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Following January 2025 immigration raids in California’s Central Valley, student absences rose 22%, totaling 81,000 missed school days among 113,000 children across five districts. Stanford professor Thomas Dee attributed the spike to fear and trauma: “Aggressive interior immigration enforcement drives families with school-age children away.” The broader climate of increased enforcement under the new administration, including raids at schools and daycares, has sparked lawsuits and national concern. Experts warn the psychological toll disrupts learning, especially for younger children in immigrant households, who are left feeling unsafe and anxious.

 

The 74 (Online)

Level Up Your Students’ Future-Ready Skills

As the workforce and student needs evolve, how can schools ensure students are future-ready? Career and Technical Education (CTE) offers a strategic solution. Our comprehensive free guide empowers school leaders with practical tools—from student interest surveys to employment landscape checklists—to strengthen CTE offerings and equip students with the skills, knowledge, and mindsets needed for future success.

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Career and technical education (CTE) programs are increasingly centered on technology, particularly digital tech, IT, AI, and cybersecurity. A recent EdWeek survey found that 28% of schools launched such programs in the last five years. Michael Connet from the Association for Career and Technical Education noted that the pandemic spurred ed tech adoption, saying, “Now that we're back in person… ed tech has stayed with them.” Alongside tech, construction and hospitality remain key CTE tracks, with even non-tech fields integrating more digital tools.

 

Education Week News

On Thursday more than 850 local, state and national organizations, led by the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates and the Council of Administrators of Special Education, released a joint commitment to support federal special education law, and to oppose any move that separates services for students with disabilities from the U.S. Department of Education. The coalition, which includes the Association for School Business Officials International, emphasizes that the Education Department must remain independent, fully staffed, and adequately funded, and that the federal government plays a crucial role in special education through funding, policy, and enforcement. To guide policy and advocacy, the groups released seven principles affirming the importance of public education, family–school partnerships, federal oversight, adequate funding, and maintaining students’ rights to a Free Appropriate Public Education in the Least Restrictive Environment. In 2023, the last year for which federal data is available, about 8.4m infants, toddlers, children and young adults with disabilities qualified for IDEA services.

 

K-12 Dive

Texas’ new law mandating Ten Commandments posters in public school classrooms has prompted resignations, legal battles, and widespread controversy. High school theater teacher Gigi Cervantes resigned, saying: “I just was not going to be a part of forcing or imposing religious doctrine onto my students.” While some districts like Frisco acted swiftly, others, including Galveston, paused amid lawsuits and court orders blocking enforcement. The law, requiring conspicuous display of donated posters, has stirred debates among educators, parents, and students, raising constitutional concerns and fears about religious freedom and inclusion.

 

ABC News

Orlando Sentinel

Neda Farid, a member of the Glendale USD board of education, has been nominated for the California School Board Association’s (CSBA) Delegate Assembly for District 23A. The GUSD board can nominate a member or someone from the region for the two available seats. Shant Sahakian, who has served on the assembly, expressed gratitude to the 13 school boards that elect representatives, stating: “I would love to see a member of our district continue the tradition in representing the 13 districts of 23A.” If elected, Farid will succeed Sahakian alongside Kathleen Cross. The board unanimously declared her the nominee, with members congratulating her on this significant achievement.

 

Cresenta Valley Weekly

The Board of Trustees at Rincon Valley USD has faced questions from the community over the district's plans to tackle an $8.5m deficit announced last month. The district has said the deficit, equivalent to around 8% of its budget, has been driven by rising costs, declining enrollment in the TK-6 system, and the loss of one-off pandemic-related funding. Superintendent Mike Herfurth has set out a number of possible options for reconfiguring the district, with each plan involving the closure of one existing elementary school.

 

Press Democrat

Cost-cutting measures being considered by Tamalpais UHSD that would affect Tamiscal High School and San Andreas High School have sparked opposition from students, teachers and parents, with almost 100 people attending a recent board meeting to discuss the proposals. Superintendent Courtney Goode said she can "understand and appreciate people's advocacy for their kids, and the teachers and programs that serve their kids well - that's a very real thing", but has warned that the "structural deficit we are facing is also real".

 

Merced Sun Star

The Glendale USD board of education has approved a new mobile communications policy, following extensive discussions and community feedback. The policy outlines different requirements for mobile device use based on grade level. For elementary and middle school students, limited use is allowed during emergencies, with teacher permission, for individualized education plans (IEPs), or when medically necessary, such as for tracking insulin levels. High school teachers will collaborate with students and parents to create site-specific policies. The GUSD superintendent has the authority to restrict access to mobile devices to protect privacy and prevent illegal activities.

 

Cresenta Valley Weekly

Music teachers in the Modesto City Schools district have raised complaints with the Board of Education over a proposal to restructure the elementary school day. Teachers have expressed fears that while the proposals, which aim to increase exposure to the visual and performing arts, would ensure general education music classes for all students, this would come at the expense of more in-depth classes, such as those teaching students to play instruments.

 

The Modesto Bee

In a reflective piece, April Jackson, a microschool founder and advocate for culturally relevant, student-centered learning, shares insights on the importance of school choice and belonging through the experiences of two students in their microschool in Atlanta. One student with ADHD thrives in an active learning environment, while another feels disconnected due to the author's structured teaching style. Jackson acknowledges the challenge of meeting every child's needs in traditional public schools, saying: "I was expected to reach every child, regardless of fit." This experience led to the realization that true equity in education means recognizing that each child has unique needs and finding the right environment for them. Ultimately, the author emphasizes that being selective in school enrollment is not about exclusion but about aligning educational practices with the needs of students.

 

EdSurge

Armed men have abducted an unconfirmed number of pupils from St Mary's School in Papiri, Niger state, during a pre-dawn raid, marking the second school kidnapping in Nigeria within a week. Authorities had previously ordered the closure of boarding schools in the area due to security threats. Nigeria has faced a renewed wave of attacks by armed groups in recent days, including the kidnapping on Monday of 25 schoolgirls from a boarding school in nearby Kebbi state. It was not immediately clear who is responsible for the latest incidents. More than a decade ago, the Boko Haram insurgency was behind the mass abduction of 276 Chibok schoolgirls, an attack that drew international attention to the extremist group.

 

ABC News

BBC News