Lauren Wagner
@laurenwreports.bsky.social
Education Reporter for The 74 Million | Words in: Omaha World-Herald, Hechinger Report, Lincoln Journal Star
📍Nebraska 📧 lauren.wagner@the74million.org
📍Nebraska 📧 lauren.wagner@the74million.org
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
The Tribune spoke to more than a dozen transgender and nonbinary Texas students about how their lives on campuses have changed in recent years.
Many said state and federal policies have emboldened their peers to disregard their gender identities, and administrators to slash campus support services.
Many said state and federal policies have emboldened their peers to disregard their gender identities, and administrators to slash campus support services.
Texas trans students fear identity erasure at college
Once considered a safe haven to explore identity, Texas campuses are invalidating and alienating trans people, students say.
www.texastribune.org
October 21, 2025 at 3:01 PM
The Tribune spoke to more than a dozen transgender and nonbinary Texas students about how their lives on campuses have changed in recent years.
Many said state and federal policies have emboldened their peers to disregard their gender identities, and administrators to slash campus support services.
Many said state and federal policies have emboldened their peers to disregard their gender identities, and administrators to slash campus support services.
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates will lead the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the IFT announced Saturday after its election, positioning the progressive power player to have an even greater role in negotiations over state education funding.
CTU’s Stacy Davis Gates elected head of Illinois teachers union
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates will lead the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the IFT announced Saturday after its election.
www.chicagotribune.com
October 19, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates will lead the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the IFT announced Saturday after its election, positioning the progressive power player to have an even greater role in negotiations over state education funding.
An increasing number of school districts are building low-cost teacher housing as a unique perk to improve retention and recruitment. www.the74million.org/article/200-...
$200 Rent, District Supe as Landlord: Affordable Teacher Housing Is on the Rise
As housing prices spike, more districts are building teacher homes to attract young, lower-paid school staffers and help keep those they already have.
www.the74million.org
October 20, 2025 at 4:11 PM
An increasing number of school districts are building low-cost teacher housing as a unique perk to improve retention and recruitment. www.the74million.org/article/200-...
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
This @the74.bsky.social @laurenwreports.bsky.social recap of an @nctq.bsky.social report highlights something you hear All. The. Time. from burned out special educators: Principals often know very little about special ed and, instead of fostering inclusion, regard it as place to send certain kids.
Report: 6 Ways States Can Improve Special Education, English Learner Workforce
From mentorship to preparation and pay, new analysis highlights policy areas states should consider for addressing shortages of these teachers.
www.the74million.org
October 16, 2025 at 6:15 PM
This @the74.bsky.social @laurenwreports.bsky.social recap of an @nctq.bsky.social report highlights something you hear All. The. Time. from burned out special educators: Principals often know very little about special ed and, instead of fostering inclusion, regard it as place to send certain kids.
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
The judge said it’s ‘far from normal’ for an administration to fire staff ‘as a way to punish the opposing political party.’ @lrj417.bsky.social reports
Court Blocks Shutdown Layoffs, But Experts Say Ed Dept. Programs Still in Danger
The judge said it’s ‘far from normal’ for an administration to fire staff ‘as a way to punish the opposing political party.’
www.the74million.org
October 16, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The judge said it’s ‘far from normal’ for an administration to fire staff ‘as a way to punish the opposing political party.’ @lrj417.bsky.social reports
Budget shortfalls + teacher union contracts have been challenging for multiple districts this year. Philadelphia had to OK borrowing up to $1.5 billion while Fairfax County & Baltimore County returned to the bargaining table after approving promised raises. www.the74million.org/article/stra...
Strapped for Cash: Districts OK Union Raises, Don’t Have the Money to Fund Them
School systems in Philadelphia, Fairfax County and Baltimore County had to borrow money or renegotiate contracts after budget shortfalls.
www.the74million.org
October 3, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Budget shortfalls + teacher union contracts have been challenging for multiple districts this year. Philadelphia had to OK borrowing up to $1.5 billion while Fairfax County & Baltimore County returned to the bargaining table after approving promised raises. www.the74million.org/article/stra...
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
Oklahoma schools chief Ryan Walters steps down to lead anti-union group www.the74million.org/article/okla...
Oklahoma Schools Chief Ryan Walters Steps Down to Lead Anti-Union Group
‘This fight is going national,’ he said of his departure, which one critic called ‘a positive move for Oklahoma.’
www.the74million.org
September 25, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Oklahoma schools chief Ryan Walters steps down to lead anti-union group www.the74million.org/article/okla...
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
The Trump administration’s First Amendment crackdown in the wake of the activist’s violent death leaves student free speech on even shakier ground
Charlie Kirk’s Killing Sets off a Censorship Wave Now Threatening Campus Speech
The Trump administration’s First Amendment crackdown in the wake of the activist’s violent death leaves student free speech on even shakier ground.
www.the74million.org
September 19, 2025 at 3:16 PM
The Trump administration’s First Amendment crackdown in the wake of the activist’s violent death leaves student free speech on even shakier ground
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
Nebraska Supreme Court rules in favor of mother of La Vista boy who went missing in 2021
Nebraska Supreme Court rules in favor of mother of La Vista boy who went missing in 2021
The Nebraska Supreme Court overturned Sarpy County District Court dismissal of mother's case against La Vista school from which her son went missing in 2021.
omaha.com
September 5, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Nebraska Supreme Court rules in favor of mother of La Vista boy who went missing in 2021
The first day of school for Evergreen Public Schools was supposed to be Aug. 26, but buildings are still closed as 1,400 paras, security guards and bus drivers are on strike. And teachers have joined them: www.the74million.org/article/supp...
Support Staff Strike Delays Start of School in Washington State District
Evergreen Public Schools were supposed to open Aug. 26. Teachers union is supporting walkout by 1,400 paraprofessionals, bus drivers, security guards.
www.the74million.org
September 3, 2025 at 6:26 PM
The first day of school for Evergreen Public Schools was supposed to be Aug. 26, but buildings are still closed as 1,400 paras, security guards and bus drivers are on strike. And teachers have joined them: www.the74million.org/article/supp...
A Fairfax County union is negotiating its first contract as one of four recently formed school administrators unions in Virginia, following the lifting of a nearly 50yr collective bargaining ban. But Virginia is not alone in union growth for school leaders: www.the74million.org/article/scho...
School Admin Unions on the Rise Since COVID, With 11 New Locals in 8 States
Changes to state laws and school policies since 2020 have caused a 'growth spurt' of administrator unions and contract negotiations across the U.S.
www.the74million.org
September 2, 2025 at 2:35 PM
A Fairfax County union is negotiating its first contract as one of four recently formed school administrators unions in Virginia, following the lifting of a nearly 50yr collective bargaining ban. But Virginia is not alone in union growth for school leaders: www.the74million.org/article/scho...
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
BREAKING: Minnesota's governor said a shooting has occurred at a Minneapolis school, calling it a "horrific act of violence."
Minnesota governor says a shooting has occurred at a Minneapolis school
Authorities say a shooting has erupted during the first week of classes at a Minneapolis Catholic school. There was no immediate information on any injuries. Gov.
bit.ly
August 27, 2025 at 2:31 PM
BREAKING: Minnesota's governor said a shooting has occurred at a Minneapolis school, calling it a "horrific act of violence."
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
“It’s not going to be my fault that her dream dies." @MichaelElsenRoo spent months with an undocumented NYC student and the school fighting to keep her education hopes alive www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
‘They’ve given her a lot of hope’: A NYC school fights to educate an undocumented teen under Trump
For Bridget and Marta, ELLIS Prep often felt like the only public institution with its arms open in a city and country that seemed not to want them.
www.chalkbeat.org
August 13, 2025 at 2:18 PM
“It’s not going to be my fault that her dream dies." @MichaelElsenRoo spent months with an undocumented NYC student and the school fighting to keep her education hopes alive www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
Two years after police staged a chilling raid on the Marion County Record, the newspaper’s owner-editor remains committed to the hard-hitting journalism that made him a target.
via @kansasreflector.com
www.newsfromthestates.com/article/qa-t...
via @kansasreflector.com
www.newsfromthestates.com/article/qa-t...
Q&A: Two years after police raid on Kansas newspaper, editor eager to set example with lawsuit
TOPEKA — Two years after police staged a chilling raid on the Marion County Record, the newspaper’s owner-editor remains committed to the hard-hitting journalism that made him a target. And he wants h...
www.newsfromthestates.com
August 11, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Two years after police staged a chilling raid on the Marion County Record, the newspaper’s owner-editor remains committed to the hard-hitting journalism that made him a target.
via @kansasreflector.com
www.newsfromthestates.com/article/qa-t...
via @kansasreflector.com
www.newsfromthestates.com/article/qa-t...
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
This @the74.bsky.social @laurenwreports.bsky.social piece, new today, recaps some alarming findings about AI and classroom applications. My observation: We shouldn't be surprised, given that material the AIs take in — which we as a society generate — reflects ableism, sexism, racial bias, etc.
AI Teacher Assistants Are Useful but Can Pose Risks in Classroom, Report Finds
Study of 4 artificial intelligence tools shows they can create misleading or biased materials for students — & do particular harm to special ed kids.
www.the74million.org
August 6, 2025 at 9:58 PM
This @the74.bsky.social @laurenwreports.bsky.social piece, new today, recaps some alarming findings about AI and classroom applications. My observation: We shouldn't be surprised, given that material the AIs take in — which we as a society generate — reflects ableism, sexism, racial bias, etc.
This past July, 10 high school and college students sat in the empty library of Maȟpíya Lúta — Red Cloud — High School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. There, they recited everyday phrases in Lakota as part of a summer internship to learn and preserve the language. www.the74million.org/article/in-c...
In Class and on TikTok, South Dakota Summer Interns Preserve Lakota Language
On the Pine Ridge Reservation, one school’s mission is to revitalize and teach others the 1,000-year-old language that’s in danger of being erased
www.the74million.org
August 5, 2025 at 2:39 PM
This past July, 10 high school and college students sat in the empty library of Maȟpíya Lúta — Red Cloud — High School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. There, they recited everyday phrases in Lakota as part of a summer internship to learn and preserve the language. www.the74million.org/article/in-c...
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
reporting via @the74.bsky.social, @bethhawkins.bsky.social and @laurenwreports.bsky.social
the FOIA Bakery has brought five systemic state complaints against chicago public schools in illinois ranging from transportation, physical restraint, and student assignment
it is not easy but necessary
the FOIA Bakery has brought five systemic state complaints against chicago public schools in illinois ranging from transportation, physical restraint, and student assignment
it is not easy but necessary
For Decades, the Feds Were the Last, Best Hope for Special Ed Kids. What Happens Now?
State-level complaints over disputes with districts have never been as easy as intended. Now, they're all desperate families have left
www.the74million.org
July 31, 2025 at 2:54 PM
reporting via @the74.bsky.social, @bethhawkins.bsky.social and @laurenwreports.bsky.social
the FOIA Bakery has brought five systemic state complaints against chicago public schools in illinois ranging from transportation, physical restraint, and student assignment
it is not easy but necessary
the FOIA Bakery has brought five systemic state complaints against chicago public schools in illinois ranging from transportation, physical restraint, and student assignment
it is not easy but necessary
The Office for Civil Rights was a key avenue of relief for parents unable to get special ed services for their children thru state-level complaints. But with the dismantling of OCR, parents will have to rely on systems that have never delivered on their promise. www.the74million.org/article/for-...
For Decades, the Feds Were the Last, Best Hope for Special Ed Kids. What Happens Now?
State-level complaints over disputes with districts have never been as easy as intended. Now, they're all desperate families have left
www.the74million.org
July 31, 2025 at 1:03 PM
The Office for Civil Rights was a key avenue of relief for parents unable to get special ed services for their children thru state-level complaints. But with the dismantling of OCR, parents will have to rely on systems that have never delivered on their promise. www.the74million.org/article/for-...
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
New: The Trump administration says its education funding freeze is over.
Details we still don't have:
-WHEN the money will flow to states
-WHETHER a rescissions request will follow
-WHY the administration is releasing the $$
-HOW schools will recover from the chaos
- www.edweek.org/policy-polit...
Details we still don't have:
-WHEN the money will flow to states
-WHETHER a rescissions request will follow
-WHY the administration is releasing the $$
-HOW schools will recover from the chaos
- www.edweek.org/policy-polit...
Trump Abruptly Unfreezes All of the Education Funds He Had Withheld
More than $6.8 billion will flow in the coming days.
www.edweek.org
July 25, 2025 at 6:21 PM
New: The Trump administration says its education funding freeze is over.
Details we still don't have:
-WHEN the money will flow to states
-WHETHER a rescissions request will follow
-WHY the administration is releasing the $$
-HOW schools will recover from the chaos
- www.edweek.org/policy-polit...
Details we still don't have:
-WHEN the money will flow to states
-WHETHER a rescissions request will follow
-WHY the administration is releasing the $$
-HOW schools will recover from the chaos
- www.edweek.org/policy-polit...
At Chadron State College, nestled in the Sandhills of western Nebraska, 36 high schoolers spent 60+ hours a week researching fungal crop infection as part of a competitive STEM program. The intense experience also took place at 13 other universities this summer.
www.the74million.org/article/5-we...
www.the74million.org/article/5-we...
5-Week Summer Science Boot Camp Draws Top STEM Teens from Around the Globe
HS students live in college dorms, research real-world problems for 60 hours a week and meet peers who are just as smart as they are — or smarter.
www.the74million.org
July 25, 2025 at 3:17 PM
At Chadron State College, nestled in the Sandhills of western Nebraska, 36 high schoolers spent 60+ hours a week researching fungal crop infection as part of a competitive STEM program. The intense experience also took place at 13 other universities this summer.
www.the74million.org/article/5-we...
www.the74million.org/article/5-we...
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
Police search for suspect after shooting on University of New Mexico campus leaves one dead: cnn.it/453AOz1
Police search for suspect after shooting on University of New Mexico campus leaves one dead | CNN
One person is dead and a second has been injured in a shooting inside student housing at The University of New Mexico on Friday morning, the university said on its website. The university has closed i...
cnn.it
July 25, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Police search for suspect after shooting on University of New Mexico campus leaves one dead: cnn.it/453AOz1
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
BREAKING: The US Supreme Court let Trump resume dismantling the Department of Education, lifting a lower court order that required the reinstatement of as many as 1,400 workers
Supreme Court Lets Trump Continue Education Department Purge
The US Supreme Court let President Donald Trump resume dismantling the Department of Education, lifting a lower court order that required the reinstatement of as many as 1,400 workers.
bloom.bg
July 14, 2025 at 7:34 PM
BREAKING: The US Supreme Court let Trump resume dismantling the Department of Education, lifting a lower court order that required the reinstatement of as many as 1,400 workers
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
4,200 Arkansas teachers will get up to $10K for high performance, student scores. @laurenwreports.bsky.social reports
4,200 Arkansas Teachers Will Get Up to $10K for High Performance, Student Scores
State-funded merit pay program is in its second year, but teachers union says it's unfair to certain hardworking educators who can't qualify.
www.the74million.org
June 27, 2025 at 9:29 PM
4,200 Arkansas teachers will get up to $10K for high performance, student scores. @laurenwreports.bsky.social reports
Reposted by Lauren Wagner
Breaking news: The Supreme Court ruled that religious parents can opt their children out of public school lessons with LGBTQ+ books, a case that could have implications for schools nationwide.
Supreme Court sides with religious parents seeking to opt out of LGBTQ storybooks
The case asked whether Montgomery County, Maryland could require children to participate in lessons with books that clash with parents’ religious beliefs.
www.washingtonpost.com
June 27, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Breaking news: The Supreme Court ruled that religious parents can opt their children out of public school lessons with LGBTQ+ books, a case that could have implications for schools nationwide.