Education

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has launched the state's Scholarship Granting Organization application, allowing nonprofits to apply to distribute K-12 scholarships under the new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit program. Created under President Trump's "One Big, Beautiful Bill," the program begins in 2027 and offers the first federal tax credit for private donations supporting K-12 scholarships. It relies entirely on private contributions rather than government funding. Individual taxpayers can claim up to $1,700 annually, and married couples up to $3,400, for qualifying donations. Eligible students must come from families earning below 300% of their area's median income. Iowa must submit its approved organizations list to the IRS by early 2027.

A $34 million Los Angeles Unified School District campus at 1215 Miramar Avenue, built for Camino Nuevo Charter Academy and opened in 2013, has sat vacant since the charter operator closed the site in 2021, citing its distance from other Camino Nuevo campuses. The building carries an $8 million construction debt that any new tenant must repay. Years of vandalism, fires, and burst pipes have followed, with LAUSD now spending roughly $1 million annually on security and upkeep. Deals with two prospective charter operators fell through, and a current bid by the Los Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise faces costly district conditions, including debt assumption and repair costs, despite state requirements that the campus be made available to a charter school.

The St. Paul Board of Education will hold a special meeting to consider a revised plan for closing a multi-million-dollar budget gap, after parents and teachers objected to an earlier proposal to cut 18 English learner (EL) teachers. The new approach would leave more than 10 vacant positions unfilled and offer early retirement to seven to 12 EL teachers, saving roughly $2.3 million, with other adjustments bringing total savings to about $5.3 million. The district cites a loss of more than 500 EL students this year, tied partly to federal immigration enforcement activity in the Twin Cities, costing nearly $5 million in funding. The board previously postponed a vote unanimously amid the backlash.

Gov. Tina Kotek and state Sen. Christine Drazan, facing off again for Oregon governor, are offering competing visions for the state's struggling schools. Kotek points to a cell phone ban, increased school funding, and a new accountability system, saying progress is underway but will take more than one term. Drazan wants to replace Department of Education and state board leadership, end social promotion by third grade, and reinstate graduation skills requirements.

The candidates also split on a new federal school-choice tax credit program: Drazan would opt Oregon in, while Kotek remains skeptical of the Trump administration's rules. Both want more instructional time and reforms to funding formulas, as districts face budget cuts, closures, and a higher education system under financial strain.