Nationwide Mandate Sparks UncertaintySouth Korea's ambitious plan to eliminate smartphone distractions from classrooms is encountering substantial turbulence before it even...

Lawmakers pressed staff on a proposed $12 million career‑technical education pilot that includes a 50% local match, raised concerns about reporting and unspent awards in prior NextGen/innovation grants, and asked staff for LEA‑level data and clearer statutory language to ensure funds reach intended programs.

The Trump administration escalated its challenge to Minnesota’s transgender student policies this week, referring the state to the Department of Justice over its decision to allow transgender girls…

In executive session the committee adopted amendment 'g' to Senate Bill 59-41, changing the eligible school district enrollment threshold from 1,000 students to 500 or fewer, then rolled the amendment into a proposed substitute and passed the bill out of committee subject to signatures.

North Penn School District will align policy 218.1 with Act 44: in most cases families will be notified within 24 hours when a weapon is found at school or a school activity; exceptions for active law-enforcement investigations or extreme circumstances were discussed and the district said it already often notifies same day.

Speakers warned the board about explicit sexual content in some books remaining available in district libraries and about unregulated generative AI materials being given to students; union and staff later urged careful study of AI tools.

A Senate education subcommittee considered S.B. 695, which would require one school resource officer at each high school. Sponsors said a budget amendment exists; school officials and teachers’ groups warned of an unfunded mandate and lack of evidence. The motion to report failed 2–3.

A Lamoille Union High School counselor told the House Education Committee the statewide ban on cell phones in schools has improved engagement, but chronic staffing and funding shortages are lowering students' resilience and limiting schools' ability to respond to mental-health needs.

The State Board of Education presented a five-criteria framework to guide legislative or rule determinations about which small or sparsely populated schools qualify for supplemental funding under Act 73, emphasizing travel-time, safety, consolidation feasibility, demographic trajectory and fiscal impact.

On Jan. 20 the Postsecondary Education and Workforce Committee heard testimony for and against HB 2337, which would repeal a future requirement that certain paid family caregivers begin annual continuing education in 2027; supporters said mandatory CE is irrelevant and burdensome for one‑on‑one family caregivers, while unions and training providers said course offerings have expanded and protect quality of care.

HB 2,551 would allow districts with an estimated ending fund balance at or below 3% to request OSPI authorization to sell real property to restore financial stability. Supporters, including Tacoma representatives, said earlier flexibility could avert binding conditions; members and witnesses raised questions about protecting appreciating assets and how proceeds would be handled.

Senate Bill 5907 would allow military families to enroll children in ECAP as allowable slots and add prioritization for deployed or single‑parent military families; sponsors and military‑adjacent districts said the change would ease childcare access without creating entitlement slot impacts.

Senate Bill 6051 would let local boards grant waivers of many state requirements to individual schools; supporters say it relieves unfunded mandates, while OSPI and the State Board warn it could weaken uniform basic‑education standards and harm special‑education protections.

House Bill 2557 would require districts to provide parents a copy of evaluation reports at least five school days before eligibility meetings. Parents and advocacy groups backed the change; OSPI and school psychologists warned of implementation challenges and potential strain on existing 35-school-day evaluation timelines.

The committee heard SB 6,261, which would require parents who do not enroll a child in public/private school at age 6 to file an annual signed declaration of educational intent; supporters say it aligns Washington with other states and helps planning, while many homeschool families called the bill intrusive and burdensome.

House Bill 25 89 would let institutions of higher education require notice and apply content‑neutral time, place and manner rules for campus encampments, permitting only registered student organizations or recognized bargaining units to request authorization; sponsor and witnesses debated definitions and First Amendment implications.

HB 4049, a local Jacksonville bill to modify how the Duval County School Board's attorney is selected, was reported favorably 17-1 after proponents said the change was requested by a supermajority of the Duval school board and agreed to by the mayor's office.

State Board Chair Jennifer Dex Samuelson told the House Education committee Jan. 27 that the General Assembly appropriated $200,000 and the board has hired Sarah Buxton to help review and update rule series, including EQS 2000 and independent school approval rules (2200).

The North Penn School District Policy Committee voted to recommend four policy revisions — organization (005), attendance (204), weapons (218.1), and student teachers/interns (307) — for first reading and placement on the districts work session agenda after a voice vote; the items will receive further review at the work session.

Three community members urged the board to adopt a transparent policy and public communication about how the district will respond if immigration enforcement (ICE/CBP) operates near school property, citing local worry, petitions and a statutory deadline they said applies.

Part 4 of the “This isn’t activism, it’s duty of care” series. Recent reports highlight the intersection of climate change, education, and responsibility, specifically the UK government…

The Department of Education's cleanup bill (LB 9 37) drew strong testimony after proposed language would narrow reading reporting to K–3 and remove explicit testing language for dyslexia; dyslexia advocates urged the committee to preserve testing and K–12 reporting to avoid missing older or masked cases.