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 Happens to K-12 if the Department of Education Shuts Down?
Newsweek
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order officiating dismantling the Department of Education. Experts and educators fear that eliminating the DOE could disrupt federally funded programs, such as the Disabilities Education Act. Additionally without the oversight of funds for bilingual and special education programs, these programs face risks of being shut down. Analysts have predicted that the closing of the DOE could widen disparities between underfunded and well-funded districts across the country. Although Trump has signed the executive order, the full closure of the DOE remains uncertain because of the state’s legal actions.
Trump Ed Department Decimates Office Serving 5 Million Students Learning English
The 74
President Trump declared English the U.S.’s official language while dismantling the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA), which ensured proper use of funds for English learners. Nearly all OELA staff were laid off, raising concerns that federal support for 5 million students learning English will weaken. Advocates fear funding mismanagement and reduced teacher training quality. Title III oversight shifted to another department, but experts worry about capacity issues. The administration’s broader immigration policies add to concerns about equity for English learners. Lawsuits and congressional inquiries challenge the cuts, while education leaders stress OELA’s crucial role in supporting bilingual education.
New Trump demand to colleges: Name protesters — and their nationalities
The Washington Post
The Trump administration’s Education Department launched civil rights investigations into universities’ handling of campus antisemitism, breaking with precedent by demanding the names and nationalities of students accused of harassment. Federal attorneys questioned whether this data could be used for deportations as the administration ramped up enforcement against pro-Palestinian protesters. Columbia University faced severe financial penalties, and other universities received warnings. Legal experts raised concerns about student privacy and potential civil rights violations. The administration justified the request under anti discrimination laws, but critics argued it served broader immigration and national security goals rather than civil rights enforcement.
Cardinal News
Virginia Tech University has dissolved the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion office in accordance with an executive order from President Trump. This office was known on campus as the Office of Inclusive Strategy and Excellence. Protests from students and faculty erupted at the university in order to fight back against the measure but university officials decided to vote in favor of the measure, electing to side with the executive order that is sweeping throughout colleges and universities all over the country. When he was inaugurated back in January, President Trump made clear his desire to curb back DEI efforts and programs.
Five years on: COVID’s impact on schools–and what’s next for education
E School News
Five years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education in the United States of America and all around the world. These changes are still being seen today and schools are struggling to make adjustments. Teachers have had to pick up the slack, teaching students who are behind academically due to remote learning and schools being closed during the pandemic years. Research in education since 2022 has shown learning deficits in core subject areas, such as math and reading. The Nation’s Report Card, in particular, has shown a sharp decline in reading and test scores throughout the country. Widening academic gaps put some students ahead, while others fall behind and need to be caught up to grade-level learning standards. In order to thwart this decline, schools must focus on tools such as education technology in order to aid in learning progress and tutoring assistance that can identify problems that students may be having with their learning. The key is to look at data and see where improvements need to be made from state to state and school district to school district. It is also worth noting that not every student learns the same way, meaning that a one-size-fits-all approach to education often fails to find solid ground because it is too generalized.
US Naval Academy ends race consideration in admissions
KSL News
The U.S. Naval Academy has stopped considering race, ethnicity, and sex as factors in its admission process, which functions in ideological agreement with President Trump’s dismantling of government DEI programs. The academy had been using an affirmative action admissions program even after a Supreme Court ruling in 2023 ruled against the usage of such a system in admissions with civilian colleges and universities. Conversely, a U.S. District Judge ruled last year that the admissions program then used by the Naval Academy was legal. The recent change in policy however, which was revealed by a Justice Department legal filing on Friday, was made in the ongoing appeal of the group called Students for Fair Admissions, who were involved with the ruling made last year.
