The Education Department says Fairfax County Public Schools may have violated the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment after reports a social worker arranged an abortion for a student without parental notice and pressured another into having one.
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.
The orders address a broad array of topics such as school discipline, racial preferences, gender and athletics, fundamentally reshaping the legal and regulatory landscape for K12 education.
A national report shows 12th-grade reading and math scores have dropped to their lowest levels in decades. Educators cite absenteeism and smartphones as key concerns behind the decline.
Overall, 20 states have completely banned wireless communication devices—including personal phones or tablets—for the entire instructional day. There are, however, exceptions for students with disabilities who have individualized education programs.
The Trump administration is invoking civil rights laws to curb race- and gender-based protections in schools, warning districts they could lose funding. Critics say the move weaponizes laws meant to protect marginalized students.
