Ed Dept. Launches a “Learning Agenda Playbook” for States

On Sept. 9 the U.S. Department of Education unveiled a “Learning Agenda Playbook,” a framework meant to help states set research-backed priorities and measure student outcomes. Rolled out with eight pilot states as part of the push to “return education to the states,” leaders there praised it as a planning tool — while others will watch how much it shifts federal and state roles.

Over $1 Billion in School Grants Could Lapse Sept. 30

More than $2 billion in congressionally approved education funds remain unspent because the federal budget office hasn’t fully “apportioned” them to the Department — and over $1 billion is set to lapse on Sept. 30 if it isn’t released. Affected competitive programs span literacy, arts, civics and research, and advocates warn the delay could disrupt awards already in progress.

A Federal Push on Reading: “Building Strong Readers”

Citing a national “reading crisis,” the Department on Sept. 10 announced a “Building Strong Readers” effort to promote evidence-based, science-of-reading instruction. It lands as recent national assessments show reading scores near multi-decade lows, keeping early literacy at the top of the back-to-school agenda.

New Poll: Belonging Is the Engine of Student Engagement

The fourth annual Walton Family Foundation–Gallup “Voices of Gen Z” study finds engagement rising but uneven: students with the strongest sense of belonging and support are far likelier to feel prepared for the future (81% vs. 27%). Still, about one in three students say they don’t feel they belong at school, and nearly half say school doesn’t let them do what they do best.

A New Clock for International Students Starts Sept. 15

A federal rule replacing the decades-old “duration of status” system with fixed admission periods — generally capped around four years — takes effect Sept. 15 for international students and exchange visitors. Colleges are bracing for added extension paperwork amid visa backlogs, and a coalition including NAFSA has filed suit to block the change.

The New Neighbor Schools Are Fighting: Data Centers

As the AI boom drives a wave of data-center construction, some are rising right next to schools — and districts are pushing back. In Maryland, a school board is challenging a data center proposed about 500 feet from an elementary school, raising questions about noise, power, water and student health that more communities are likely to face.

Justice Dept. Sues a Kansas District Over a Gender Policy

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools over its handling of students’ gender identity, alleging the district withheld information from parents. The suit is part of a broader wave of legal disputes over parental-notification and gender policies now moving through the courts.

30 Universities Told to Audit Their China Research Ties

About 30 U.S. research universities received federal instructions to scrutinize and audit their international partnerships, with a focus on ties to China. The move adds to pressure on global research collaboration and international enrollment, which colleges warn could push scholars and students toward other countries.

The Case for School Meals Gets Fresh Backing

As cafeteria lines reopen for the new year, new research renews attention to how school breakfast and lunch support attendance, focus and student health. The findings arrive as more states move toward universal school meals — one of the less-polarized education trends of the fall.

McMahon’s “Return to the States” Tour Rolls On

Education Secretary Linda McMahon continued her “Returning Education to the States” tour, visiting North Dakota and other states to promote shifting more authority and funding decisions to state and local leaders. The stops preview a broader effort to restructure the federal role in education.