States

Education news, analysis, and opinion about state education policy, officials, and advocacy.
  • Ryan Walters speaks at a rally, Nov. 1, 2022, in Oklahoma City. Republican State Superintendent Walters ordered public schools Thursday, June 27, 2024, to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12, the latest effort by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms.
    Oklahoma state Superintendent Ryan Walters speaks at a rally on Nov. 1, 2022, in Oklahoma City. Walters is now facing scrutiny from GOP lawmakers, who seek an investigation into his stewardship of education funding and his agency's transparency.
    Sue Ogrocki/AP
    States Oklahoma GOP Lawmakers Demand Investigation of Education Chief
    They have concerns about Ryan Walters' stewardship of federal and state funds and his transparency on meetings and open-records requests.
    Brooke Schultz, August 15, 2024
    4 min read
    Illustration of dollar being used to fill gap in bridge.
    DigitalVision Vectors
    States Some School Workers Now Get Unemployment Over the Summer. Here's How It Works
    Districts are scrambling as some states now allow non-instructional school employees to collect summer unemployment checks.
    Mark Lieberman, August 13, 2024
    9 min read
    Image of books, money, calculator, and graduation cap.
    cnythzl/DigitalVision Vectors
    States Why This State Will Take a Class Requirement Off the Ballot—And Why It Matters
    Asking voters to decide on a curriculum issue could set a tricky precedent, experts say.
    Evie Blad, July 1, 2024
    2 min read
    Image of a bible sitting on top of a school backpack.
    Canva
    States How States Are Testing the Church-State Divide in Public Schools
    A new order to teach the Bible in Oklahoma is the latest action to fuel debate over the presence of religion in schools.
    Evie Blad, June 28, 2024
    7 min read
    North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler announces the gathering of a task force to look into future options the state has for the assessment of students during a press conference May 8, 2015, at the state Capitol in Bismarck, N.D.
    North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler announces the gathering of a task force to look into future options for student assessment during a press conference May 8, 2015, in Bismarck, N.D. Baesler, the nation's longest-serving state schools chief, is running for a fourth term, facing opponents with no experience serving in public schools.
    Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP
    States The Surprising Contenders for State Superintendent Offices This Year
    Two elections for the top education leadership job feature candidates who have never worked in public schools.
    Libby Stanford, June 17, 2024
    8 min read
    Human hand holding a magnifying glass over open holy bible book of Exodus verses for Ten Commandments, top view
    Marinela Malcheva/iStock/Getty
    States Does a Ten Commandments Display in Classrooms Violate the Constitution?
    Louisiana is poised to become the first state to require all schools to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
    Libby Stanford, June 13, 2024
    7 min read
    Missouri Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven talks to students participating in Future Farmers of America during an event in February 2024, in Jefferson City, Missouri.
    Missouri Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven talks to students participating in Future Farmers of America during an event in February 2024, in Jefferson City, Mo. Vandeven is stepping down from her position after more than eight years on the job.
    Courtesy of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
    States Q&A 'Politics Does Not Belong in Education,' Says a Departing State Schools Chief
    Improving student outcomes requires finding common ground, says Missouri's long-serving education commissioner, Margie Vandeven.
    Libby Stanford, June 4, 2024
    9 min read
    A man stands behind a row of electronic voting machines covered with yellow privacy shields as he uses a touch screen to vote.
    A lone voter casts his ballot for Super Tuesday at a polling station in the Van Nuys section of Los Angeles on March 5, 2024.
    Richard Vogel/AP
    States Should Voters Decide What Schools Teach?
    Californians may vote to require a new high school finance course. Critics argue it sets a bad precedent.
    Evie Blad, May 30, 2024
    6 min read
    Image of a small U.S. flag in a pencil case.
    iStock/Getty
    States Is Bipartisan Education Policy Still Possible?
    It's still possible to forge cross-party education policy coalitions, advocates said.
    Evie Blad, May 22, 2024
    5 min read
    Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters presides over a special state Board of Education meeting on April 12, 2023, in Oklahoma City.
    Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters presides over a state Board of Education meeting about Title IX regulations on April 12, 2023, in Oklahoma City. The state is among several whose leaders plan to defy new Biden administration regulations on Title IX, which covers sex discrimination.
    Sue Ogrocki/AP
    States States Direct Districts to Defy New Title IX Rule on Transgender Students
    Some districts could be in a perilous legal squeeze play between their states and the feds.
    Evie Blad, April 26, 2024
    4 min read
    Photo of superintendent meeting with staff.
    E+ / Getty
    States Superintendent Vacancies Are High. Is Loosening Requirements a Good Idea?
    Wisconsin's governor, a former educator, vetoed a bill that would have waived licensure requirements for district leaders.
    Evie Blad, April 22, 2024
    3 min read
    Vector illustration tutoring concept of online learning with teacher and students.
    iStock/Getty
    States Is Tutoring at Risk? States Stretch to Keep Funding in Place
    States are using a variety of ways to ensure that tutoring programs can continue.
    Olina Banerji, April 8, 2024
    6 min read
    Heidi Griebel and Josie Wahl participate in carpentry class at Career and Technical Education Academy in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Jan. 7, 2019.
    Heidi Griebel and Josie Wahl participate in carpentry class at Career and Technical Education Academy in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Jan. 7, 2019. CTE programs were a core theme of several governors' state addresses in 2024.
    Loren Townsley/The Argus Leader via AP
    States Republican and Democratic Governors Both Are Touting This K-12 Priority
    Workforce readiness and career and technical education were the most common education themes in governors' state of the state addresses.
    Evie Blad, March 20, 2024
    6 min read
    Image of a bible sitting on top of a school backpack.
    Canva
    States School Chaplain Bills Multiply, Stirring Debate on Faith-Based Counseling
    Proponents say school chaplains could help address a mental health crisis. Opponents raise concerns about religious coercion.
    Evie Blad, March 15, 2024
    6 min read
    Gov. Brad Little provides his vision for the 2024 Idaho Legislative session during his State of the State address on Jan. 8, 2024, at the Statehouse in Boise.
    Idaho Gov. Brad Little outlines his priorities during his State of the State address before lawmakers on Jan. 8, 2024, at the capitol in Boise.
    Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman via AP
    States What's on the K-12 Agenda for States This Year? 4 Takeaways
    Reading instruction, private school choice, and teacher pay are among the issues leading governors' K-12 education agendas.
    Mark Lieberman, January 30, 2024
    6 min read