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The article is a quiz testing readers on the past week’s K-12 education news. It covers multiple stories related to school policies and events. No single policy change is detailed in the quiz format. Key Points Quiz format reviews recent K-12 news items Topics include various school and policy updates Readers answer questions on the […]

Newark schools reported a decline in chronic absenteeism to 8.5% for the 2025-2026 school year. District leaders identified specific strategies contributing to the improvement in attendance rates. Key Points Chronic absenteeism rate fell to 8.5% for the reported period. District officials highlighted effective local interventions and policies. Data reflects attendance trends in Newark public schools.

Indianapolis Public Schools reversed its no-zero grading policy. Teachers can now assign zeros for missing or incomplete assignments. The change alters previous district grading practices. Key Points IPS ended its no-zero grading policy for students Policy reversal allows zeros for incomplete work Decision affects K-12 grading standards in the district Implications for Educational Freedom The

The Chicago Public Schools board postponed a proposal to allocate additional funding to Chicago Arts High School. The decision was deferred during a recent board meeting without a specified new timeline. The proposal focused on redirecting district dollars to support the specialized arts program. Key Points Chicago school board delays proposal for increased funding to

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by several conservative-leaning Colorado school districts challenging policies on transgender athletes. The suit contested guidelines allowing participation based on gender identity in school sports. The dismissal concludes the legal effort by these districts. Key Points Federal judge dismissed lawsuit by Colorado school districts over transgender athlete policies. Lawsuit

The Detroit Public Schools Community District is updating its policy on early student sign-outs to reduce learning disruptions. Parents will now face accountability for repeated unexcused early pickups. The change targets excessive absences from instructional time. Key Points DPSCD revises early sign-out rules to limit classroom interruptions. Parents face consequences for multiple unexcused early student

The U.S. Department of Education issued guidance stating that schools must obtain parental consent before administering mental health screenings or surveys to students. This clarification references existing federal privacy protections under laws such as FERPA and PPRA. The guidance addresses questions about consent requirements for sensitive student data collection. Key Points U.S. Education Department requires

New federal data shows virtual school enrollment has doubled in recent years following a pandemic-era increase. The trend reflects sustained growth in online K-12 options. Chalkbeat reports on enrollment patterns across public virtual schools. Key Points Virtual school enrollment has doubled since the pandemic period. Growth follows a surge in remote learning during 2020-2021. Federal

Jennifer Custer has dropped out of the race for president of the Chicago Public Schools board. The withdrawal occurs ahead of the board’s leadership selection process. Details on reasons or next steps were not specified. Key Points Jennifer Custer exits race for CPS board president position Chicago Public Schools board oversees district policies and operations

Illinois education advocates are increasingly divided over Governor Pritzker’s potential decision to opt into a federal tax-credit scholarship program. Some groups are urging participation while others express opposition. The program would provide tax credits for donations supporting K-12 scholarships. Key Points Advocates call on Pritzker to opt into federal tax-credit scholarship program Growing division among