A new fed'l tax credit program is putting Dem governors in a bind. If they opt in, tax $$ will go toward private school vouchers. If they say no, their states will lose out on a new bottomless bucket of federal $$ that could help public school students, too. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
Also check out the very cool lookup tool where you can see the racial makeup of the faculty at any of 187 large research universities.
When the Trump DEI assault began, I got wondering whether those programs had worked. Today we published the result of that wondering -- a deep dive into the ubiquitous effort to racially diversify university faculties -- and the state of play today. wapo.st/45QWLmm
Much more in this deep dive about one of the most important people in education politics that you may have never heard of, with @ence.bsky.social and @bethreinhard.bsky.social Hope you will give it a read! 5/5
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Yass has many views about school choice, shaped almost entirely by other backers of school choice -- a contrast to how he goes about his very successful day job: “I always say, ‘Go find the smartest person who disagrees with you.’” But he has not done that here. "I would love to," he told me. 4/x
Jeff Yass compares himself to superstars who make political endorsements, mentioning Oprah, Taylor Swift and Springsteen. “I am not nearly as powerful as Bruce Springsteen. If you want to shut me up, you have to shut him up, too," he told me. 3/x www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Yass has donated money on a massive scale, dwarfing other givers. He says he's countering the teachers unions but consider than in the 2022 PA state elections, he gave candidates (thru PACs) $22 million vs about $4 million from teachers unions (who represent thousands of teachers). 2/x
NEW: Our look at one of the most important players in the school choice debate: Jeff Yass, the billionaire funding campaigns across the country and in his home state of PA. Got a chance to talk with him at length and he had lots of provocative things to say 1/x
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
A Wash Post review found instances of parents arrested near campuses in at least 10 states so far this year. Actions near campuses—which include shooting a man, releasing tear gas and engaging in a car chase—have prompted lockdowns. @justinemcdaniel.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
In an all-staff meeting, Ed Secretary Linda McMahon said it was critical to get the "messaging" right: "We are not talking about shutting down the Department of Education. We are talking about returning education to states."
www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
SCOOP: The Education Department is looking to move a $15 billion program supporting students with disabilities out of the agency as it works to close the agency altogether, a department official said Tuesday. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
NEW: Our look at the many hurdles facing Harvard despite a resounding win in court.
And we tucked in some news: This week the Educ Dept quietly disclosed plan to rewrite civil rights regs to "streamline" process of denying funds to schools in violation.
www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
For decades, the federal government has advised schools how to comply with federal law requiring services for kids learning English, with the latest guidance dating to 2015. Suddenly it was rescinded - with no word on whether it will be replaced.
www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
One of the most striking data points amid many in our look at civil rights enforcement under Trump's Education Department: the backlog of cases rose from about 20,000 to about 25,000 in just five months this year. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
Our look at huge changes to civil rights enforcement for schools:
-A reversal in what's considered discrimination w/ reverse racial discrimination and transgender sports cases prioritized
-Severe staff cuts leaving thousands of others unresolved.
www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
Arizona has embraced market competition as a central tenet of its K-12 education system, a victory for school choice but with impacts on public education. With enrollment falling, schools are closing. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
Meantime, the public face of the task force, Leo Terrell, has himself been accused of antisemitism – as has President Trump, repeatedly. W/ Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff, Susan Svrluga, Perry Stein, @emilydavies.bsky.social - All this and more at wapo.st/413jE3p 6/6
In February, the antisemitism task force promised to visit 10 schools that have experienced antisemitism and meet with a wide range of people on campus to investigate. Four of those schools said no visits have been requested. (The others didn’t comment.) wapo.st/413jE3p 5/x
The administration wrote to 60 schools in March to warn that they might be subject to “enforcement actions” based on their responses to antisemitism, though more than 20 of them have heard nothing from the administration since then, according to a Washington Post survey. wapo.st/413jE3p 4/x
There’s been a mishmash of enforcement that has frightened universities across the country. In some cases, the administration issues public threats but never follows up. In others, they pull billions of funding without investigation or attempts to find a solution as civil rights law dictates. 3/x
Big picture: Trump officials argue antisemitism and DEI are both racist and therefore related. Critics say they are using antisemitism as a pretext to go after unrelated conservative complaints. “It’s self-evident it’s not about antisemitism,” said one Jewish leader. wapo.st/413jE3p 2/x
NEW: Our look at how the Trump antisemitism task force and how it is pressing to reshape universities on DEI and other matters unrelated to antisemitism. It is truly packed with news and tidbits from a great team of reporters 1/x wapo.st/413jE3p
Big setback for the school choice movement as Senate parliamentarian nixes school voucher program from giant tax bill. Ruling says plans needs 60 votes to pass Senate-- unlikely if not straight up impossible. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Public schools are facing a host of new pressures from all corners of government on a range of subjects. Check out our virtual schoolhouse to see some of the biggest headwinds. www.washingtonpost.com/education/in...
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said Wednesday she is not sure whether teaching about Ruby Bridges or the Tulsa Race Massacre would amount to illegal diversity, equity and inclusion education. “I’d have to get back to you on that," she told a House committee.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
For decades, the fed’l gov’t used data analysis - known as disparate impact - to ferret out discrimination, winning cases and reaching settlements in housing, education, policing and more. Now the Trump admin is unwinding those cases. w/
@julez.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Actually I believe there’s a provision barring that
Reupping this story. The tax bill includes the school voucher tax credit described here -- a 100% tax credit for donations to voucher orgs - so taxpayers would essentially get their money back when they file their taxes. A huge win for school choice movement. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
A very personal essay about something many of us have dealt with: Dementia and grief have complicated my decades-long relationship with my stepfather. We visit a lot — and not enough. www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
SCOOP: The Educ Dept's civil rights office has terminated an already agreed-to agreement with a SD school district regarding equal treatment of Native American students because, they said, the agreement included DEI. More reviews like this are coming. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
