Friday News Roundup

Here’s your Friday News Roundup!

See All the Lawsuits Filed Over Trump’s Education Policies (EducationWeek)

EducationWeek reported last week that,

“President Donald Trump has set a dizzying pace with his rollout of education policies since returning to the White House – with his detractors frequently trying to stall his aggressive maneuvers through litigation.”

“As of March 26, Education Week has identified 19 lawsuits that challenge either Trump administration education policies or broader policies from the administration from the administration that affect education.”

The number of lawsuits produced from other governmental departments must be staggering, and Donald Trump will be long gone from office (or will he?) before most of these lawsuits are decided.

States Get Antsy as Education Department Layoffs Delay Millions for Schools (EducationWeek)

EducationWeek reported last week that,

“State education officials nationwide say the U.S. Department of Education is blocking access to tens of millions of dollars meant for K-12 schools – an issue exacerbated by the Trump administration’s aggressive recent efforts to slash the federal agency’s workforce.”

“The problems have affected at least seven states. In court filings this week, education officials in California, New York, and Illinois said the federal government has failed to reimburse funds for school district expenses since early March – transactions that are typically routine. Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, and Utah have experienced similar issues in recent weeks, representatives for their respective education agencies told Education Week.”

Depending on the department, federal response to state needs has been criticized as slowed by D.C. red tape, but now, with less government workers, it’s questionable whether America’s kids will receive the services they deserve from our K-12 system.

A Texas Student was Kneed in the Face by a School Cop: Her Civil Rights Case is One of Thousands That May Never Be Resolved (The 74)

The 74 reported last week that,

“After a campus police officer grabbed student Ja’Liyah Celestine by the hair and kneed her in the face, she filed a federal civil rights complaint that alleged persistent racial discrimination against Black teens at her Texas high school.”

“But the complaint, brought by the 18-year-old in late October with the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, may never get investigated.”

“That’s because it’s one of thousands federal civil rights complaints and investigations against school districts nationally –  particularly those alleging sexual misconduct or racism – that advocates say have been left to languish by the Trump administration with little hope for resolution. As the president and Secretary Linda McMahon seek to dismantle the Education Department – with its civil rights office among the hardest hit by layoffs – attorneys say students like Celestine have lost one of their few avenues for relief.”

So where are all these complaints going? The Department of Justice? Maybe.

In the meantime, while the Trump administration focuses on antisemitism and transgender investigations, cases involving race, sex and LGBTQ matters are more likely to languish.

Iowa Submits Plan to Combine Federal Education Funds, and Experts are Skeptical (The 74)

“Millions of dollars for high-poverty schools, English learners and afterschool care – along with funds from seven other federal programs – would be rolled into a single block grant under an Iowa proposal being reviewed by the U.S. Department of Education,” The 74 reported last week.

“Submitted March 7, the plan offers a blueprint for Republican governors seeking more control over how federal education funds are spent. The current formulas, according to a brief summary of the plan provided to The 74, result in ‘1,400 different funding streams across 325 school districts.’”

One of the reasons block grants went away in the 1970’s was the fact that many black, brown, and poor kids were hurt when K-12 state leaders made decisions on funding based on larger groups of students and ignored the needs of kids who needed extra support – like special education students, English language learners, and others.

Why would we think today would offer a different scenario than the 1970’s?

Linda McMahon Abruptly Tells States Their Time to Spend COVID Relief Has Passed (EducationWeek)

Here today, gone tomorrow.

EducationWeek reported last week that,

“Education Secretary Linda McMahon…told states that their time to spend COVID relief money had suddenly come to an end – canceling extensions the department had previously granted to states to allow schools more time to spend the money on previously planned projects and services.”

“McMahon alerted state education chiefs in a letter dated Friday that the deadline to spend all remaining funds was that same day at 5 P.M. EST.”

“She said the additional time ‘was not justified’ and that state and school districts ‘ have had ample time to liquidate obligations.”

To be fair, school districts and states had been warned for almost a year that COVID funding was going to run out, but if extensions were granted, extensions should be honored.

That’s your Friday News Roundup for April 4^th. Til Monday. Go Houston Cougars! SVB