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Politics K-12®

Politics K-12 kept watch on education policy and politics in the nation’s capital and in the states. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: Federal, States.

Protesters hold up a sign that shows the outline of a rifle struck through with a yellow line at a demonstration in support of stronger gun laws.
Protesters gather for the March For Our Lives rally in Detroit, among the demonstrations against gun violence held on the heels of recent mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas.
KT Kanazawich for Education Week
Federal What Educators Need to Know About Senators' Bipartisan Deal on Guns, School Safety
In addition to gun restrictions, a tentative compromise would also fund mental health and school safety programs—but it faces hurdles.
Evie Blad, June 13, 2022
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4 min read
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks during the 2022 National and State Teachers of the Year event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, April 27, 2022.
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, is seen during a White House event on April 27. The following day, he defended the Biden administration's budget proposal on Capitol Hill.
Susan Walsh/AP
Federal Lawmakers, Education Secretary Clash Over Charter School Rules
Miguel Cardona says the administration wants to ensure charters show wide community interest before securing federal funding.
Mark Lieberman, April 28, 2022
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5 min read
President Joe Biden delivers his first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Washington as Vice President Kamala Harris applauds and House speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., looks on.
President Joe Biden delivers his first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress, with Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in attendance.
Sarahbeth Maney/The New York Times via AP
Federal 7 Takeaways for Educators From Biden's State of the Union
What did President Joe Biden say about education in his first State of the Union address to Congress? Here's a point-by-point summary.
Evie Blad, March 2, 2022
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3 min read
President Joe Biden delivers his first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of Calif., look on.
President Joe Biden delivers his first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday, with Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of Calif., behind him.
Sarahbeth Maney/The New York Times via AP
Federal Biden Sounds Alarm on Youth Mental Health, Urges Americans to Aid Schools' COVID Recovery
The president's State of the Union speech called on Americans to volunteer in schools and proposed new funding for mental health efforts.
Evie Blad, March 1, 2022
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5 min read
History teacher Wendy Leighton holds a copy of "They Called us Enemy," about the internment of Japanese Americans, while speaking about marginalized with her students at Monte del Sol Charter School, Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, in Santa Fe, N.M. Leighton is one of dozens of educators who helped draft state's proposed changes to the social studies curriculum, including adding the Sept. 11 attacks and the history of LGBTQ rights. It would increase the focus on ethnic studies in a state where 49 percent of the population is Hispanic, and 11 percent is Indigenous.
History teacher Wendy Leighton holds a copy of <i>They Called Us Enemy, </i>about the internment of Japanese Americans, while speaking about marginalized groups with her students at Monte del Sol Charter School in Santa Fe, N.M.
Cedar Attanasio/AP
Families & the Community How Politics Are Straining Parent-School Relationships
The push for more parental involvement in schools has become entangled with national disputes over curriculum and other contentious issues.
Andrew Ujifusa, February 10, 2022
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12 min read
Second-grade teacher Melissa Shugg teaches a lesson at Paw Paw Elementary School about thoughts, feelings and actions on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021, in Paw Paw, Michigan. Shugg is one of many teachers at the school who've been trained to teach a social-emotional curriculum created at the University of Michigan called TRAILS. Research suggests TRAILS lessons for at-risk kids can reduce depression and improve coping skills — something district officials say has been particularly important during the pandemic.
Second-grade teacher Melissa Shugg teaches a lesson at Paw Paw Elementary School in Paw Paw, Mich., about thoughts, feelings and actions late last year.
Martha Irvine/AP
Student Well-Being Student Mental Health Is Overwhelming Schools. Can Congress Help?
Mental health experts and advocates testified with data and anecdotes of rising mental health struggles for kids.
Andrew Ujifusa, February 1, 2022
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4 min read
Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona speaks during a visit with first lady Jill Biden to Bergen Community College in Paramus, N.J., Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022.
Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona speaks during a visit with first lady Jill Biden to Bergen Community College in Paramus, N.J., Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022.
Seth Wenig/AP
Federal Miguel Cardona Tells Teachers 'I Know You're Tired' in Speech Outlining Major K-12 Goals
The education secretary outlined his vision for education and specific goals for schools, but COVID has complicated his work.
Andrew Ujifusa, January 27, 2022
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4 min read
Helina Thorp, right, 14, expresses frustration while unsuccessfully trying to log in to her school distance-learning classes in Placerville, Calif., after Pacific Gas & Electric intentionally shut off power to prevent wildfires amid high winds in September 2020.
Helina Thorp, right, 14, expresses frustration while unsuccessfully trying to log in to her school distance-learning classes in Placerville, Calif., after Pacific Gas & Electric shut off power to prevent wildfires amid high winds in September 2020.
Daniel Kim/The Sacramento Bee via AP
School & District Management Vulnerable Students, Districts at Greater Risk as Natural Disasters Grow More Frequent
New federal research indicates the harm from fires and storms to school facilities, learning, and mental health is disproportionate.
Andrew Ujifusa, January 19, 2022
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4 min read
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, left, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to the president, testify before a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing to examine the federal response to COVID-19 and new emerging variants, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022 on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, left, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to the president, testify at a Senate hearing about the federal response to COVID-19.
Greg Nash/Pool via AP
Federal Citing Educator and Parent Anxieties, Senators Press Biden Officials on Omicron Response
Lawmakers expressed concern about schools' lack of access to masks and coronavirus tests, as well as disruptions to in-person learning.
Andrew Ujifusa, January 11, 2022
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5 min read
Three Oakland County Sheriff's deputies survey the grounds outside of the residence of parents of the Oxford High School shooter on Dec. 3, 2021, in Oxford, Mich.
Three Oakland County Sheriff's deputies survey the grounds outside of the Crumbley residence while seeking James and Jennifer Crumbley, parents of Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley, on Dec. 3, 2021, in Oxford, Mich.
Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP
Federal Miguel Cardona Should Help Schools Push Parents to Store Guns Safely, Lawmakers Say
More than 100 members of Congress say a recent shooting at a Michigan high school underscores the need for Education Department action.
Andrew Ujifusa, December 15, 2021
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3 min read
Illustration of individual carrying binary data on his back to put back into the organized background of 1s and 0s.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Federal In Reversal, Feds Seek to Revive DeVos-Era Questions About Sexual Misconduct by Educators
The Education Department's decision follows backlash from former education Secretary Betsy DeVos and other conservatives.
Andrew Ujifusa, December 14, 2021
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4 min read
Kristin Allan won a nonpartisan race for a seat on the Cherry Creek school district's board in Colorado.
Kristin Allan won a nonpartisan race for seat on the Cherry Creek school district's board in Colorado.
Rachel Woolf for Education Week
School & District Management Critical Race Theory Fights Have Made Life Miserable for School Board Candidates
Discussing the divisive issue in a way that works with voters is no easy task. Just ask those who've tried it, with mixed results.
Andrew Ujifusa, December 14, 2021
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8 min read
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington on Aug. 5, 2021.
U.S. Secretary of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks during a White House briefing.
Susan Walsh/AP
Federal Biden Administration Lays Out Its Top Priorities for Education Grants
The pandemic's impact and a diverse, well-prepared educator workforce are among areas the administration wants to fund at its discretion.
Andrew Ujifusa, December 10, 2021
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2 min read
New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg, second from left, and Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott, far left, meeting with senior students at the Bedford Academy High School in New York on Dec. 3, 2013. Bloomberg campaigned on gaining control of the nation's largest public school system. left his mark by championing charter schools, expanding school choice, giving schools letter grades, and replacing scores of struggling institutions with clusters of small schools.
Then-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, second from left, and former Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott, far left, meet with senior students at Bedford Academy High School in New York in 2013.
Bebeto Matthews/AP
School Choice & Charters Bloomberg Launches $750 Million Fund to Grow Charter Schools Amid 'Broken' K-12 System
Former New York City mayor and one-time presidential hopeful Michael R. Bloomberg aims to add 150,000 charter school seats over five years.
Andrew Ujifusa, December 1, 2021
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5 min read
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