Top students can benefit greatly by being offered the subject early. But many districts offer few Black and Latino eighth graders a chance to study it.

Kurt Marthaller, who oversees school food programs in Butte, Mont., faces many cafeteria-related challenges: children skipping the lunch line because they fear being judged, parents fuming about surprise bills they can’t afford, unpaid meal debts of $70,000 districtwide. But at nearly half of Mr. Marthaller’s schools, these concerns have vanished.

Public school district leaders from New York City, Berkeley, Calif., and Montgomery County, Md., forcefully defended their actions under Republican attacks like those that had tripped up university presidents.

After helping topple two college presidents, Congress will grill school district leaders from New York City; Berkeley, Calif.; and Montgomery County in Maryland.

Recent studies cast doubt on whether large-scale mental health interventions are making young people better. Some even suggest they can have a negative effect.

Applications for federal financial aid plunged this year, with millions of students navigating delays and glitches caused by the disastrous rollout of the new application form.

The Cumberland Valley School Board reversed its decision to cancel Maulik Pancholy’s speech at a middle school next month after many community members said the actor had been discriminated against because of his sexuality.

Many parents and nutritionists applauded stricter federal regulations, but food companies say the changes could increase costs and waste.