I鈥檝e been writing annual roundups of the best and worst education news for the past 13 years.
Here鈥檚 a look at my choices for the education highlights and lowlights from the past 12 months. And do let me know on X (formerly Twitter) , on BlueSky , or via email at lferlazzo@educationweek.org what you agree or disagree with or what you think I鈥檓 missing. Chances are I鈥檓 missing a lot!
These are not published in any particular order.
Look for my 2026 education predictions soon!
The Best Education News
- Recent polling has found that two groups of people most involved with public schools鈥� and their 鈥攇ive their school very high marks. In those same polls, those without a direct connection to schools didn鈥檛 share those same high opinions, giving credence to the saying that not knowing much about a subject never stops an American from giving a strongly held opinion on it.
- Kudos to the unions, states, and organizations fighting against the Trump administration鈥檚 of the Department of Education, its , and its attempts to 鈥渄isappear鈥� transgender youth. From to , to , to , opposition to Trump has been forceful and has scored many .
- And many cheers to the 糖心动漫vlog, schools, city officials, and who have stood up against ICE abducting students and their families. Teachers have , parents and neighbors have , and community members have . This kind of resistance to injustice is likely a lesson that will inspire students for the rest of their lives.
- Let鈥檚 hear it for voters throughout the country that supported the Trump administrations destructive agenda against students and their families.
- In one of the few pieces of positive news out of the Supreme Court this year, a 4-4 deadlock results in the . Let鈥檚 hope they don鈥檛 get another chance.
- of the Biden administration was changing Social Security rules so that second-career teachers could receive their appropriate SS benefits and not have them reduced because of their pensions. Many 糖心动漫vlog, including me, will have slightly more comfortable retirements because of this action.
- Teachers across the country rejoiced this year as laws swept the country, many accompanied with additional resources, banning student cellphone use in the classroom. These restrictions have in the classroom for everyone.
- In the midst of an about lower student-test scores, along with supposed there have been some outstanding voices of reason. Many of these voices can be found in Ed Week articles and columns and also in articles written by educator and journalist , along with work from Perhaps complicated issues may not lend themselves to simple explanations and solutions? And, speaking of voices of reason, the Association for Education, Finance and Policy created the 鈥済o-to鈥� source for objective education policy research by unveiling their freely available . And you鈥檙e unlikely to find more clear-headed commentary about artificial intelligence in education than from
- There鈥檚 a long way to go, but chronic absenteeism in schools 鈥攆inally. We can only hope that don鈥檛 reverse this positive trend.
- There is some justice in our world: Alex Jones鈥� appeal of the $1.4 billion judgment against him in the Sandy Hook defamation suit by the U.S. Supreme Court, and Ryan Walters as Oklahoma state schools superintendent. Walters鈥� resignation is great news for the teachers and students of that state and is great news for everyone else, too, because we won鈥檛 have to hear his ridiculous pronouncements.
- New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani brought needed attention to gifted-and-talented programs by . Kindergarten? Really? On the broader topic of these kinds of these so-called , I loved the way the International Baccalaureate program runs at my old high school. Yes, we have IB Diploma candidates who take all IB classes. But anyone else can opt into taking any IB class, and we specifically recruit students who are not taking any IB courses. I hope Mamdani鈥檚 efforts result in a national conversation on the topic.
The Worst Education News
Where to begin? 2025 has not been a good year for education...
- The dismantling of the federal Department of Education, including its infrastructure. The Trump administration鈥檚 efforts to 鈥渇arm out鈥� various department functions has (surprise!), and its plan to reduce restrictions and push out responsibilities to states will have for vulnerable populations, especially in red states. If you believe that the rights of low-income, and students will be zealously safeguarded in those areas, then I have a bridge that I鈥檇 like to sell you.
- Of course, the Trump administration鈥檚 freeze of $6.8 billion dollars for education was a big blow for many school districts. three months later in the face of legal challenges, but the uncertainty and lateness of releasing the funds put additional unneeded pressure on already stressed 糖心动漫vlog.
- The Trump administration鈥檚 unjust and illegal attacks on anything remotely connected to DEI have also resulted in headaches and stress for teachers and their students. Even though 鈥攆or now鈥攃onservative states have used them as an excuse to try to stamp out even the smallest efforts by teachers to promote a sense of belonging, including tearing down a classroom sign saying How many teachers have altered their actions as a form of 鈥� in fear of their jobs?
- The Trump administration鈥檚 attacks on immigrant communities have reverberated in schools and their communities throughout the United States. Hundreds of thousands of students have of school, their families devastated by arrests and deportations, trauma pressed into the fabrics of their lives. 鈥淕ive me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.鈥�
- If the news of government-sponsored abductions isn鈥檛 enough to depress you, note that a done by The Center for Democracy & Technology found that 9% of teachers in their survey said that someone employed at their school reported a student or their family member to ICE. That鈥檚 not a huge percentage, but any percentage is depressing.
- School vouchers have continued to suck money out of public schools,, but more often than not, to be used by families who already . That鈥檚 been the story in (the voucher poster child) and in other states, and you can bet dollars to donuts that will be the case in the newest state to buy into the program, . And all of this happens even though . A , and it鈥檚 still to be seen what impact it will have on schools.
- Standardized-test scores are , though there are some signs of a See the 鈥淏est News鈥� section for some voices of reason offering thoughtful analyses about why this is the case and what can be done about it.
- The Trump administration鈥檚 decision to stop funding SNAP benefits during the federal government shutdown put even more pressure on schools and their students. It鈥檚 pretty hard for a hungry child to focus on that day鈥檚 lesson. Just another Trump-created crisis that teachers had to deal with.
- Conservative states have escalated campaigns to push their political agenda and propaganda into the classroom. Whether it鈥檚 educational efforts around the of the United States, a Texas-sponsored English curriculum , or new Florida teaching standards , teachers are being pushed to 鈥渢oe the line.鈥�
- There have been countless instances of people and institutions not demonstrating courage in the face of Trump administration attacks, but I continue to be incredulous that there are some major education organizations that have not spoken out against the many federal assaults on our schools, teachers, students, and their families.
- The concentrated efforts by corporations to infiltrate K-12 education and the absence of professional development and guidance to teachers on dealing with it are combining to create a potential disaster in many school districts. Artificial intelligence can be helpful to English learners, to students enrolled in special education programs, to all teachers who are creating and modifying materials, and in assessing low-stakes online games and grammar practice. Those benefits are 鈥渘ot nothing,鈥� but I fear AI proponents won鈥檛 be satisfied with them and that we have the beginnings of a cellphone problem on steroids facing education.
- Teachers鈥� salaries are continuing to the income of other college graduates, most teachers are taking , and the found that: 鈥�Teachers were more likely in 2025 than similar working adults to report experiencing poor well-being on every indicator.鈥� Other than these challenges, teachers are in great shape.
