Florida took center stage at the American Federation of Teachers national convention in Houston this week, as educators rallied to support and improve public schools.

Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, was among the attendees, who noted teachers nationwide are watching the Sunshine State. He highlighted a moment when a former Jacksonville teacher, targeted by the DeSantis administration for displaying a Black Lives Matter flag, introduced AFT President Randi Weingarten, whose State of the Union speech addressed such ongoing battles.

"Even in Florida, where we're constantly under attack by a governor and a commissioner of education aimed at undermining public education, we fight back and we win," Spar asserted.

As Gov. Ron DeSantis promotes charter schools and claims Florida leads in education, Spar argued the governor and Legislature have neglected public school funding, calling for better support, pay and health insurance for teachers and staff.

In her address, Weingarten focused on political battles nationwide, endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president and emphasized the importance of unions, addressing teacher burnout, wellness and support for education for all.

"Public schools are essential to our children's future and to our democracy," Weingarten argued. "Every public school should be a place where families want to send their children, educators want to work, and all students thrive."

The convention's agenda also includes discussions on academic freedom, affordability in higher education, and the fight against the "adjunctification" of faculty, the practice of using adjunct instructors to cover courses which could be taught by full-time faculty members.

As the Trump administration makes good on promises to abolish the U.S. Department of Education, educators and parents are raising concerns about the effects on children with disabilities and civil rights.

Nearly half of the agency's staff has been laid off or resigned since President Donald Trump's second inauguration.

Carrie Bingham, a Colorado mother of a special needs student, said the speed and haphazard nature of the staffing cuts is alarming.

"Cutting it off by the knees is going to have such serious repercussions on literally, kids, like individual kids around the country," Bingham pointed out. "That's just not OK."

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said staffing cuts are the first step in plans to abolish the agency she oversees. Colorado's Phil Weiser and 20 other state attorneys general have asked a federal judge to block the cuts because they would prevent the Education Department from fulfilling its legal duties. The Trump administration claims it will deliver on all statutory programs, including funding for special-needs students. Affected staff are set to be placed on administrative leave on Friday.

Last year, Colorado received more than $1.2 billion in federal funds to support education programs, roughly the same dollar amount as the current state budget deficit, which is already putting school funding at risk.

Christi Herrick, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers Local 6186, said federal funds are essential for students who need additional resources, especially in rural areas.

"Without the Department of Education, rural school districts would lose federal funding that provides speech therapy, language therapy, occupational therapy, psychiatric services and all kinds of special services that special-ed students require," Herrick outlined.

The Trump administration has issued layoff notices for all civil rights staff in seven of the agency's 12 regional offices. The department's Office for Civil Rights is charged with protecting students from discrimination and sexual assault and making sure all Americans have equal access to education.

The number of working-age Wyoming adults with college degrees or valuable credentials increased by over 18% between 2009 and 2023, according to Lumina Foundation. One expert called that jump "incredible," but wonders if a new state law could affect that trajectory.

Gov. Mark Gordon signed a law earlier this month that prohibits state institutions from using differential treatment "based on race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity or national origin." That broad language includes religious groups, programming for international students, single-sex dorms and even groups including "Dads Making a Difference."

Courtney Brown, vice president of strategic impact and planning with Lumina Foundation, encouraged the state to ensure everyone in Wyoming has the opportunity to pursue more education.

"There are probably many people that don't have the opportunity and those people may be left behind," she said.

According to the Lumina report, Wyoming's overall education attainment level is 43%, but it is lower for some racial and ethnic groups. The level for Hispanics is 29%, and for American Indians and Alaska Natives is 18%.

Brown noted that Wyoming's data show a low attainment rate for young people. In 2022, Wyoming had the highest rate in the U.S. of people in their 30s born in the state who had moved out - over 60%.

"Public institutions need to really think about: what do their economies need? What does the economy need in Wyoming? And let's make sure we are providing credentials of value to those individuals," she continued.

According to the 2024 Wyoming Workforce Annual Report, roughly half of new jobs in 2023 were in four industries: construction, professional and business services, mining, and leisure and hospitality.

The potential dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education has sparked concern in Ohio.

Threatened moves by the Trump administration's so-called Department of Government Efficiency have Buckeye educators and union leaders worried about the effects on students and schools across the state.

Scott DiMauro, president of the Ohio Education Association, said Ohio schools receive approximately 10% of their funding from federal sources, with some high-poverty districts relying on as much as 25%.

"What we see happening now is the administration taking a sledgehammer, eliminating staff, cutting programs, canceling contracts," DiMauro observed. "And all of that, while it seems like DC stuff, it's things that have a real impact on our students and educators here in the state of Ohio."

DiMauro added programs like Title I, which support over 800,000 low-income students and federal oversight of special education would be significantly affected. The Department of Education released a statement saying it would cut nearly 50% of the department's workforce.

The Department of Government Efficiency, guided by billionaire Elon Musk, aims to reduce government waste and cut funding to schools promoting "critical race theory" and "transgender ideologies".

The possible dissolution of the Education Department also raises concerns among federal employees within the Department of Education.

Sheria D. Smith, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, the union that represents Department of Education employees, said it is a relatively tiny federal agency of just 4,000 employees. She noted five years ago under the last Trump Administration, department staff were asked to fulfill Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training and now they are being told they are being laid off for upholding DEI.

Smith explained members hold roles such as civil rights attorneys, loan processors, statisticians, IT professionals and press specialists.

"What we are not, though many of us are former teachers, we are not teachers," Smith pointed out. "We do not dictate curriculum, talk about fraud, race, and waste, and abuse. How many people who are making double our salary don't seem to even understand what we do at the U.S. Department of Education."

While some Ohioans see the move as an opportunity for greater state control over education, others warned it could lead to funding gaps and increased burdens on local taxpayers.