The proposed budget would cut U.S. Department of Education funding by 15%. It would eliminate $1.3 billion for English language learners and migrant students. It would also combine 18 funding streams, reducing them from about $6.5 billion to $2 billion.

Strict discipline policies at some Indiana charter schools have won praise for creating orderly classrooms and boosting academics. But critics say the high suspension rates, particularly for students with disabilities, show the approach can come at a steep cost.

According to GovSpend, a data procurement database, K-12 public schools nationwide have spent nearly half a billion dollars upgrading their security infrastructure with various pieces of technology over the past five years.

Texas lawmakers approved a plan to replace the STAAR test with three shorter exams throughout the school year. But parents, educators and experts worry the change could actually increase testing pressure, since the end-of-year exam will still weigh heavily in school accountability ratings.