Category: News

PA One of 25 States and DC Filing Suit Against the USDE on Professional Degree Exclusion (May 28, 2026)

The U.S. Department of Education’s (USDE) professional degree definition is now being challenged in court as 25 states, including Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia sued the USDE on May 19, 2026 for excluding graduate nursing and other major fields. The plaintiffs, led by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, said in a May 19th statement that the rule “unlawfully excludes many degree programs that qualify under the standards established by federal law, potentially reducing access to financial aid for students pursuing advanced education.”

The lawsuit also alleges that the USDE illegally changed an existing federal definition of “professional degree” that Congress incorporated into law. Those alterations included adding new requirements and narrowing the eligibility in a manner that Congress never authorized.

Click here to see the court filing.

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USDE Faces Increased Pressure to Release Research Funds That Include Sp.Ed. (May 27, 2026)

The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) is facing pressure from K-12 and college groups, as well as a bipartisan group of U.S. senators, to release nearly $300 million in funding for education research.

In fact, both groups sent letters to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon this month, calling for the USDE to disperse unallocated money for the agency’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES) from fiscal years 2025 and 2026 and claiming that the FY25 funds will expire after September 30, 2026 if not allocated.

In a May 11 letter, a bipartisan group of 19 U.S. senators, including Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said the USDE received $793 million in FY25 and $789.6 million in FY26 for IES activities and there was a remaining balance of about $290 million that would lapse September 30th. According to Senator Merkley, a lack of spending at IES has led to “the sharp decline of special education research and data gathering,” The senators also criticized what they said are the closeouts of hundreds of unreviewed IES FY25 grant proposals within the National Center for Education Research and the National Center for Special Education Research, which resulted in no new awards being made over the past year, and these awards are crucial to addressing urgent educational challenges facing students.

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LEA Special Ed. Data Reports Are Now Online (May 27, 2026)

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA), every state must report annually to the public on each local educational agency (LEA) performance on the targets established in the State Performance Plan. This year states are required to report 2024-25 performance on the following State Performance Plan indicators for school-age students with disabilities: Graduation Rates; Dropout Rates; Participation and Performance on Statewide Assessments; Suspension Rates; Educational Environments; School-Facilitated Parent Involvement; Disproportionate Representation by Race/Ethnicity Receiving Special Education; Disproportionate Representation by Race/Ethnicity in Specific Disability Categories; Timelines for Initial Evaluation; Individual Education Program Secondary Transition Goals and Services; and Post-School Outcomes.

Earlier in May, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) provided LEAs with an opportunity to preview these reports prior to going live to the public. The reports are now posted and available for public review at the Special Education Data Reporting (formerly PennData) website.

You can select your LEA from the drop-down list.

Surgeon General Advisory: Harmful Screen Use by Kids Is a “Public Health Concern” (May 22, 2026)

According to a May 20, 2026 surgeon general’s advisory published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), harmful screen use by children and teens has become a “public health concern.” The advisory noted that harmful screen use by youth can cause negative impacts on their cognitive and emotional development, physical and metabolic health, educational outcomes and mental health.

According to the advisory, warning signs of excessive screen time among children and teens can look like compulsive behaviors that include:
-Spending too much time on screens.
-Repeatedly asking to use screens, often by whining or crying. 
-Using screens to feel better.
-Not engaging in in-person interactions or activities. 

The advisory also warned about screen time use in schools and its potential negative effects on student achievement. 

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

New Heavy Highway Industry Career Days Available to Middle/High Schools, Career and Technical Centers (May 21, 2026)

As part of the Shapiro Administration’s ongoing work to bring more career and technical education opportunities into Pennsylvania classrooms and give students opportunities to build hands-on skills that open the doors to future careers, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) have announced a new Heavy Highway Industry Career Day program. The program will bring industry presenters and career pathway information to interested schools starting this fall.

The heavy highway industry includes many skilled jobs such as construction inspector, mechanic, laborer, electrician, stonemason, welder, painter, cost estimator, and surveyor.

Any Pennsylvania middle school, high school, or Career and Technical Center may register to host a career day by emailing RA-PDWORKFORCEDEV@pa.gov. PennDOT developed the program, which has hands-on demonstrations, open conversation with industry experts, and presentations available. The department will collaborate with each interested school on how best to facilitate a Career Day for their students. We encourage schools to take advantage of this new opportunity to help young people explore technical and highway industry careers.