Education in Focus

(The Center Square) - Since the Trump administration’s moves to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, it has prompted a wide range of reactions from state education leaders nationwide. The department announced this past week that six offices within the Department of Education will be transferred to four partner agencies: Health and Human Services, Labor, Interior and State.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxRead more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_e9d209b1-247b-4199-9565-7c4ebbf269ed.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) - University of California, San Diego has renamed one of its scholarship programs following a legal settlement with the Pacific Legal Foundation, which sought to ensure equal treatment and educational opportunity for all students regardless of race.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxRead more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_0ecf0561-8e2c-44e0-b428-a1c465498438.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chris Lindner knows the possibility of his Loyal School District consolidating with Greenwood in Clark County has plenty of people paying attention. School consolidations in Wisconsin, now a rarity, could increase if his is successful. The measures are aimed at helping school districts use consolidation to combat decreased enrollments and aging buildings across the state. Public school enrollment in Wisconsin is expected to decline by 200,000 students by 2050. The state has seen an estimated 10,000 fewer students each year.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxRead more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/wisconsin/article_6829e87b-2678-4f21-b29b-f0d88724e810.html  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) – Colorado is experiencing a significant shortage of out-of-school programs, according to a new report. The survey found that, while parents of 463,000 children in Colorado want them in an after-school program, 75% of those children are not. While still significant, that is 2% lower than the national average. This should be a priority for lawmakers, according to Kelly Streck, director of the Colorado Afterschool Partnership. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) - The University of California system has rolled out a new harassment prevention mandate requiring all students to complete training that affirms transgender policies — or face class registration blocks. UC’s SHAPE program - Sexual Harassment, Anti-Discrimination, Prevention and Education - requires students to complete mandatory training on gender identity and nondiscrimination policies. The program is designed to uphold the commitment by UC for a safe and inclusive environment for transgender students and states that those who do not use the correct transgender pronouns may create a hostile environment and are accused of harassment.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx Read more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_ede6d000-629d-4999-8a59-b29dbe6d32c2.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) - A vast majority of Americans do not believe the federal government should have control over education policy, according to a new poll. The Center Square Voters' Voice Poll found that only 11% of American voters think the federal government should set standards for curriculum, testing and school choice. Instead, 33% of American voters said local school districts should set curriculum, testing and school choice standards. About 23% of voters said parents should set educational standards. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxRead more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_5f7c5556-dc2d-4b45-a21b-3eecc56c07be.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) – The leaders of Wisconsin’s Senate Committee on Education are demanding answers from the state’s Department of Public Instruction following a report showing that 200 investigations into teachers for sexual assault and grooming were shielded from the public. Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, said that she plans to draft three bills in response to the report to create a grooming law, standards for communication between students and faculty and to end a "loophole" where educators can surrender their teaching license rather than facing further investigation. Senate Committee on Education Chair John Jagler and Vice Chair Romaine Quinn asked a series of 12 questions of DPI Superintendent Jill Underly and demanded to get a response within 24 hours on if she will be willing to testify before the committee.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxRead more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/wisconsin/article_bd9fd2ff-5c49-4838-86a1-6b8527760acc.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) – On the day remaining Israeli hostages were released by Hamas and reunited with their families and friends after more than two years, much of the free world celebrated the peace deal between the Jewish state and the terrorist organization. But on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, a pro-Palestinian group continues to press for the reinstatement of more than 20 students who took part in a major vandalism incident in May, earning their subsequent suspension. The vandalism resulted in a federal review. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxRead more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_e3da55ca-000e-477a-a123-678a091b5184.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) – A bill that would require Wisconsin school districts to confirm they have filed their required financial paperwork to the state before going to referendum was the subject of a public hearing in the Assembly Committee on Education on Thursday. The bill was aimed at districts such as Milwaukee that fail to fulfill their financial reporting obligations and then ask district residents for more funds through a referendum, according to sponsor Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, who referred to Assembly Bill 457 as “my MPS bill.” Milwaukee passed a $252 million referendum in April 2024 and it was later revealed that Milwaukee Public Schools had not filed the paperwork with the Department of Public Instruction. The district missed the deadlines by eight months and had $42 million withheld.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxRead more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/wisconsin/article_b261a280-b88f-4427-922c-43c5d9d6ad1c.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) - The President of Texas A&M University, Mark Welsh, resigned last week amid controversy over a viral video between a professor and a student debating gender ideology. Welsh stepped down officially on Friday, September 19, according to a press release where the Chancellor Glenn Hegar thanked Welsh for his service to the university and the nation. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxRead more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/issues/accountability/article_522ec0ff-d259-4586-9389-f98275fc5794.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) - U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon emphasized literacy, artificial intelligence, civil discourse and education funding at the Reagan Institute Summit on Education. Indiana Education Secretary Katie Jenner asked McMahon questions at RISE in Washington, D.C., on education subjects, such as school choice, innovation, literacy and best practices for schools at the local and state level. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxRead more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_4b73e841-898a-4185-9d6b-c92128b13c38.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) - The U.S. Department of Education, along with private organizations, launched this week the America 250 Civics Education Coalition, in an effort to revive civic education in American schools. First Liberty Institute joined the department, along with 40 other organizations such as Turning Point USA, in launching this coalition on Constitution Day, commemorating the document’s signing on Sept. 17, 1787. This coalition’s goal is “to ensure every young American understands the beauty of our nation and is equipped with the civic knowledge required to contribute meaningfully to its future,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxRead more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_5fd7f7f6-ac10-4e88-874c-2c1fa3bb1d93.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) – The college student loan balance in the United States is $1.66 trillion, according to a WalletHub report. To determine the best and worst states with student debt, the WalletHub's report compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia. WalletHub also graded on a 100-point scale focusing on metrics such as the state's cost of living, unemployment rates and paid internship opportunities for students. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxRead more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_ebd3da0e-fa27-4ec1-8c69-0578fdab6752.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) - The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Free Speech Rankings crowned California's Claremont McKenna College with a grade of B- as the best college in the U.S. for free speech, while a string of other California schools received F grades amid anti-free speech environments across campuses. FIRE released its sixth annual College Free Speech Rankings, which pulled responses on free-speech topics from 68,510 students attending 257 American colleges. The survey highlighted a decline in support for free speech among all students. Students on both sides of the political aisle are showing a deep “unwillingness” to face controversial ideas, the press releases stated.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx Read more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_62a7afdb-42d4-403c-8a7f-a12715a46fff.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) – Virginia is the No. 1 state for teachers' pay and public spending per student. At the same time, it's No. 51 for students' math scores, behind 49 states and Washington, D.C. More pay for teachers and more spending for schools don't necessarily equal better performances by students, according to a Center Square comparison of reports from various sources. A report released by WalletHub Monday revealed the best and worst states for teachers, as student testing performance continues to decline nationwide.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx Read more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_b02cc6ac-e4b5-4020-948c-20755b113871.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) - The White House announced the Presidential AI Challenge, a new initiative to unite innovation and education. Launched on Aug. 26, the initiative is a project that encourages K-12 youth, educators and mentors to solve real-world problems in their communities using artificial intelligence solutions. It provides an opportunity to showcase their solutions at a national level.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx Read more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_fd7c5ec8-0d68-4dbe-8b4b-6b0bd1bcd409.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) - A Chicago student launched a petition to restore bathroom doors after Oak Park and River Forest High School removed them. At the start of the school year, students noticed that the exterior doors to the bathrooms had been removed. In response, students were outraged, calling it a violation of privacy. High school junior Laila Rosenthal launched a “We Need Doors” petition to restore bathroom doors. The school’s decision to remove bathroom entry doors came as a crime prevention measure.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) - Following the Beverly Hills Unified School District board's vote to display Israeli flags on all its campuses, Superintendent Alex Cherniss overruled the decision, citing safety concerns. “In light of heightened safety concerns around the displaying of flags on our campuses, I have made the decision to take immediate action for the safety and security of our students,” Dr. Cherniss wrote in a statement. “Until further notice, no flags will be displayed on our campuses other than the flag of the United States of America and the flag of the state of California.” Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_06204a5e-7fc6-4d38-bbed-e4d8a8389e8c.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) - The California Senate Appropriations Committee sent Assembly Bill 495 on its way to the Senate floor, despite strong opposition from Republicans. The committee Friday voted 5-2 to send AB 495, known as the “Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025," to the full Senate for consideration. If approved, the bill, authored by Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez, D-San Fernando, will move directly to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_b93cd544-1885-4d5d-88bb-19776f2dab31.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(The Center Square) — Arizona lawmakers violated the constitutional requirement to fund public schools, ruled Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Dewain Fox. In a 114-page decision, Fox stated on Aug. 11 that Arizona schools did not meet the minimum standards in providing adequate equipment for building repairs, even though the Arizona Constitution requires the Legislature to organize and fund a “general and uniform public school system.” The case, Glendale Elementary School District v. State of Arizona, was filed in 2017 by Glendale Elementary School District, Crane Elementary School District, Chino Valley Unified School District and Elfrida Elementary School District, alongside Arizona School Boards Association, Arizona Education Association and Arizona School Administrators. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/arizona/article_eb7afef2-5b47-44d5-9645-24a7a18adfaa.html Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.