The education secretary and Democrats on the House education committee tussled over caps on federal student loans, what role the government should play in trying to improve abysmal literacy rates —and whether the U.S. Department of Education should exist at all.
House Bill 5035 prohibits students from using cellphones on school grounds during the school day. What exactly students do with those phones would remain a question for individual districts.
The new law could give the oversight board sweeping control over the district, including leadership, curriculum, budget, and major decisions like school closures and zoning.
Supporters say the passages are essential to history and values, while critics argue they could cross the line between teaching about religion and promoting it.
North Carolina’s Supreme Court threw out the long-running Leandro school funding case, leaving education spending decisions with lawmakers. The ruling ends a lawsuit over whether the state was providing adequate funding for public education.
A new commentary says some education programs might work better outside the Education Department, but splitting them up could also make federal policy harder to coordinate.
More than 160,000 Texas families applied for the vouchers. Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock said he expects the program to reach capacity in its first year.
Large majorities of students believe their investment in higher ed is worthwhile, that their degrees will lead to jobs and that they can express themselves freely on campus.
