Politics

What does Trump have in mind for K12 education?

Will the U.S. Department of Education be dismantled? Or does Trump's proposal ring hollow? Tune into this story as we provide updates in the months leading up to his first day in office.

3 reasons students are confident voters this election

Gen Z has been doing their research, and they've identified three of their top concerns this election season.

Predicting what lies ahead—and what doesn’t—for K12 this election

The elephant in the room, Project 2025, has experts fearful of its impact to education funding and school choice options.

How politics are shaping high schoolers’ college choices

The political makeup of a college can determine your graduates' college choice. Here's how to guide them on their search.

Indoctrination? Ditch public schools, Colorado GOP tells parents

The Colorado Republican Party also encouraged families who feel their rights are being stripped to identify religious exemptions that may serve as a case against the new state policy on preferred pronouns.

Anti-LGBTQ+ policies are now taking a bigger toll on young people

The record number of anti-LGTBQ policies enacted in the past year have become so disruptive that young people and their families are considering leave their homes, a new study warns. 

School boards: The four keywords that keep coming up in the biggest districts

Do school boards share the priorities of their district's superintendents? Do they share the same priorities across the country? Burbio has been providing regular updates on the hot-button topics that are priorities at meetings right now.

Education won’t suffer if TikTok is banned. Here’s why

It's been great for outreach and culture-building, but educators will simply turn elsewhere, says one former principal whose viral TikToks kept students engaged and in-the-know.

Title IX: States line up to defy new K12 LGBTQ protections

Governors and education leaders of several states are ordering schools not to comply with Biden Administration Title IX update that outlaws harassment based on gender identity or sexual orientation

Book bans are hitting new heights this school year

Books about women, sexual violence and rape that have are being challenged based on obscenity while race, LGBTQ and transgender identities continue to be frequent targets.

New Florida bill limits book objections in school libraries

Folks without children are limited to one book challenge per month, the new law declares. Parents—including those who home-school children—are allowed unlimited objections.

4 ways to compare how school climate is recovering

New research shows how school leaders are faring with teacher shortages, political polarization, curriculum restrictions and their financial futures.

How are two years of teaching restrictions impacting classrooms?

“Students do not feel comfortable asking honest questions and teachers do not feel comfortable about giving honest answers," one teacher told researchers examining curriculum restrictions.

Chaplains in public schools? What’s behind a new push

Lawmakers proposing the bills are pointing to counselor shortages but are not completely playing down the religious aspects of putting chaplains in schools.

You can now say—but not teach—gay in Florida classrooms

LGBTQ issues—namely, sexual orientation and gender identity—can be discussed but not taught in Florida classrooms, according to a settlement over the state's "Don't Say Gay" law.

‘Talking Out of School’ podcast: Here comes the 100 Superintendent March

In this episode, three superintendents describe how they will "represent marginalized communities as well as all communities across the U.S." when they make their voices heard at the White House and in Congress next week.

3 ways education shined in Biden’s State of the Union address

President Joe Biden made it clear in his State of the Union address Thursday that K12 education is on his radar. Here's what we learned.

What’s new in your governor’s priorities for K12 education?

The teaching profession got much more attention than school safety did in the "State of the State" addresses delivered by governors so far this year. And early learning was a far more frequent topic than the culture wars.

Schools in one state might get big incentives to ban cellphones

Larger Oklahoma districts could get an extra $1 million in state funding under a new proposal while another measure would cover the costs of banning cellphones.

States with the highest support for public schools: No. 1 may surprise you

Support for public schools means more than just funding. A new ranking also considers vouchers, curriculum restrictions and other factors.

Supreme Court clears way for elite high school’s race-neutral policy

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology's policy is allowed to stand by same Supreme Court that found affirmative action unconstitutional last year.

Book bans are the new “Scarlet Letter” anti-censorship group warns

Authors are becoming regular targets of copycat bans after just one of their titles is removed from a library's shelves, according to the new "Spineless Shelves" report from PEN America.

Antisemitic incidents roiling higher ed are now spreading to K12

In Florida, a ripped Israeli flag was found at Equestrian Trails Elementary School, which is part of the Palm Beach County School District. Swastikas have been drawn at other K12 buildings.

Report: How partisan politics impact education at the top

K12 superintendents are more likely to be appointed to a state-level leadership position in Democratic-led areas, a new analysis suggests.

Active shooter drills: Many parents support them but prefer investing in SEL

Active shooter drills may not be as controversial as has been portrayed in many communities as a large majority of parents are confident their schools are keeping children safe.

K12 social media crackdown: Bill threatens to cut off E-Rate funding

"Eyes on the Board Act," which singles out TikTok and Instagram, would require schools and districts that receive federal broadband funding to prohibit students from accessing any and all social media apps on "subsidized services, devices, and networks."

Why some schools are swapping Halloween out for ‘seasonal’ celebrations

K12 leaders say they are planning fall-themed celebrations that are more inclusive of all students' spiritual beliefs. And the decision is being met with howls of derision in some communities.

Get on Board: How 2 superintendents reach out to school board candidates

District Administration's "Get on Board" series allows superintendents and other experts to share ideas for creating and maintaining productive relationships with school board members. 

Will K12 districts even notice if the government shuts down?

“A shutdown is ineffective and costly, the consequences of which play out on Main Street, not Capitol Hill, as workers go without pay, families go without childcare, poor families lose support for housing and food, and schools feel the squeeze," says David R. Schuler, executive director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association.

Leadership shifts: School board-superintendent clashes lead to more change

Moreno Valley Unified School District dismisses leader in wake of $27 million settlement with the family of a boy who died in a middle school fight.

New report: Public schools saw a 33% spike in book bans last school year

"The toll of the book banning movement is getting worse," Suzanne Nossel, Chief Executive Officer of PEN America said in a statement. "...opponents of free expression are pushing harder than ever to exert their power over students as a whole."

Why laws that bar teaching about race, LGBTQ topics have little to block

White authors and characters remain far more present in K12 curriculum than authors and characters of any other race or ethnicity, according to the “The Search for More Complex Racial and Ethnic Representation" study by Ed Trust.

These are the top 10 topics school boards are discussing right now

This may come as news to some superintendents and district leaders: Book bans and pride flags are not the main topics of discussion at every school board meeting in the country. Still, school boards are grappling with some complicated topics.

Why this superintendent calls himself an ‘edu-tainer’ in K12 communications

Superintendent John B. Gordon III leads Suffolk Public Schools in telling a positive story about students and staff in the face of political antagonism and racism, deploying social media—Facebook and Instagram, in particular—to keep the community informed and engaged in Suffolk Public Schools' achievements and activities.

How Mt. Diablo Unified leader and his team are controlling the narrative

Frequent and enthusiastic communication is Superintendent Adam Clark's top tool in maintaining enrollment and combatting misinformation.