Educational News Round Up, September 11, 2025
Need some more bad news?
The Department of Education’s decision to end discretionary grants for minority-serving institutions (MSIs) is a direct threat to equity in higher education. These funds have historically supported Hispanic-serving, predominantly Black, and Asian American and Pacific Islander–serving colleges, enabling them to provide tutoring, faculty training, and resources that benefit first-generation and low-income students. Removing these supports under the guise of “ending discrimination” ignores the structural racism that created under-resourced institutions in the first place.
Advocates call the move devastating, as it strips away opportunities for innovation, access, and justice-driven education. For those committed to social justice, this moment underscores the urgent need to defend programs that level the playing field for marginalized students.
Ugh.
So here’s what’s in the research recently.
And what’s also in the news.
Developments from the 2025 Session of the Connecticut General Assembly Affecting Schools (and Public Employers)
The 2025 Connecticut General Assembly session brought significant legislative changes impacting Connecticut schools, particularly with respect to employee rights and special education funding. Key developments include expanding the Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act to non-certified school employees, requiring schools to update their FMLA policies, and restructuring special education funding to focus on cost control and encourage in-district programs. These changes are crucial for educational leaders as they entail revising administrative processes and financial planning to ensure compliance and adequate resource allocation for student needs.
Neurodevelopmental considerations for transcranial magnetic stimulation trials in youth
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is gaining attention as a promising non-invasive treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders in adolescents, notably showing effectiveness and safety in addressing treatment-resistant depression. As research expands to include younger age groups and various diagnoses, understanding neurodevelopmental influences on rTMS outcomes becomes crucial, necessitating careful clinical trial design that considers neuroanatomical, neuroplastic, and psychosocial factors. Advancements in neuroimaging and personalized targeting strategies are pivotal in optimizing protocol design, potentially enhancing treatment efficacy and safety for pediatric populations.
What 25 years of CDC data on autism tells us
According to the CDC, one in 31 American children has autism spectrum disorder, prompting Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to commit to uncovering the cause, though experts harbor skepticism. This growing prevalence, reportedly due to expanded diagnostic criteria and raised awareness, underscores a significant shift in understanding autism but raises concerns about the potential overdiagnosis and the implications of medical labeling. Addressing access to diagnostic services and reducing variability in diagnosis remains crucial for accurately gauging autism rates and effectively supporting affected individuals and their families.
