The U.S. Department of Education is encouraging states to apply for waivers from federal testing, funding, and accountability rules under ESSA, with several already proposing changes. Early requests include consolidating federal funds into flexible pools, allowing students to choose from multiple high school assessments, and shifting school improvement dollars directly to students rather than systems.

New research from Brown University analyzing nearly two decades of NAEP data finds the gap between top- and lowest-performing students has grown steadily since 2005, as higher-achieving students improved while lower performers stagnated or declined. By 2024, the divide had widened by more than a year of learning in some grades, with pandemic losses accelerating a trend already underway.

A new ERDI report finds district leaders are moving from short-term responses to more intentional system design, aligning instruction, behavior, attendance, and mental health within unified approaches. The research also highlights faster leadership turnover, growing financial pressure, and AI moving from experimentation to a core part of district infrastructure.

A Stanford review of more than 1,100 studies found only 20 that rigorously measure AI’s impact on student or teacher outcomes, even as schools rapidly adopt these tools. Most research focuses on short-term performance, with little evidence on long-term learning, equity, or real classroom use in U.S. schools, leaving leaders to make decisions ahead of the evidence.

New York City plans to open its first AI-focused public high school, but families in the building are pushing back, arguing the space should expand existing school options instead. The proposal highlights broader questions about how districts prioritize specialized programs and who gets a say in those decisions.

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