DA Staff

Millions of kids are missing weeks of school as attendance tanks across the US

When in-person school resumed after pandemic closures, Rousmery Negrón and her 11-year-old son both noticed a change: School seemed less welcoming.

Hackers stole $6 million from the New Haven school system

A little more than half of that money, $3.6 million, has since been recovered, and the city has stopped its use of electronic money transfers, except for employee payroll.

These Iowa school districts may see biggest impact from education savings accounts

Iowa has approved 18,627 applications for education savings accounts that will provide up to $7,635 per student for the 2023-24 school year. The new taxpayer-funded accounts can be used to pay private school expenses, starting with tuition and fees.

All Massachusetts public school students will now be entitled to free lunch

"Nobody calls them free lunch anymore or free meals, it's just lunch, everybody just has lunch," one parent says.

Big Kentucky district shuts down: Superintendent calls first day a ‘transportation disaster’

Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Marty Pollio canceled school for the rest of the week after significant transportation issues during Wednesday's first day of school.

Why parents are clashing with schools over ‘Pride Puppy’ and other LGBTQ+ books

Three sets of parents and an advocacy group representing other families are asking a federal court in Maryland to suspend the policy–opening a new legal front at a time when schools are grappling with rules for transgender students and education has become a political flashpoint.

Central Indiana schools are installing vape detectors in bathrooms

"Whether it's a masking, whether somebody sprayed cologne or some type of chemical in there, or whether they're in there, and it's a nicotine vape or even a THC vape, it'll tell us the difference," said Joe Hopper, director of safety for Options Charter Schools.

Pennsylvania school districts are hiring teachers with limited experience amid shortage, new report finds

Students most in need of well-qualified teachers are also less likely to be enrolled in schools that provide quality teachers, the report found. And the number of under qualified teachers increases at schools with higher rates of students of color.

Equality vs. equity in education sparks culture wars in NJ politics

Policy updates include replacing the word "equality" with "equity" and removing gendered pronouns and nouns. Names of certain mandated curricula have also been changed.

Florida schools plan to use only excerpts from Shakespeare to avoid ‘raunchiness’

Teachers in Hillsborough County are preparing to avoid whole plays in efforts to conform to hardline rightwing legislation on teaching about sex.

Clear backpack policy leads to gun found at Dallas-area school on first day back

Leaders at Mesquite ISD said a 17-year-old showed up at a high school on Monday without a clear bag. His bag was placed in a holding area until a clear one could be provided.

Florida Department of Education ensnared in federal investigation

The federal subpoena requests mounds of records in an attempt to gain more details about meetings and innerworkings between state, local officials and other players.

Houston ISD parents and students fear Mike Miles’ reforms will tear the community fabric of their public schools

It’s been just over two months since the Texas Education Agency replaced the elected board and superintendent of Houston’s public school system with hand-picked managers. As major reforms sweep the district, many parents and educators are worried about losing intergenerational connections in their public schools.

Superintendent apologizes for pulling AP Psych, says he can’t risk teachers being arrested

Palm Beach County schools Superintendent Mike Burke fears the district and its teachers could be accused of breaking the Parental Rights in Education law, which prohibits discussions of sexuality and gender identity in Florida classrooms.

School cafeterias face a budget crunch. That means school lunch prices could rise

Between inflation and the end of a short-lived boost in additional federal subsidies for every school meal, it seemed inevitable. On top of that, the federal government could soon force schools to serve healthier meals with less salt and sugar, which can make them more expensive to prepare and serve.