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Federal

Education news, analysis, and opinion about federal education policies and federal officials.
  • Image of a dollar bill folded into an upward arrow.
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    Federal Here's How the Feds Are Spending $277M for Academic Recovery
    A new round of grants from the Education Department aims to spur innovation in academic recovery, with initiatives in math, reading, and AI.
    Libby Stanford, December 5, 2023
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    4 min read
    Photo illustration of Capitol building and closed sign.
    iStock
    Federal Will the Government Actually Shut Down This Time? What Educators Should Know
    The federal government is once again on the verge of shutting down. Here's why educators should care, but shouldn't necessarily worry.
    Mark Lieberman, November 13, 2023
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    1 min read
    Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his office at the Department of Education on Sept. 20, 2023 in Washington.
    Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks during an interview in his office at the U.S. Department of Education on Sept. 20, 2023 in Washington.
    Mark Schiefelbein/AP
    Federal Biden Admin. Warns Schools to Protect Students From Antisemitism, Islamophobia
    The U.S. Department of Education released a "Dear Colleague" letter reminding schools of their obligation to address discrimination.
    Libby Stanford, November 7, 2023
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    3 min read
    House Speaker-elect Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., addresses members of Congress at the Capitol in Washington on Oct. 25, 2023. Republicans eagerly elected Johnson as House speaker on Wednesday, elevating a deeply conservative but lesser-known leader to the seat of U.S. power and ending for now the political chaos in their majority.
    House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., addresses members of Congress at the Capitol in Washington on Oct. 25, 2023. Johnson has a supported a number of conservative Republican education priorities in his time in Congress.
    J. Scott Applewhite/AP
    Federal What Educators Should Know About Mike Johnson, New Speaker of the House
    Johnson has supported restructuring federal education funding, as well as socially conservative policies that have become GOP priorities.
    Libby Stanford, October 25, 2023
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    4 min read
    Kimberly Robinson speaks at the kickoff event for the new Education Rights Institute at the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville, Va., on Oct. 16, 2023.
    Kimberly Robinson speaks at the kickoff event for the new Education Rights Institute at the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville, Va., on Oct. 16, 2023.
    Julia Davis, University of Virginia School of Law
    Federal America's Children Don't Have a Federal Right to Education. Will That Ever Change?
    An education scholar is launching a new research and advocacy institute to make the case for a federal right to education.
    Mark Lieberman, October 24, 2023
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    6 min read
    Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his office at the Department of Education on Sept. 20, 2023 in Washington.
    Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his office at the Department of Education on Sept. 20, 2023, in Washington. In an interview with Education Week, Cardona said "there hasn’t been another president in our lifetime that has spoken so much on providing dollars for education but also having education be central to the growth of this country."
    Mark Schiefelbein/AP
    Federal Q&A Miguel Cardona: There's No 'Magic Strategy' to Help Students Get Back on Track
    Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said he's focused on supporting schools on work they're already doing to help students achieve.
    Libby Stanford, October 19, 2023
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    8 min read
    President Joe Biden greets students at Eliot-Hine Middle School in Washington on Aug. 28, 2023. Biden visited the school, located east of the U.S. Capitol, to mark the District of Columbia's first day of school for the 2023-24 year.
    President Joe Biden greets students at Eliot-Hine Middle School in Washington on Aug. 28, 2023. Biden visited the school, located east of the U.S. Capitol, to mark the District of Columbia's first day of school for the 2023-24 year.
    Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
    Federal The Biden Administration Still Hasn't Defined Its K-12 Agenda. Why?
    With achievement in math and reading hitting its lowest point in decades, some want to see more urgency from the Biden administration.
    Libby Stanford, October 18, 2023
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    11 min read
    Learning Mandarin with Fruits Name Flash Cards
    EikoTsuttiy/iStock/Getty
    Federal Why GOP Politicians Are Talking About K-12 Chinese Language and Culture Classes
    A program that brings Chinese language and culture classes into K-12 schools was the focus of a recent congressional hearing.
    Libby Stanford, October 12, 2023
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    6 min read
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    F. Sheehan for Education Week / Getty
    Federal FEMA's Emergency Alert Test May Disrupt Classes. Here's How Schools Should Prepare
    FEMA will test its national emergency alert system Wednesday, involving an alert sent out to all cell phones at the same time.
    Libby Stanford, October 3, 2023
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    4 min read
    Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
    DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
    Federal Opinion Republicans Keep Talking About Abolishing the Education Department. Why?
    GOP presidential candidates have pledged to ax the federal agency. But it's unlikely they'll be able to keep those promises.
    Rick Hess, October 2, 2023
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    4 min read
    Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., speaks to members of the media as crowds of people participate in the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control on March 24, 2018, in San Francisco.
    Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., speaks to members of the media as crowds of people participate in the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control on March 24, 2018, in San Francisco.
    Josh Edelson/AP
    Federal Dianne Feinstein's Fight to Stop Gun Violence in Schools Central to Her Legacy
    The California Senator will be remembered for her strong support of gun restrictions to stop school shootings.
    Alyson Klein, September 29, 2023
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    5 min read
    President Joe Biden speaks about gun safety on Sept. 22, 2023, from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., applauds at left.
    President Joe Biden speaks about gun safety on Sept. 22, 2023, from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., applauds at left.
    Jacquelyn Martin/AP
    Federal Biden Credits School Shooting Survivors as He Creates Gun Violence Prevention Office
    President Biden announced the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, fulfilling a long-time goal of school shooting survivors.
    Evie Blad, September 22, 2023
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    5 min read
    Isaya S. waves out the window of a Seattle Public Schools bus while participating in the annual Seattle Pride Parade on June 25, 2023, in Seattle.
    Isaya S. waves out the window of a Seattle Public Schools bus while participating in the annual Seattle Pride Parade on June 25, 2023, in Seattle.
    Lindsey Wasson/AP
    Federal A Flood of Public Feedback Has Delayed a Title IX Change Covering Trans Athletes—Again
    The Biden administration has not taken the final step to adopt long-awaited Title IX changes that would explicitly protect LGBTQ+ students.
    Libby Stanford, September 20, 2023
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    5 min read
    Students participate in a school archery program. A group of congressional lawmakers are working to amend federal law to ensure schools can purchase bow and arrows and other supplies for archery, sharp shooting, and hunting programs in schools.
    Students participate in a school archery program. A group of congressional lawmakers are working to amend federal law to ensure schools can purchase bow and arrows and other supplies for school archery, sharp shooting, and hunting programs with federal education funds.
    Courtesy of the National Archery in the Schools Program
    Federal Is Funding for School Archery and Hunting Programs Really at Risk?
    A U.S. Department of Education document led to confusion among school administrators about funding for archery and hunting programs.
    Libby Stanford, September 18, 2023
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    4 min read
    Alexi Giannoulias, Illinois secretary of state, talks with Chairman Richard Durbin, D-Ill., right, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled "Book Bans: Examining How Censorship Limits Liberty and Literature," in Hart Building on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.
    Alexi Giannoulias, Illinois secretary of state, talks with Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., right, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled "Book Bans: Examining How Censorship Limits Liberty and Literature," on Sept. 12, 2023.
    Tom Williams/AP
    Federal A Senate Committee Takes Up School Book Wars, Complete With Sharp Partisan Divisions
    The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on "book bans" included one Republican senator reading sexually explicit passages.
    Mark Walsh, September 12, 2023
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    4 min read
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