Tag: education

  • Laws in 12 states provide school boards with differing authority and powers depending on the type of district they represent

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    Most states either have only one type of school district or do not distinguish between powers and duties for different types of school boards. However, 12 states have different types of school districts with distinct powers and duties under state law. Boards with different authorities may have unique control over district taxing or financing, and…

  • Kansas and Wisconsin governors veto bills opting their states into federal school choice tax credit program

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    The Democratic governors of Kansas and Wisconsin both vetoed bills opting their states into the federal school choice tax credit scholarship program. They became the fourth and fifth Democratic governors to veto bills opting in to the program. At least 27 states have officially opted into the program, 23 of which have a Republican trifecta.…

  • Kansas becomes thirty-third state to enact a K-12 cellphone ban

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    On March 20, 2026, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) signed a bill enacting a statewide ban on cellphones in K-12 schools. The ban applies to all public and nonpublic accredited schools and prohibits the use of cellphones during the school day, commonly referred to as a “bell-to-bell” ban. School district boards and governing authorities of…

  • Idaho Supreme Court upholds state school choice tax credit

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    On Feb. 5, 2026, the Idaho Supreme Court unanimously upheld the state's private school choice refundable tax credit, rejecting the argument that the program violated the Idaho Constitution and judicial precedent.  The petitioners included the Committee to Protect and Preserve the Idaho Constitution, Inc., Mormon Women for Ethical Government, School District No. 281, Latah County,…

  • IRS requests comments on implementing the U.S. school choice tax credit scholarship

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    On Nov. 26, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a bureau of the U.S. Treasury, issued a notice requesting comments regarding the implementation of the U.S. school choice tax credit scholarship (USTCS) program. The 2025 budget reconciliation bill, called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), established the program when President Donald Trump (R) signed the…

  • Twenty-two states enacted K-12 cellphone bans so far in 2025

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    Twenty-six (26) states have laws or policies requiring local school boards to ban or limit cellphone use in K-12 classrooms. Twenty-two (22) of these laws were enacted in 2025, with the most recent put in place in Oregon through an executive order. Three additional states require K-12 public school districts to adopt policies around student…

  • North Carolina governor vetoes bill opting into federal private school choice program

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    What's the story? Gov. Josh Stein (D) vetoed House Bill (HB) 87, titled the Educational Choice for Children Act, on Aug. 6. The bill was designed to opt North Carolina into the federal private school choice tax credit program passed as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA)…

  • Vermont, Ohio, North Carolina, Oregon enact K-12 cellphone bans

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    What's the story? Vermont, Ohio, North Carolina, and Oregon have all enacted statewide bans on cellphone use in K-12 schools since June 27. What's the background? 25 states have enacted cellphone bans or limits in K-12 schools, and at least 17 states have adopted cellphone bans or limits so far in 2025. Three states require…

  • Voters recall two Maine school board members

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    Voters approved recall elections against two members of the Maine School Administrative District 46 school board on June 10, 2025. In the recall election against Alisha Ames, 75% of voters cast ballots in favor of the recall, according to unofficial election night results. In the recall election against Judy Saunders, 67% of voters approved the…