K–12

South Carolina schools Superintendent Ellen Weaver is running for reelection, facing Democrat Sylvia Wright in a race that is competitive in fundraising but has favored Republicans since 2011. Weaver touts gains in reading and math, a push for school safety, and expanded career pathways, while defending the state's three-year-old voucher program that provides over $7,600 per student for private school or homeschool expenses. Critics, including Wright, say the program lacks accountability and mostly benefits families who could already afford private schooling; a recent cyberattack froze vendor payments. Weaver's tenure has also drawn controversy over book bans, cutting AP African American Studies, and aligning with conservative groups like PragerU amid broader public-school enrollment decline.

A new poll shared with The Daily Signal by the League of American Workers finds nearly 80% of Arizona voters hold an unfavorable view of public education in the state, a rare point of agreement across party lines. A majority of respondents, including 67.2% of Democrats, say taxpayers are getting a poor return on public education spending, and only a quarter of Arizona eighth graders are proficient in reading. Despite that dissatisfaction, voters favor the state's Empowerment Scholarship Account program, which funds private-school tuition, by roughly 16 points.

The same survey, conducted October 3-6 among 1,513 likely voters, shows Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs leading Republican Rep. Andy Biggs 48.9% to 43.2% in the governor's race, though both candidates have weak favorability. Hobbs' veto of a ban on sex-transition procedures for minors appears to be a net negative for her. The poll also found strong support for immigration enforcement cooperation, skepticism toward mass migration and China, a clear preference for capitalism over socialism, and continued concern over personal finances under the Trump administration.

Colorado's November 2026 ballot includes seven proposed constitutional amendments and seven statutory propositions covering immigration enforcement, natural gas rights, hunting and fishing, election procedures, redistricting, taxation, criminal penalties, transgender policy, and transportation funding. Constitutional amendments require 55% approval; propositions need a simple majority.

Notable measures include Amendment 81, which would require police to report violent crime suspects who are in the country illegally to federal immigration authorities, reversing a 2019 state law; Amendment 87 and competing Proposition 136, which offer opposing visions for the state's flat versus graduated income tax; and Proposition NN, which would let the state keep and spend TABOR surplus revenue on K-12 education. Other measures address mail-ballot ID requirements (Amendment 84), plain-language ballot drafting (Amendment 85), congressional redistricting rules (Amendment 86), harsher penalties for fentanyl sales and child sex trafficking (Propositions 132 and 133), sports participation and gender-related medical restrictions for minors (Propositions 134 and 135), sporting-goods tax revenue for conservation (Proposition 137), and a Front Range passenger rail sales tax. Political commentators Tom Cronin and Bob Loevy offered mixed endorsements across the measures.

Charleston County's board of voter registration and elections has selected winning designs from its fourth annual "I Voted" sticker contest for K-12 students. Elementary student Emmeline S., middle schooler Adalyn D., and high schooler Katherine C. won in their respective divisions, with their designs to be printed and distributed exclusively to early voters in October.

The contest, run on social media, drew more than 250 submissions this year, a record for the program. County elections staff narrowed the field to 15 finalists — five per grade division — before nearly 4,200 county residents voted to pick the winners. Several designs incorporated local landmarks such as the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and Morris Island Lighthouse. Officials say the initiative, along with a 2024 picture book produced with local libraries, aims to engage young people early in the civic process. Early voting for the statewide general election runs from October 19 to October 31.

Michigan's K-12 public schools employed about 381,571 people in 2024-25, the highest staffing level in at least 18 years, even as statewide enrollment fell by more than 180,000 students since 2007-08. Full-time equivalent staffing rose roughly 10% from 2019-20 to 2024-25 while enrollment dropped from about 1.49 million to 1.42 million. Non-instructional roles grew 21%, outpacing the increase in classroom teachers, who now number around 117,000. An analysis by Bridge Michigan found three-quarters of districts added staff over the past decade despite enrollment declines in 73% of them, alongside falling proficiency rates in English and math in most districts.

The trend follows a nationwide pattern identified by an Epoch Times investigation, which found only 17% of roughly 200,000 new U.S. public school positions since 2007-08 were classroom teachers. Analysts point to pandemic-era federal aid enabling unsustainable hiring, with Michigan districts potentially needing to cut up to 5,100 teaching positions as one-time COVID funds expire, even as the state continues raising per-pupil funding.

Ohio's House Bill 25 has been substantially reworked. Originally introduced as a $15 million Foster-to-College Scholarship Program, the bipartisan bill sponsored by Reps. Dontavius Jarrells and Sharon Ray was rewritten after five committee hearings into a K-12 support system called the Fostering School Success Act. The scholarship funding and dedicated college navigators were dropped entirely. The revised bill passed the House in March and has had two hearings in the Senate Education Committee without opponent testimony.

The new version would require every Ohio school district to designate a foster care education liaison and every school building to have a foster family navigator, aimed at reducing disruptions when foster children change schools. It also codifies independent-living preparation duties for foster agencies. Critics note the bill adds responsibilities without additional pay for staff. Sponsors say the original scholarship idea, which was also excluded from the state's 2025-26 budget, remains alive separately through Senate Bill 13.

The Florida Department of Education is proposing a rule that would require all 28 institutions in the Florida College System to adopt formal policies on artificial intelligence use. The policies would address academic integrity, course assignments, grading, and AI use by students, staff and campus guests. Education Commissioner Henry Mack approved the proposal, which the State Board of Education will consider at its September 16 meeting at Polk State College.

The rule defines AI instructional tools broadly but excludes AI designed to meet students' social or emotional needs, such as simulated relationships or anthropomorphic chatbots. It follows similar DOE efforts directing K-12 districts to set AI safeguards, including parental notification and opt-out rights, plus extra review for tools used in PreK-5. The move comes after state lawmakers failed to pass a broader AI Bill of Rights this year amid a standoff between DeSantis and House Speaker Daniel Perez. Florida is separately suing OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT contributed to violent incidents, including the 2025 Florida State University shooting.