Policy & Legal
Houston Independent School District (HISD) has retained its B rating for the 2025-26 school year, marking the second consecutive year at this level since the Texas state takeover in 2023. Wheatley High School, a focal point of the takeover, achieved its first A rating. The district saw an increase in A/B-rated schools but also reported five failing schools, up from zero the previous year. State-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles remains cautiously optimistic, while the Texas Education Agency has extended the takeover until at least June 1, 2027.
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CISA issued new K-12 cybersecurity guidance on Aug. 12, offering two guides to help school and district leaders establish and maintain cyber defense programs. The resources address persistent threats like ransomware and data breaches, while acknowledging challenges such as budget constraints and recent federal workforce reductions.
New York City Public Schools, the largest U.S. district, will assign 'school avoidance' liaisons to every building as part of a settlement resolving a 2024 federal lawsuit. The liaisons will identify and respond to emotional and psychological barriers to attendance, with implementation deadlines set for 2027.
Dyscalculia, a learning disability affecting number processing, impacts roughly the same proportion of students as dyslexia. However, a new brief from the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) reveals that schools are far less equipped to identify and serve these students. The brief outlines gaps in district systems and proposes a multi-step identification process, including universal screening and diagnostic follow-ups.
On Tuesday, a coalition of unions led by the American Federation of Teachers filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education, challenging the agency's regulatory definition of 'professional degree' that excludes education graduate programs. The definition determines federal student loan borrowing caps: students in recognized professional programs can borrow up to $200,000, while those in excluded fields like education are limited to $100,000. The lawsuit follows a federal judge's June order that temporarily blocked the department's definition, prompting an expansion of the list to include nursing, physical therapy, athletic training, and occupational therapy, but education remains excluded as of July 10. The plaintiffs seek to vacate and postpone the effective date of the Reimagining and Improving Student Education rule, alleging it conflicts with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the Higher Education Act. The Education Department defends its interpretation, stating it is confident in its legal stance and prioritizes students and families over institutional interests.