Category: News in the Field

Free Lead Testing and Reduction Grants for Schools and Childcare Facilities (April 3, 2025)

The Shapiro Administration is launching a free water sampling program for eligible schools and childcare facilities across Pennsylvania to test for lead in drinking water. This initiative through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is funded by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act’s Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction Grant Program and is part of the Shapiro Administration’s efforts to protect children from lead exposure.

Partnering with Terraphase Engineering, the program offers no-cost water testing and, for those with elevated lead levels, grant funding to support lead reduction activities such as installing hydration stations. Eligible applicants could receive up to $3,000 per hydration station installed. It’s an easy, no-cost way to protect children’s health and make sure they’re drinking safe water.

Schools and childcare centers that meet the criteria are encouraged to apply. Applications must be submitted online through the Commonwealth’s Electronic Application: Grant Details | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Enrollment is currently open and will remain so until funds are exhausted.

For more information, visit DEP’s webpage Lead Information for Schools and Child Care Facilities.

USDE Encourages School Districts Using Title I Funds for School Choice (April 3, 2025)

In a March 31 letter to chief state school officers, the USDE, as per the Trump administration policies, encourages states and districts to expand school choice options by using already existing avenues under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), including Title I funds earmarked for low-income school populations.

The guidance follows President Donald Trump’s January executive order calling for the USDE to develop policies giving parents more choice in their children’s education.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

School Shooting Database Funding is Slashed (April 2, 2025)

Despite an overall increase in school shootings in recent years, a school shooting database funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is the latest target of President Donald Trump’s attempts to downsize the government. The research was part of the now-cancelled Terrorism and Targeted Violence Database, which tracked domestic terrorism and compiled the first-ever dataset that overlapped school-based targeted violence alongside other types of violence with terrorism events.

The database “was the only publicly available source of information that allowed homeland security professionals, law enforcement, school administrators, prevention practitioners, and policymakers to analyze the scope and nature of terrorism and targeted violence in the United States,” according to the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism at the University of Maryland, College Park, which oversaw the project.

As a result, it was found that between 2023 and 2024, 400 out of more than 1,800 incidents targeted U.S. schools, leading to 81 successful attacks that occurred at educational institutions and took the lives of dozens of children.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

April is Occupational Therapy Month (April 1, 2025)

Occupational Therapy Month is April 1–30, 2025 #OTmonth. Each April, AOTA is a rallying force bringing occupational therapy practitioners, educators, students, and supporters together to celebrate OT Month, a commemorative campaign that is anchored in both honoring the profession and driving awareness about it. AOTA stands for the American Occupational Therapy Association, a national professional association established in 1917 that represents the interests of occupational therapy practitioners and students, aiming to improve the quality of occupational therapy services. 

Though OT Month is commemorated each April, the profession deserves year-round celebration in honor of its profound and often life-changing impact on the lives of patients, caregivers, and communities it serves. In 2025, the commemorative campaign theme is “Occupational Therapy: Inspiring Hope, Changing Lives”. It is through this campaign that AOTA educates the public about OT – what it is, why we might need it, how to ask for it, and its impact on one’s overall quality of life.

To learn more about OT and OT Month, visit the AOTA website by clicking here.

PAPSA and The Social Institute Present New Free Webinar

Resilience & Technology: Leading Through Change
Tuesday, May 6th, 2025
12:00-12:45 pm ET

PAPSA and The Social Institute have teamed up to provide the latest free webinar.

Technology is evolving faster than ever, and school leaders must navigate innovation while fostering a strong school culture — without feeling overwhelmed. This interactive session will explore how education leaders have adapted to past technology shifts and provide practical strategies for tackling today’s digital challenges, from A.I. in student work to misinformation and evolving school policies. Through real-world examples, engaging discussions, and hands-on activities, attendees will strengthen their leadership skills and ensure their school’s approach to technology remains proactive, not reactive.

Participants will walk away with clear strategies for:

  • Balancing innovation with clear and effective communication
  • Building a school-wide tech philosophy that students understand and respect
  • Leading confidently through the next wave of change

REGISTER NOW!