IEN will be taking a break for one more week, but we will be back September 9th with our annual scan of news stories related to the start f the new school year in many parts of the world. In the meantime, please check out our “back to school” posts from last year to see the issues people were talking about in 2025:
This second part of IEN’s annual scan of the back-to-school stories brings together some of the headlines that focused on the effects of a flurry of executive orders and policy changes from Washington. The first part of the scan shared stories from outside the US, and, next week, we’ll review some of the other back-to-school headlines in the national and local press in the US.
For back-to school headlines from Fall 24: Politics, Policies, and Polarization: Scanning the 2024-25 Back-To-School Headlines in the US (Part 1); Supplies, Shortages, and Other Disruptions? Scanning the Back-to-School Headlines for 2024-25 (Part 2); Banning Cell Phones Around the World? Scanning the Back-to-School Headlines for 2024-25 (Part 3); Fall 23: Crises and Concerns: Scanning the Back-to-School Headlines (Part 1), (Part 2), (Part 3). Fall 22: Hope and trepidation: Scanning the back-to-school headlines in 2022 (Part 1), (Part 2) , (Part 3); Fall 21: Going back to school has never been quite like this (Part 1), (Part 2), (Part 3); Fall 20: What does it look like to go back to school? It’s different all around the world…; Fall 19: Headlines around the world: Back to school 2019 edition.
Tracking Trump: His actions on education, The Hechinger Report
Introducing the Trump K-12 education litigation tracker, Brookings
As Students Return to School, Educators Grapple With Chaos From Washington, The74
“As 47 million students return to school in the coming weeks, district leaders say they’re experiencing an uncertainty they haven’t felt since the pandemic. It’s “the amount of information that’s coming to you all at once,” said Jeremy Vidito of the Detroit schools. He laid out a litany of hardships, including figuring out “what’s true, what’s not. Emergency orders. Budget cuts.” But this time, the federal government is the source of the unease, as the Trump administration seeks to reduce more spending.” — The74
Funding
Your Guide to the Evolving Federal Budget and What It Means for Schools, Education Week
State Funding for Schools Is a Mess This Year, Too. Here’s Why, Education Week
“The Trump administration’s budget request for FY 2026 would cut overall education funding by nearly 16% compared to current funding levels” — LPI
House panel approves 26% cut to Title I funding for FY26, K-12 Dive
House Lawmakers Endorse Some—But Not All—of Trump’s Education Cuts, Education Week
Trump administration cancels dozens more grants, hitting civics, art, and higher ed, Education Week
Trump shifts millions of dollars to HBCUs and tribal schools amid deep education cuts, USA Today
Trump administration boosts HBCU funding after cutting grants for Hispanic-serving colleges, CNN
Trump Department of Education rolls out latest step to expand school choice nationwide, Fox News
“Department of Education sends guidance on private school kids obtaining federally-funded benefits, including one-on-one tutoring, counseling,” Fox News
Half of the states won’t comply with Trump’s push to defund schools over DEI, The74
Nation’s Report Card at risk, researchers say, The Hechinger Report
“While the Trump administration has vowed to preserve NAEP, it has overseen major cuts to staff who work on it and the elimination of more than a dozen tests” — Hechinger Report
How At-Risk Federal Data Is Being Rescued and Preserved, New America
Trump Admin. Wants to Scale Back Data Collection on Career and Technical Programs, Education Week
“The Trump administration wants to roll back rules for collecting data on state career and technical education programs instituted in the final days of the Biden administration and align the largest federal CTE program with the president’s first-day executive order making it federal policy to recognize only two sexes.” — Education Week
How Schools Will Feel the Federal Funding Cuts to Libraries and Museums, Education Week
Trump administration axes federal Blue Ribbon program that recognized high-achieving schools, Chalkbeat
FCC proposal would disconnect school bus Wi-Fi, hotspots from E-rate coverage, K-12 Dive
Students, schools race to save clean energy projects in face of Trump deadline, The Hechinger Report
Most—But Not All—Imperiled Federal Grants for Special Education Will Continue, Education Week
“The U.S. Department of Education says it wants projects aligned with Trump administration priorities.” — Education Week
Trump Canceled Millions for Special Education Teacher Training. What’s Next?, Education Week
Health
Schools prepare for the worst as RFK Jr. reshapes the vaccine landscape, The Hill
Confusion as Kids Head Back to School and RFK Jr. Calls the Shots on Vaccines, The74
Childhood Vaccinations Are Down. Schools Are Bracing for Outbreaks, Education Week
Schools brace for federal changes to lunch, The Hill
Trump law will cut food stamps for 2.4 million people as work rules widen, The Guardian
Civil Rights
How the Education Department is using civil rights laws to bring schools to heel, NPR
Trump’s Civil Rights Agenda Comes for Public Schools, Education Next
See Which Schools Trump’s Education Department Is Investigating and Why, Education Week
Some State Leaders Cheer as Trump’s Ed. Dept. Investigates Their Schools, Education Week
Schools Sue Trump, But It’s Getting Harder for Them to Recoup Money, Education Week
Trump administration targets race-focused school programs, The New York Times
“The Trump administration has launched investigations into school districts in Chicago and Evanston over programs aimed at supporting Black students, saying that efforts such as hiring Black teachers, expanding Black history and antiracism training may violate civil rights law. Supporters say the initiatives address systemic inequities and improve student outcomes, while critics warn they could be dismantled in court battles likely to reach the Supreme Court.” — NYT
Programs for vision and hearing loss harmed by Trump’s anti-diversity push, ProPublica
40 states could lose federal funds for sex ed if they keep gender identity in curriculum, ChalkBeat
Ed. Dept. Will Release New Guidance on School Prayer, Trump Says, Education Week
Trump administration rolls back pivotal guidance about educational rights of English learners, Chalkbeat
For mixed status families, deportation fears cast shadow over new academic year, NPR
Next Week: Supplies, Support, Lunch and Fear: Scanning the National and Local Back-To-School Headlines in the US for 25-26 (Part 3)
What’s in the education news as the school year begins in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere? This week, in part 2 of IEN’s annual back-to-school scan, we share the headlines from across the US and around the world that touch on issues like the costs of supplies and other materials for parents as well as teachers; hot weather and other disruptions; shortages – particularly of bus drivers in the US; and a variety of other topics. In Part 3, we will gather together some of the many stories discussing cell phone bans, particularly in the US and Canada. Last week, Part 1 of this year’s scan provided an overview of some of the many election-related education stories that have appeared in the press as students return to school Politics, Policies, and Polarization: Scanning the 2024-25 Back-To-School Headlines in the US (Part 1).
Clash between tech and textbooks as Canadians head back to school, CityNews
Back to school could mean back to the hot seat for Big Tech. Social media platforms TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat spent last school year embroiled in a lawsuit accusing them of disrupting learning, contributing to a mental health crisis among youth and leaving teachers to manage the fallout. When students return to class this September, experts say the clash between tech and textbooks will be reignited
French teachers wrangle with new reforms as children return to classroom, FRANCE24
Summer holidays end for school children in the south of the Netherlands, Dutch News
French teachers wrangle with new reforms as children return to classroom, FRANCE24
Ukrainian front-line students celebrate back-to-school despite ever-present air raid alarms, Local10
Ukrainian children return to school in underground shelter amid Russian bombardments, Firstpost
Thousands of Children Cut off from School by North Vietnam Floods, Cambodianess
Thousands of children will struggle to return to school because of North Vietnam floods, CamNess
Back to school: Which of Europe’s ‘Big Five’ countries pays the most for school supplies?, Euronews
Although textbook prices vary from school to school, they add a substantial burden: €591,44 on average in Italy and €491.90 in Spain, the highest ever
Rising cost of living puts pressure on parents’ back-to-school finances in Germany, Euronews
Moroccan Families Break-the-Bank as Children Return Back-to-School, Morocco World News
Families with multiple children, in particular, are struggling to balance their budgets as they manage not only the cost of school supplies but also additional needs such as furniture and other essentials for their children.
Back-to-school spending averages $586 per student, Yahoo Finance
Educators Prepare Early, Spend Their Own Money for New School Year, Education Week
Some districts are still struggling to hire teachers for the new year, Education Week
‘They have to have known’: Hawaii scrambles for solutions to bus driver shortage, Honolulu Civil Beat
Durham schools face second day of bus delays, district promises swift action, WRAL
Parents Scramble to Get Kids to School as Bus Shortage Hits St. Louis — Again, The 74
The School Year Is Off to a Hot Start—Again. What Districts Need to Know, Education Week
What’s in: Nostalgic school supplies. What’s out: Leggings and cellphones, Axios
Top legal hurdles facing schools in 2024-25, K-12 Dive
Snuggles, pep talks and love notes: 10 ways to calm your kid’s back-to-school jitters, NPR
As a New School Year Begins, Ensuring All Students Feel a Sense of Belonging, The 74
Learning and Love: A Lesson from Mr. Rogers for the Start of a New School Year, The 74
Alabama
No Crocs, hoodies, backpacks? Figuring out shifting Alabama school dress codes, AL.com
Massachusetts
Back to school, back to COVID safety. What to know about best health practices in classrooms, The Boston Globe
California
New laws impacting education go into effect as the school year begins, EdSource
Legislation going into effect this school year will bring changes to California campuses. One new law requires elementary schools to offer free menstrual products in some bathrooms and another requires that all students, beginning in first grade, learn about climate change.
Students heading back to school may have cell phones banned as more states pass laws limiting use, WSB-TV
Too many kids are going back to school this month without functioning A/C, Los Angeles Times
LAUSD students are back to school with street safety measures in place and a cell phone ban, CBS News
Local school districts announce schedule changes amid record temps in Southern California, KTLA 5
Chicago
Chicago Public Schools heads back to class amid extreme heat, Chalkbeat
Florida
New metal detectors delay students’ first day of school in one South Florida district, AP
Each of the district’s high schools was allocated at least two metal detectors to screen their students, with larger schools getting four, like Cypress Bay High School in suburban Weston, which has more than 4,700 students. But even at smaller schools, kids were stuck waiting — leaving students and parents with more than the usual first-day nerves.
Iowa
Michigan
Cellphone bans, free meals, student funding: What to know as Michigan heads back to school, Detroit Free Press
New York City
Literacy overhaul to ChatGPT: 5 NYC education issues we’re watching this school year, Chalkbeat
Elementary school teachers and students will continue to adjust to the city’s literacy curriculum mandate. Schools will still grapple with how best to meet the needs of the thousands of asylum-seeking and other migrant students who have entered the school system. And tensions fueled by the Israel-Hamas war could persist in school communities this year.
Thousands of NYC special ed students denied services days before school starts, New York Post
With high-fives and dance moves, NYC’s nearly 900,000 students return for first day of school, Chalkbeat
New Pencils, New Folders … and New Schools, The New York Times
Seattle
Seattle Public Schools students return as district prepares for a year of change, The Seattle Times
For some historical perspective on how the issues have evolved since the school closures of the COVID-19 pandemic, explore the back-to-school headlines from previous years:
Posted in About K-12 International Education News, Back to school, Scan
Tagged Back to school, education, Educational Policy
As students in many parts of the northern hemisphere start a new school year, IEN begins our annual scan of the back-to-school headlines. This year, with the surge of interest in the presidential election since Kamala Harris became the democratic nominee, a number of news stories have focused on the election, the candidates, and their education policies. Harris’ choice of Tim Walz – a former teacher – to be her candidate for Vice-President contributed to a wave of stories about Walz and his record and even spawned stories about his wife Gwen Walz – also a former teacher – and other educators who are running for office. Several stories, most from Education Week, also explore whether and how teachers might try to address in their classrooms the election and the many controversial issues that divide and polarize Americans today. Part 1 of our 2024-25 Back-to-School scan pulls together some of these election-related stories. Next week’s scan will provide a round-up of stories about many of the other issues that are in the news in the education sources that we follow as classes resume.
For some historical perspective on how the issues have evolved since the school closures of the COVID-19 pandemic, explore the back-to-school headlines from previous years:
Decision Guide: What happens to education under Trump v. Harris, U.S. News
From transgender student rights to ‘woke’ curriculum, Harris and Trump offer two starkly different views on the federal government’s role in education.
Harris-Walz and Trump-Vance tickets offer radically different visions of public education, EdSource
Education Policy: How Harris and Trump Differ on K-12, Higher Education and More, ABC News
4 Takeaways on What VP Picks Vance and Walz Mean for the Race to Come, PBS Newshour
Education Debates You’ll Likely Hear About in the Election, Explained, Education Week
Public education reform missing from 2024 presidential platforms, Axios
What education could look like under Trump and Vance, Hechinger Report
Trump’s Agenda47 on education: Abolish teacher tenure, universal school choice, patriotism, USA Today
Trump’s VP Pick: What We Know About JD Vance’s Record on Education, Education Week
Vance vs. Pence: How Trump’s VP picks compare on education,Thomas B. Fordham Institute
What Would Happen to K-12 in a 2nd Trump Term? A Detailed Policy Agenda Offers Clues, Education Week
The Great Project 2025 Freakout, Rick Hess, Education Week
Trump Vows Historic Cuts to Education Department in Second Term, Washington Examiner
Why ending the U.S. Department of Education is so alluring to the GOP — and so difficult, Chalkbeat
Republicans’ missing policy issue: Education, Thomas B. Fordham Institute
At Moms for Liberty National Summit, Trump Hardly Mentions Education, Education Week
Harris Could Set Democrats’ K-12 Agenda: By Reviving Ideas from 2020, The74
Where Does Kamala Harris Stand on Education? Inside the 2024 Democratic Platform, Education Week
What We Know About Kamala Harris’ Education Record, Education Week
Veep, Candidate, brat: Kamala Harris Fires Up Gen Z on Social Media, The74
Kamala Harris’s presidential race is taking on a life of its own on social media, particularly with Gen Z followers, who are responding to her perceived energy and authenticity with viral videos of her dancing, laughing and recounting her mother’s lessons.
Kamala Harris’ Potential VP Picks: Where They Stand on Education, Education Week
What education could look like under Harris and Walz, Hechinger Report
The Education Issue Americans Agree on That’s Not Good News for Teaching, Education Week
Long a Stranger to the Spotlight, Child Tax Credit Earns Embrace of Both Parties, The74
A technocrat’s dream, the Child Tax Credit isn’t a subject you’d expect would receive much attention in the middle of a heated presidential race. But both the Harris and Trump campaigns have recently embraced proposals to expand the program, which offers relief to parents of kids under 17 years old. Democrats and Republicans both see the credit’s political appeal, but depending on the election outcome, neither party may hold enough power to enact its vision.
Millions of campaign dollars aimed at tilting school voucher battle are flowing into state races, AP
The Future of Property Taxes Is on Ballots This Fall. Why It Matters for Schools, Education Week
What Role Should the Federal Government Play in Education Policy? NEPC
Harris chooses Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a former educator, as running mate, K-12 Dive
A Teacher in the White House: What Harris-Walz Could Mean for Education, Education Week
Tim Walz is Kamala Harris’ running mate. Here’s what he’s done for education in Minnesota, Chalkbeat)
Tim Walz, a Former Teacher, Is Kamala Harris’ Running Mate
The Freshman: How Tim Walz Went From the Classroom to Congress (from 2007), Education Week
Tim Walz was a high school teacher and football coach from southern Minnesota. He had no political experience whatsoever, but he didn’t like the choices being made on Capitol Hill, and struggled to explain them to his social studies students. So Walz made a decision: He would run for Congress as a Democrat.
8 Things to Know About Tim Walz, the Democratic Ticket’s Top Teacher, The74
Harris Pick Tim Walz Would Be First K-12 Teacher Since Lyndon Johnson to be VP, The74
How Teaching Shaped Tim Walz’ Politics, The Nation
‘Coaching and Politics’: What Coaches See in Tim Walz’s VP Candidacy, Education Week
Gwen Walz, wife of Harris’s VP pick Tim Walz, is also a longtime teacher, Washington Post
Tim Walz’s wife Gwen, a former teacher, is a ‘champion’ of college behind bars, USA Today
Are Educators a Natural Fit for Public Office? These Candidates Think So, EdSurge
Tim Walz isn’t the only former educator running for elected office this year. In fact, a number of current teachers and school leaders will be on the ballot in November.
Jan. 6 Protester, Former Supe Vie to Lead North Carolina’s Schools, The74
Schools Are Now Political Battlegrounds. We’ve Been Here Before, Education Week
Why Most Teachers Won’t Be Talking About the Election in Their Classrooms, Education Week
Teaching the 2024 Election: Learning Opportunity or Landmine? Education Week
Big Ideas for Upending Polarization, Education Week
How Teachers Tackle 2024 Election Discussions, Education Week
11 Ways to Teach the 2024 Election With The New York Times, New York Times
Teaching Presidential Elections Isn’t Easy. How One Teacher Manages, Education Week
How Should Educators Approach the 2024 Election? Rick Hess, Education Week
In recognition of the UN-sponsored Transforming Education Summit, Part 3 of our roundup of back-to-school headlines draws together links to the stories we’re seeing in some of the major sources of education news outside the US. Part 1 revealed some of the back-school issues highlighted in US (Hope and trepidation: Scanning the back-to-school headlines in the US) and Part 2 looked specifically at the impact on schools of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic 2 (“Over it” but enable to escape it: Going back to school with COVID in 2022). A future post will survey some of the many stories we are seeing about the discussions, questions and challenges of the “teacher shortage.” For back-to school headlines from fall 2021 see Going Back to School Has Never Been Quite Like This (Part 1): Pandemic Effects in the US; Going Back to School Has Never Been Quite Like This (Part 2): Quarantines, Shortages, Wildfires & Hurricanes; For fall 2020 see What does it look like to go back to school? It’s different all around the world…; for 2019 see Headlines Around the World: Back to School 2019 Edition.
A return to school after the COVID closures and hopes for a “bounce back” characterize some of the back-to-school headlines; but in Ukraine and some parts of the developing world, many of the headlines focus on critical challenges including violence, war, floods and famine that are continuing to keep some students, particularly girls, out of school.
“[F]or many students here and around the world, especially girls, there is no excitement around supply shopping or reuniting with their friends again — because none of that will happen at all. Between schools staying closed over fears of a new COVID-19 wave and other barriers to getting an education, back-to-school doesn’t look quite as bright.” – Back to school? Think again, Plan International
Afghanistan
For most teenage girls in Afghanistan, it’s been a year since they set foot in a classroom, AP
Bangladesh
Frequent blackouts, school and office hours cut: Is Bangladesh going way of Sri Lanka?, Firstpost
Seven classes a day during new school year in Bangladeshi high schools, bdnews24
“The government says it has changed the routines so that the students do not fall behind in lessons due to the two-day weekends”, bdnews24
France
French schools are back today: what changes for the year ahead?, The Connexion
Kenya
Kenya postpones schools reopening a second time over vote tallying, The East African
India
Parents in India choosing homeschooling for the new school year, The Indian Express
Italy
Italy reopens schools without masks, Wanted in Rome
Norway
At the same time that the students are going back to school, a major strike is simmering, Norway Posts English
Pakistan
Over 2 million students could give up education due to floods in Sindh, Pakistan, Pro Pakistani
No back-to-school for thousands of children as nearly 19,000 schools damaged, destroyed by floods in Pakistan, Save the Children
Philippines
Philippine kids back in school after 2 years lost to virus, AP News
Sri Lanka
Education Ministry in Sri Lanka announces change in conducting schools, Sri Lanka Internet Newspaper
Switzerland
Swiss apprenticeships bounce back after Covid-19 pandemic, Swissinfo
“Every August a new cohort of students begin their apprenticeships across Switzerland. The appetite for vocational training remains strong despite the impact of Covid-19, with experts pointing to a return to pre-pandemic levels.”
Thailand
Thai schools, unis fully reopen after 5 months of lockdown, The Nation Thailand
Uganda
Ukraine
“The new school year is a day of celebration in Ukraine, where children dress up and give bouquets of flowers to their teachers. But Russia’s invasion has cast a shadow on the happy day. Now educational facilities across the country are racing to build bunkers and bomb shelters for returning students,” CNN
Pencil, chalk and first-aid kits: Ukrainian children return to school in the midst of war, New York Times
Traumatized and displaced but determined, kids in Ukraine head back to school, NPR
Ukrainian Refugees Head Back To School In Poland, Forbes
‘We are in this together’: the Ukrainians starting a new German school year, The Guardian
“Ukrainian teachers vital for providing ‘welcome classes’ to 150,000 children who fled to Germany after Russian invasion”, The Guardian
Back to school for Ukranian Refugees, Expats means Fresh Start with Old Fears, The74
Yemen
Children in war-torn Yemen skip class to survive ‘misery’, France 24
Venezuela
““Right now, I don’t even have a pencil for my children to start classes in September,” said Florena Delgado, who teaches first and fifth grades at two schools in one of the lowest-income neighborhoods of the capital, Caracas”- NBC News
Teachers in Venezuela march, threaten to strike over low pay, few resources, NBC News
Posted in About K-12 International Education News
Tagged Back to school, Covid-19, Educational change
Part 2 of this year’s back-to-school scan pulls together some of the headlines that highlight issues related to the continuing impact of the COVID-19. Part 1 revealed some of the issues, fears, and (a few) hopes expressed in some of the major sources of US education news over the past few weeks and Part 3 will provide a roundup of the back-to-school headlines we are seeing from around the world. We will also follow-up with a post surveying some of the many discussions and debates about the realities and challenges of the “teacher shortage” For back-to school headlines from fall 2021 see Going Back to School Has Never Been Quite Like This (Part 1): Pandemic Effects in the US; Going Back to School Has Never Been Quite Like This (Part 2): Quarantines, Shortages, Wildfires & Hurricanes; For fall 2020 see What does it look like to go back to school? It’s different all around the world…; for 2019 see Headlines Around the World: Back to School 2019 Edition.
“Over it” but also unable to escape it seems to capture the sentiment of many of the back-to-school stories that address the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools. A series of articles from the74 in particular highlight that although many schools and educators are making decisions to end closures, remote options, and masking, there also appears to be a recognition that those decisions could lead to more surges requiring schools to respond again. Education Week also highlighted how, in the US, those decisions have been supported with new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and the White House to help schools deal with the “new abnormal.”
‘Over It’: Most Educators Say They Won’t Mask This Fall, Education Week
Many Remote Learning Options Shutting Down as School Reopens for Fall 2022, The74
“According to a new review by the Center on Reinventing Public Education, the “approaches of America’s 100 largest districts suggest that most are jettisoning remote learning entirely, or reverting back to programs that existed before the pandemic forced them to swiftly provide all families with some sort of online option.”
‘Treat This as You Would Any Illness’ — Schools Downgrading COVID Rules, The74
“As students return from summer vacation, school systems nationwide are scaling back COVID masking and quarantine requirements — in some cases, eliminating them altogether. Many are simply telling students to stay home if they have symptoms, much as they did before the pandemic.”
School Mask, Vaccine Mandates Are Mostly Gone. But What if the Virus Comes Back? , The74
Student Absences May Spike Due to Low Vaccination Rates, Weaker Immunity Education Week
Thousands without childhood vaccinations unable to return to school, EdSource
CDC’s Latest COVID Guidance for Schools Ends ‘Test-to-Stay,’ Quarantine Recommendations, Education Week
“The White House followed the CDC’s lead, de-emphasizing the importance of masking and quarantining and instead focusing on vaccinations, testing, and air quality as major prevention strategies.” – Education Week
White House Outlines Key COVID-Prevention Strategies for This School Year, Education Week
FACT SHEET: BACK TO SCHOOL 2022: Giving Every School the Tools to Prevent COVID-19 Spread and Stay Safely Open All Year Long, The White House
Back to School: 10 Steps Schools and Districts Can Take to Address New and Ongoing COVID-19 Challenges, Learning Policy Institute
“My biggest concern is that we’ve seen a ton of viral infections just over the summer,” says Magna Dias, MD, a Yale Medicine pediatrician. “So, when we get back to indoor settings with kids being together again, it could mean that we will see more infections happening—both with COVID-19 and with other viral infections.” – Yale Medicine
Respiratory Viruses, Colds, Fever, COVID: This Year’s Back-to-School Guide for Parents, Yale Medicine
Posted in About K-12 International Education News
Tagged Back to school, Covid-19, Educational change
This year’s scan of the back-to-school headlines begins with a focus on the issues, fears, and (a few) hopes expressed in some of the major sources of US education news over the past few weeks. A future post will look specifically at how schools will be dealing with the continuing COVID-19 pandemic; one will provide a roundup of back-to-school headlines we are seeing from around the world; and one will survey the many discussions and debates about the realities and challenges of the “teacher shortage” For back-to school headlines from fall 2021 see Going Back to School Has Never Been Quite Like This (Part 1): Pandemic Effects in the US; Going Back to School Has Never Been Quite Like This (Part 2): Quarantines, Shortages, Wildfires & Hurricanes; For fall 2020 see What does it look like to go back to school? It’s different all around the world…; for 2019 see Headlines Around the World: Back to School 2019 Edition.
“It’s not going to be pretty, but it’s going to be better,” Lydia McNeiley, a college and career coordinator from Hammond Indiana, summed up the sentiments reflected in many US back-to-school stories this year. Quoted in an Education Week story on “Student Wellness Issues for Schools to Watch This Year”, McNeiley captured the mixed feelings expressed in many of the headlines.
“It’s not going to be pretty, but it’s going to be better,” Lydia McNeiley quoted in Education Week
Despite occasional optimism, for the most part, the talk of “re-imagining” schools has been replaced with stories about the realities of dealing with concerns about missing students, money, socio-emotional development, health, safety, and, particularly with the recent release of the latest results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, learning.
Reports of some positive changes and offerings of hopeful advice are also pprinkled among the headlines For his part, US Education Secretary Cardona noted the importance of addressing issues like how to provide more support for teachers, but he also looks forward to a “return to normal:” “I’m really thrilled that students are feeling that back-to-school excitement the way it was before. It’s not back to school with a caveat.” (U.S. Secretary Cardona: how to fix teachers shortages, create safer schools, EdWeek).
Back-to-school headlines from around the US:
Bracing for the worst, hoping for the best: A country holds its breath as children return to school, U.S. News
As a new year starts, schools prepare for fewer masks, more learning and joy, NPR
Hope, relief and lessons learned: Teachers anticipate a smoother school year , EdSource
COVID-19 ‘shocked’ education with steepest declines in half-century, K-12 Dive
The pandemic erased two decades of progress in reading and math scores, New York Times
Some Students Are Routinely Denied Challenging Work. The Pandemic Made That Worse, Education Week
Cities face crisis as fewer kids enroll and schools shrink, AP
School is back in session in LA. Where are the students?, NPR
Public School Enrollment Continues to Stagnate, Education Week
“49.5 million students were enrolled in public schools in fall 2021…well below the 50.8 million students who were in public pre-K-12 before the pandemic began. Where are the other 1.3 million kids?” – Education Week
Fearing ‘Fiscal Cliff,’ District Leaders Reluctant to Hire Full-Time Teachers, The74
As pandemic aid runs out, America is set to return to a broken school funding system, Chalkbeat
Inflation weighs on back-to-school buying for many families, AP
Edtech Funding Falls Sharply in 2022, Crunchbase
As Free School Meals End, School Nutrition Directors Brace for Challenges, Education Week
As students go back to school, many face a school lunch bill for the first time in two years, NPR
Inflation means teachers who buy their own supplies have to spend more or ask for help, Marketplace
For the first time in 20 years, teachers can deduct more for school supplies, NPR
Teachers Take to Twitter to Crowdfund Classroom Supplies, Education Week
Youth mental health is in crisis. Are schools doing enough?, AP
Kids are back in the classroom, and laptops are still spying on them, Wired
5 Big Technology Challenges Teachers and Administrators Will Face This School Year, Education Week
“Eighty-three percent of school district technology leaders report that they will expand their cybersecurity initiatives, with a majority (62 percent) also increasing their cybersecurity budgets…By contrast: in 2020, only 31 percent said they were increasing their cybersecurity budgets.” – Education Week
‘Heat day’ school closures on the rise because the climate crisis is already here, Daily Kos
First day of school? Nationwide heat waves say ‘not so fast’, District Administration
“Another year, another reason to cancel classes: soaring school heat worsened by faulty or non-existent air-conditioning. School closures due to heat are not new but they have been increasing significantly, with numbers doubling in cities such as Baltimore, Cleveland, Denver and Philadelphia”, – District Administration and Daily Kos.
Stress, Harassment, Censorship: What Educators Face as Politics Roils Schools, Education Week
“Sixty-one percent of principals and 37 percent of teachers surveyed by the RAND Corporation reported experiencing harassment about these politicized topics, which contributed to burnout, frequent job-related stress, and symptoms of depression…. And there are signs this contention has led to a chilling effect: 1 in 4 teachers have been told to stay away from conversations about political and social issues in class. Seventeen states have imposed bans and restrictions on how teachers can discuss racism and sexism, either through legislation or other avenues” – Education Week
Back to school in DeSantis’ Florida, where teachers are looking over their shoulders, New York Times
How the Overturning of ‘Roe v. Wade’ Will Reverberate Through Classrooms, Education Week
For some students, back to school will mean better-ventilated classrooms, NBC news
Let the kids sleep: California becomes first state to mandate later school starts, Today
The Best Advice for New Teachers, in 5 Words or Less: 2022 Edition, Education Week
5 Strategies for a Successful Start to the School Year, Getting Smart
– Thomas Hatch
In the final part of this “Back to School” series, Thomas Hatch scans some of the headlines that describe critical issues in the new school year in many parts of the world. Part 1 links to articles with some lessons from last year and guidance for reopening schools this year. Part
2 draws together headlines that focus on the many challenges causing problems for schools in the US this year. Part 3 highlights headlines from states and cities in the US. Take a look at IEN’s “Back to School” headlines from 2020, from 2019, and from 2018 to see how this year compares.
First day of school ‘indefinitely postponed’ for 140 million first-time students around the world, Unicef
‘Lost generation’: education in quarter of countries at risk of collapse, study warns, The Guardian
For Many Kids, Going Back to School Is BYOC (Bring Your Own Chair), Unicef USA
From vaccine mandates to a chatting ban: how schools in the Asia Pacific are managing Delta, The Guardian
Sydney schools to reopen a week earlier, classes to start October 18, The Sydney Morning Herald
Back to school Covid rules explained – testing, masks and what happens if virus surges, Mirror
Excitement meets worry as European kids head back to school, AP
Officials watch coronavirus developments closely as schools go back, Dutch News
Education Minister Reviews Status of Reopening of Schools Across Country, News 18
Schools in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore have set up vaccination camps on campus to ensure teachers and parents of students are vaccinated before schools reopen for classes 9-12, The Times of India
The influx of students in schools grows, after the COVID risk level was reduced to yellow, El Sol de San Luis
Peru, among the last countries in the world with no deadline for the return of schoolchildren to the classroom, Today in 24
Crisis in Philippines as millions of children face second year of remote schooling, The Guardian
Back to school: How are pupils being kept Covid-safe?, BBC
Millions of pupils return to school amid Covid spike concern, BBC
Posted in About K-12 International Education News
Tagged Back to school, Covid-19, School reopening
In the third part of this “Back to School” series Thomas Hatch scans some of the headlines from states and cities around the US, most of which focus on concerns about COVID cases or related stories about vaccines, masks, and protests about them. Part 1 links to articles with some lessons from last year
and guidance for reopening schools this year. Part 2 draws together headlines that focus on the many challenges causing problems for schools this year. Later posts will include school reopening headlines from other parts of the world as well. Take a look at IEN’s “Back to School” headlines from 2020, from 2019, and from 2018 to see how this year compares.
Absenteeism surging since schools reopened, EdSurge
1,893 L.A. students, staff tested positive for coronavirus during the first week of school, Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Is Now The Largest School District To Require Vaccines For Students, NPR
San Francisco Schools Have Had No COVID-19 Outbreaks Since Classes Began Last Month, NPR
College student life is back with many COVID restrictions, Los Angeles Times
Dallas looking for 12,000 students who didn’t show up to school, The Dallas Morning News
Des Moines schools headquarters reopen, Polk County warns about bullying over masks and other back-to-school news, Des Moines Register
‘I’m happy that we’re back.’ Miami students return to school, fully masked and no complaints, Miami Herald
Florida’s On-Again, Off-Again Ban On School Mask Mandates Is Back In Force, NPR
‘All of us are learning to do school again’: Chicago students return to campus during COVID surge, Chalkbeat
Masks, nerves and trying to social distance: How the 1st day went in Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Tribune
Nearly 3,000 CPS students exposed to COVID-19 in 8 days, Chicago Sun Times
Kids In Illinois Will Soon Be Able To Take 5 Mental Health Days From School, NPR
With Classrooms Reopening, Baker Wants More In-School Vaccinations, GBH
Worcester Students Return To Classrooms For New School Year With Pandemic Precautions, WBUR
Attleboro sees little push-back on mask mandate during first day of school, The Sun Chronicle
A more normal year? Precautions in place as schools welcome back students, Daily Hampshire Gazette
NYC’s new school year begins with hope. fear, and uncertainty, New York Daily News
NYC expands vaccine mandate to students in high-risk extracurriculars, Chalkbeat
Municipal unions sue NYC over vaccine mandate, New York Daily News
COVID cases have already closed hundreds of NYC charter school classrooms, Chalkbeat
Some NYC parents plan to boycott first day of school, Chalkbeat
From shutdown to reopening: Here’s a look at N.Y.C. schools’ trek through the pandemic, The New York Times
Most NC students will start new year outside of school, Citizen Times
Seattle-area schools enter a new era of pandemic education as students return to in-person learning, The Seattle Times
In the second part of this “Back to School” series, Thomas Hatch scans some of the headlines that highlight the many challenges that are contributing to problems at the start of the school year in the US. Part 1 links to articles with some lessons from last year and guidance for reopening schools this year. Later posts will include school reopening headlines from other parts of the world as well. Take a look at IEN’s “Back to School” headlines from 2020, from 2019, and from 2018 to see how this year compares.
Glimpses of How Pandemic America Went Back to School, New York Times
At least 90,000 students have had to quarantine because of COVID-19 so far this school year, The Hill
Schools grapple with thousands in isolation or quarantine as delta variant rages, NBC News
Tens Of Thousands Of School Children Already In Covid Quarantine—20,000 In Mississippi Alone, Forbes
Over 10,000 students in Florida school district isolated or quarantined a week into school year, ABC News
Between COVID-19 and layoffs, schools may not have enough teachers to get through the year, USA Today
Not enough subs: California schools face severe teacher shortage, Cal Matters
Despite extra funding, Denver schools don’t have enough nurses, Chalkbeat
Transportation problems complicate another start of the school year for Seattle Public Schools, The Seattle Times
Bus problems return as Worcester public students start new school year, Spectrum News 1
Boston city councilors, union members fuming over school bus ‘fiasco’ as first day of school arrives, Boston Herald
National Survey Finds Severe And Desperate School Bus Driver Shortage, NPR
Chicago School Bus Drivers Have Quit In Droves Over COVID Vaccine Mandate, NPR
Bus Driver Shortage Leaves Some Florida Students Waiting for Hours, Orlando Sentinel
Wildfires delay beginning of school year for some rural California schools, some for the second year, EdSource
Quarter of a Million Students Face New Hurdles in Wake of Hurricane Ida, Education Week
Ida deals new blow to Louisiana schools struggling to reopen, Miami Herald
Posted in About K-12 International Education News
Tagged Back to school, Covid-19, School reopening
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