend enough to expand them
CalMatters
California has a goal to reach 1,600 dual language immersion programs in their public schools by 2030, but funding has been decreased due to legislators not taking action to address the shortage in bilingual teachers. Advocates are arguing that there needs to be more investment towards students to have quality bilingual education. A bill was proposed to have $5 million go to instructional materials but expert Conor Williams believes this isn’t enough to fix the situation.
Trump orders a plan to dismantle the Education Department while keeping some core functions
AP News
The article discusses President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at dismantling the U.S. Education Department, which he has criticized as wasteful and influenced by liberal ideology. Although this action aligns with a campaign promise, fully dismantling the department would likely require congressional approval since it was established by an act of Congress in 1979. Republicans plan to introduce legislation to facilitate this process, while Democrats have expressed strong opposition to the proposal. The summary indicates that the order outlines further actions regarding the education secretary’s role and responsibilities.
