Category: Government Actions

Suits Filed by Schools and States Challenge USDE Civil Rights Enforcement (October 3, 2025)

As the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) changes the way things have been done, states and school districts have pushed back by filing lawsuits.

Historically, the USDE and its funding recipients have usually collaborated to resolve civil rights complaints, but recently that has not been the case. As a result, school districts and states are increasingly challenging the USDE’s authority as it continues its crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion policies and practices, especially those related to LGTBQ+ students.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

Gov. Shapiro Signs Executive Order to Safeguard Vaccine Access (October 2, 2025)

On October 1, 2025, Governor Josh Shapiro signed Executive Order 2025-02 at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to safeguard vaccine access for Pennsylvanians and protect families’ freedom to make their own health care decisions.

The Executive Order directs the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PDH) to establish a state-based safety net to protect children’s access to vaccines, requires all state agencies to align policies with trusted medical experts, launches a central online vaccine portal, and creates a Vaccine Education Workgroup to strengthen public communication and combat misinformation. It also ensures continued coverage of recommended vaccines for all Pennsylvanians through Medicaid and private insurance, and directs the PA Department of Education (PDE) to support and schools in following evidence-based guidance.

Click here to view Executive Order 2025-02, Protecting Pennsylvanians’ Health and Freedom by Ensuring Access to Safe and Effective Vaccines.

PDE Addresses Rise in Misinformation, Provides Information and Literacy Toolkit for Schools (October 2, 2025)

In the midst of rising misinformation and violent rhetoric online, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is providing an Information and Media Literacy Toolkit, which equips students, teachers, and parents with skills and tools to recognize biases, distinguish credible information from misinformation, and use digital spaces responsibly. Governor Shapiro directed PDE and the Office of Commonwealth Libraries to develop resources to help schools incorporate information literacy into all aspects of learning, ensuring that Pennsylvania students have the skills to navigate the world around them. Following this directive, PDE surveyed schools to better understand digital literacy instruction, and 90 percent of responding schools indicated that a comprehensive toolkit with additional media and information literacy resources would be useful.

Click here to access the toolkit.

How the Government Shutdown Affects K-12 Education (October 2, 2025)

As the government shutdown moves forward, many are wondering what impact it will have on K-12 schools. The shutdown officially commenced at midnight EST on October 1st when the new fiscal year was to begin.

Initially, the shutdown is expected to have fairly imperceptible impact on schools and school districts, but the pause in federal funding will create some noticeable disruptions for school districts and state education agencies. Some examples include pauses in Office for Civil Rights (OCR) investigations, new grant making activities, and technical assistance support.

Of note is the drastic decrease in U.S. Department of Education staff, which will result in only 330 of 2,447 of its employees remaining on the job. This follows a decrease in USDE staff from 4,133 at the beginning of the year to 2,447 as of September 28th. In total, the USDE is only expected to retain 5% of its workforce during the first week of the shutdown. Those continuing to work will not be paid during that time.

School districts qualifying for Impact Aid, which is the only federal K-12 education program not forward-funded months in advance, will see a pause in receiving those funds. Similarly, the National Head Start Association (NHSA), an advocacy group that represents Head Start families and its workforce, has warned that if a shutdown continues for weeks or months, there will be a higher risk of program closures and staff furloughs, which will affect  about three-quarters of a million children.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

Applications Now Being Accepted for the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences at Carnegie Mellon U. (October 2, 2025)

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is pleased to announce that the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences (PGSS) at Carnegie Mellon University is now accepting applications from talented high school juniors for the summer 2026 program. 

PGSS is an intensive, five-week summer residential program that emphasizes cooperative learning and hands-on laboratory research for high school juniors pursuing careers in science and mathematics. 

With the support of Governor Josh Shapiro, the PDE, Carnegie Mellon University and its alumni, the program offers an enrichment experience in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The goal of the program is to encourage Pennsylvania’s youth to pursue careers in STEM-related fields. 

Accepted applicants will receive a full scholarship to the program. Costs are underwritten through matching funds provided by PGSS Campaign, Inc., the school’s alumni, Carnegie Mellon University, parents, and corporations. 

Awarded scholarships will cover the costs of housing, meals, and all instructional materials. Families are responsible for transportation to and from the university, personal items, and spending money. Students must commit to living on campus at Carnegie Mellon University throughout the duration of the program. 

Details – Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences 
When: June 21, 2026 – July 25, 2026
Where: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 
Who May Apply: The program is open to high school juniors at time of application who attend a public, nonpublic, or private school or are homeschooled.  
Deadline to Apply: Completed applications must be emailed per instructions on the Carnegie Mellon University – Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences webpage no later than January 31, 2026.  Applications emailed after this date and time will be disqualified. 

Applications can be completed following the instructions available on the Apply to the Governor’s School for the Sciences webpage.

For additional information about the program, please visit the Governor’s School for the Sciences webpage.