Education / Public News Service

More than one in three older Americans who still owe debt from college live with a child or parent, according to New America. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Dept. of Education cuts could spell trouble for UT's older student loan borrowers

Policy analysts have been sounding the alarm about the Department of Education's ability to reach and engage with low-income, disadvantaged and older …

Among older borrowers, 28% regularly provide unpaid help or care for an adult relative or friend, according to New America. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Education department layoffs could leave NV older borrowers in limbo

Policy analysts have been sounding the alarm on the Department of Education's ability to reach and engage with low-income, disadvantaged and older …

High school students are getting a head start on careers in the

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Program trains underserved high school students for 'data economy'

By Ramona Schindelheim for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Virginia News Connection reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News…

Oregon's system for funding early childhood special education was last updated in 2011. House Bill 2682 has garnered strong support from a broad coalition of early childhood advocates and educators. (Wosunan/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Bill would revamp OR special ed preschool funding

Legislation to overhaul the way Oregon funds early childhood special education has advanced through the state House with near unanimous support…

The Department of Education has reduced its workforce by nearly 50%, laying off approximately 1,300 employees, with an additional 600 either accepting separation packages or being dismissed during their probationary period. (Photo courtesy of OEA)

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Ohio educators alarmed over proposed elimination of DOE

The potential dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education has sparked concern in Ohio. Threatened moves by the Trump administration's so-called …

Gov. Josh Shapiro's new budget proposal boosts special education funding by $40 million, raising the total to over $1.5 billion to support high-quality services for students with disabilities and special needs. (nimito/AdobeStock)

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

PA teachers union opposes Trump plan to dismantle U.S. Department of Education

The Trump administration's effort to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education is facing strong opposition from the Pennsylvania State Education …

Some 557 Colorado schools serving more than 206,293 students are projected to be affected by a proposed $12 billion in cuts to federal school meal funding. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Blowback on GOP's proposed cuts to school meal programs

Children's advocates are crying foul after House Republicans called for $12 billion in cuts to school meal programs, including the Community …

More than one in 10 LGBTQ adults in the U.S. workforce are employed in the public sector, and nearly half are LGBTQ people of color, according to UCLA's Williams Institute. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 17, 2025

Utah lawmakers could do away with pride flags in schools, government buildings

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox could sign a bill that would ban LGBTQ+ pride flags from Utah's public schools and government buildings. The bill's …

When President Donald Trump took office, the Department of Education had 4,133 workers. Following last week's cuts, that number has dropped to around 2,183. (Prostock-studio/Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 17, 2025

MI educator says federal education cuts hit hard in Hamtramck schools

Cuts to the U.S. education system are expected to create a profound ripple effect on students and staff in Hamtramck's already struggling school …

Missoula has a younger population compared with the rest of Montana. Mayor Andrea Davis says the average age in Missoula is 35 but 40 elsewhere. (Kirk Fisher/Adobe Stock)

Local economic partnership helps MT town embrace new work sectors

By Laura Aka for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Big Sky Connection reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News Service Collab…

The U.S. Department of Education is putting laid-off workers on paid leave starting Friday, March 21 and says they will be paid through June 9. (Neal/Adobe Stock)

School employees speak out against mass layoffs at U.S. Dept. of Education

School employees are expressing outrage at the mass layoffs of half the U.S. Department of Education workforce. Secretary of Education Linda …

Faculty unionization in higher education has increased 7.5% from 2012 to 2024. (Adobe Stock)

MD bill may give faculty the right to unionize

Professors on college campuses across the country are unionizing at increasingly higher rates and a bill in the Maryland General Assembly may help the…

In some areas, Medicaid funding pays a portion of the school nurse's salary. (Adobe Stock)

Medicaid cuts could threaten schools supports in NJ

As federal government spending cuts loom, advocates for keeping Medicaid intact are calling attention to how the funding is used in public schools…

The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled four times, starting with the DeRolph decision in 1997, that the state's method of funding schools violates the state constitution, prompting ongoing efforts to reform the system. (jovannig/Adobe Stock)

Multiyear fight for fair school funding in Ohio continues

Despite being four years into Ohio's six-year Fair School Funding Plan, it has yet to receive full funding. Advocates of the plan are pushing for …

Attorney for rural MI college expected lawsuits over ‘Dear Colleague’ letter

An attorney for a small, rural Michigan college said she expected lawsuits over the "Dear Colleague" letter schools received last month from the U.S…

In 2022, Pennsylvania's K-12 public schools served more than 1.57 million students across nearly 2,700 schools in 499 districts. (JackF/Adobe Stock)

PA teachers union reacts to DEI lawsuit against Dept. of Education

The American Federation of Teachers and the American Sociological Association are suing the Trump administration over threats to defund schools it bel…

During a recent American Federation of Teachers-Texas town hall meeting, educators from around the state, including former Department of Education employees, said they are confused by some of the job and spending cuts already made. (ahmed/Adobe Stock AI)

TX educators eye changes at the Department of Education

Educators in Texas are concerned about the Trump administration's plans to dismantle the Department of Education. One of the Department's primary …

Grants and other disbursements from the U.S. Department of Education fund about 40% of the annual budget for students with disabilities in Virginia Public Schools. (Adobe Stock)

Possible closure of US Department of Education 'devastating' for VA

Capitol Hill observers said the Trump administration is moving quickly against the federal Department of Education, potentially leaving Virginia …

Protesters in California and across the nation came together for a day of action on Tuesday to underscore the importance of making higher education more accessible and affordable. (Matt Hardy/California Federation of Teachers)<br />

Hundreds march in Sacramento for more education funding

Several hundred protesters marched to the Capitol building in Sacramento on Tuesday, calling for better funding for education. The event was part of …

University campuses are being told to create best practices for faculty and staff to assist immigrant and international students. (Sabrina/Adobe Stock)

Changes in U.S. immigration policy affect AR college campuses

Arkansas colleges and universities are trying to ensure learning is not disrupted because of executive orders by the Trump administration. President …

A policy from the Biden administration originally restricted federal immigration officers from conducting raids in

Higher ed leaders talk preparation for immigration officers on MD campuses

An executive order from President Donald Trump allows immigration officers to enter traditionally off-limits places, like houses of worship, schools …

Rutgers Law School offers students free legal consultations through the Rutgers Immigrant Community Assistance Project. (Adobe Stock)

NJ educators respond to ICE expanded reach on campus

With Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents now permitted to make arrests at colleges and universities, immigrants' advocates are raising …

About one-quarter of all higher ed students in Utah, roughly 54,000, are international students or first or second-generation immigrants, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal. (Adobe Stock)

Higher ed experts advise campuses on how to prepare for ICE

On President Donald Trump's second day in office, his Secretary of Homeland Security rescinded a Biden-era rule barring Immigration and Customs …

Lumina Foundation will continue monitoring progress for its original 60% goal through its Stronger Nation website and will now add new data to its collection. (Adobe stock)

Hoosier Ed: Lumina targets 75% credential rate

Indiana-based Lumina Foundation has set a goal of 75% of U.S. working-age adults having college degrees or valuable credentials by 2040. The …

Immigration law allows ICE agents to enter public areas of a university campus without a warrant, but students have the right to remain silent. (UNM.edu)

Higher ed leaders steer response to ICE presence on NM campuses

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are now are allowed to make arrests near colleges and universities, and higher education leaders are …

Raye Montague was honored with a United States dollar coin released by the United States Mint in January as part of a set honoring innovators and innovations from Arkansas, Michigan, Florida and Texas. (Photo Courtesy UALR)

AR engineer honored with U.S. coin

March is Women's History Month and an Arkansas native has made history by being honored with a $1 coin from the U.S. Mint. The late Raye Montague …

Even though Wisconsin is considered restrictive in its tuition and financial aid policies for undocumented students, more than 20% of the higher education student body is international, or first-or second-generation immigrants. (Adobe Stock)

WI colleges, universities get advice about ICE on campus

On President Donald Trump's second day in office, he rescinded a Biden-era rule barring Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from making …

The University of Hawai'i at Manoa, a public land-grant research university in Honolulu, is the flagship campus of the University of Hawai'i system. (Adobe Stock)

Teachers' union preps Hawai'i college officials to respond to ICE inquiries

Following President Donald Trump's executive order lifting Immigration and Customs Enforcement restrictions in protected areas, the American …

University of Southern California recently scrubbed many 'DEI' references from its website and sent a campuswide email saying its Office of Inclusion and Diversity would no longer be a standalone entity. (Hanson/Adobe Stock)<br />

Educators sue to block Trump anti-DEI policy

The American Federation of Teachers and the American Sociological Association are suing the Trump administration over a threat of funding cuts and inv…

International students, who make up more than 5% of all U.S. higher education students, may be impacted by a federal policy change that newly allows ICE to make arrests on campuses. (Adobe Stock)

Higher ed experts advise campuses on how to prepare for ICE

On President Donald Trump's second day in office, his Secretary of Homeland Security rescinded a Biden-era rule barring Immigration and Customs …

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is responsible for operating, running and overseeing detention centers nationwide, and has often been criticized for detainee treatment and conditions. (danielfela/Adobe Stock)

MI teachers union guides colleges on response to ICE inquiries

Following President Donald Trump's executive order lifting Immigration and Customs Enforcement restrictions in protected areas, the American …

In 2024 first-time pass rates for registered nurses in Florida stood at 84.9% in 2024, falling short of the national average of 91.16%.(Adobe Stock)

FGCU nursing program achieves 100% pass rate amid nursing shortage

For the second year in a row, every nursing graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University passed the national licensing exam required to become a …

Gov. Mike Braun's budget and the House GOP plan to cut funding for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which was 0.013% of the state budget. (Indiana Governor's Office)

Push to save Dolly Parton’s Indiana book program grows

Indiana's new budget does not include funding for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. The program sends free books to children from birth to age 5…

The State of Montana first passed its Indian Child Welfare Act in 2023, decades after a federal version was enacted by Congress in 1978. A bill to expand Montana's law advanced from the state Senate to the House on Tuesday. (Wikimedia Commons)

MT Senate bills on Native education, child welfare advance to House

Three Montana bills regarding Native rights and culture advanced from the Senate to the House this week, despite some previous setbacks. Bills to …

About 17% of funding for North Carolina schools in the 2023-24 school year came from the federal government. (Noah/Adobe Stock)

U.S. Ed Department cuts would be costly to NC schools

The fate of the U.S. Department of Education could have big effects for North Carolina schools. While the Trump administration has discussed …

Lawmakers estimate providing Arkansas students free breakfast could cost an estimated $14.7 million (WavebreakmediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

All AR students to receive free breakfast in upcoming school year

Workers in the fight against hunger in Arkansas are celebrating the passage and signing of Senate Bill 59. The legislation makes free breakfast …

Young farmers face financial barriers and limited access to farmland. Older farmers are now considering who they will pass their land on to when they retire. (Adobe Stock)

Veteran Iowa farmers teach 'up and comers'

An agriculture program in Iowa is helping new and up and coming farmers learn from more experienced ones - and its organizers have uncovered another o…

According to the National Library of Medicine, most studies examining universal free school meals, including free lunches, found positive links with diet quality, food security and academic performance. (Adobe Stock)

No-cost school lunch bill nears important stage in ND Legislature

House floor votes are expected early this week for a North Dakota bill that would expand free school meals to all students, regardless of their …

Researchers say although federal relief money is no longer available, states could be targeting federal Title I and state funding to implement intervention programs. (insta_photos/Adobe Stock)

COVID-19 learning loss still being felt in TX schools

Texas ranks 31st among states in terms of the change in math achievement between 2019 and 2024, and 8th in reading. That's according to a study that …

Participants in the Nebraska RAICES teacher training program receive leadership development and mentoring designed to support them in their teaching careers. (Adobe Stock)

Federal cuts jeopardize rural NE teacher training program

The future of a teacher training program in rural Nebraska is in danger since the Trump administration has cut diversity-related grants in its effort …

Continuous glucose monitors are now used by most of the estimated 300,000 people in the United Staates who are younger than age 20 and living with Type 1 diabetes, according to health experts. (Adobe Stock)

Schools struggle to keep up with diabetes tech, leaving parents to fill gaps

By Phil Galewitz for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Trimmel Gomes for Florida News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Serv…

Research shows community involvement is key to decreasing absenteeism. Mayors, employers and other community leaders can help students recover. (AnnaStills/Adobe Stock)

Report: AR students still struggle with COVID-19 learning loss

Arkansas ranks 23rd among states in terms of the change in math achievement between 2019 and 2024, and 19th in reading, according to the Education …

Almost 15 million Californians rely on Medi-Cal for their healthcare. (Talia Mdlungu/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

CA schools brace for harmful cuts to Medi-Cal

Educators in California are speaking out against plans in Congress to cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid, known as Medi-Cal in the …

Public employers will no longer be able to negotiate contracts with unions after 2025. (Adobe Stock)

Utah enacts controversial labor union law

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has signed House Bill 267 into law, a controversial measure that takes away the collective bargaining rights of public employee …

School Meals for All programs consistently show nutritional and behavioral improvements in students. (School Meals for All Coalition)

Bill extending free food to all OR public schools has broad support

New legislation that would ensure every Oregon public school student has access to free breakfast and lunch has widespread, bipartisan support…

Research shows hands-only CPR can be just as effective in the first few minutes as conventional CPR for heart attacks. (Platoo Studio/Adobe Stock)

New bill would bring cardiac emergency plans to OR schools

New legislation backed by the American Heart Association would require all Oregon schools to have cardiac emergency response plans in place. …

ALICE data from the United Way found between 2019-2022, the median hourly wage for teaching assistants in Connecticut was $23.38. (Adobe Stock)

CT paraeducators organize to get a living wage

Connecticut union organizers are working to get pension plans for paraeducators. In recent years, they have won a flurry of benefits from organizing …

According to the site datausa.io, about 60% of theatre workers are white, nearly 13% are Black, 5% are Asian, and less than 1% are Indigenous. (Photo courtesy University of Michigan)

MI university professors address diversity gaps with online makeup tutorials

By Amy Felegy for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Michigan News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Collabor…

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Education

Dept. of Education cuts could spell trouble for UT's older student loan borrowers

Education department layoffs could leave NV older borrowers in limbo

Program trains underserved high school students for 'data economy'

Bill would revamp OR special ed preschool funding

Ohio educators alarmed over proposed elimination of DOE

PA teachers union opposes Trump plan to dismantle U.S. Department of Education

Blowback on GOP's proposed cuts to school meal programs

Utah lawmakers could do away with pride flags in schools, government buildings

MI educator says federal education cuts hit hard in Hamtramck schools

Local economic partnership helps MT town embrace new work sectors

School employees speak out against mass layoffs at U.S. Dept. of Education

MD bill may give faculty the right to unionize

Medicaid cuts could threaten schools supports in NJ

Multiyear fight for fair school funding in Ohio continues

Attorney for rural MI college expected lawsuits over ‘Dear Colleague’ letter

PA teachers union reacts to DEI lawsuit against Dept. of Education

TX educators eye changes at the Department of Education

Possible closure of US Department of Education 'devastating' for VA

Hundreds march in Sacramento for more education funding

Changes in U.S. immigration policy affect AR college campuses

Higher ed leaders talk preparation for immigration officers on MD campuses

NJ educators respond to ICE expanded reach on campus

Higher ed experts advise campuses on how to prepare for ICE

Hoosier Ed: Lumina targets 75% credential rate

Higher ed leaders steer response to ICE presence on NM campuses

AR engineer honored with U.S. coin

WI colleges, universities get advice about ICE on campus

Teachers' union preps Hawai'i college officials to respond to ICE inquiries

Educators sue to block Trump anti-DEI policy

Higher ed experts advise campuses on how to prepare for ICE

MI teachers union guides colleges on response to ICE inquiries

FGCU nursing program achieves 100% pass rate amid nursing shortage

Push to save Dolly Parton’s Indiana book program grows

MT Senate bills on Native education, child welfare advance to House

U.S. Ed Department cuts would be costly to NC schools

All AR students to receive free breakfast in upcoming school year

Veteran Iowa farmers teach 'up and comers'

No-cost school lunch bill nears important stage in ND Legislature

COVID-19 learning loss still being felt in TX schools

Federal cuts jeopardize rural NE teacher training program

Schools struggle to keep up with diabetes tech, leaving parents to fill gaps

Report: AR students still struggle with COVID-19 learning loss

CA schools brace for harmful cuts to Medi-Cal

Utah enacts controversial labor union law

Bill extending free food to all OR public schools has broad support

New bill would bring cardiac emergency plans to OR schools

CT paraeducators organize to get a living wage

MI university professors address diversity gaps with online makeup tutorials