Next Week in Educational News Research, August 1, 2025

Whelp, it’s almost back to school time. Get you pencil boxes ready, ’cause the funding’s been cut for sharpeners!

Here’s what we’re tracking in the research.

And what we’re seeing in the news.

And check out these stories from Propublica

Idaho Schools Consistently Break Disability Laws. Parents Say They’re Not Doing Enough to Fix the Problem.

In Idaho, parents of students with disabilities, such as dyslexia, have increasingly filed complaints against school districts for failing to provide necessary special education services, often finding districts in violation of federal law. Despite investigations and corrective action plans, systemic issues persist due to inadequate state funding and outdated funding formulas for special education, with around 70% of complaints resulting in findings of legal violations. This ongoing problem highlights the challenges faced by parents advocating for their children’s education and the broader systemic issues impacting special education services in the state.

Alaska Ignored Warning Signs of a Budget Crisis. Now It Doesn’t Have Funding to Fix Crumbling Schools.

Alaska’s rural school districts are in a crisis due to severe underfunding for necessary repairs and maintenance, primarily because of the state’s heavy reliance on oil revenues, which have declined sharply since 2014. Despite bipartisan recognition of the issue, legislative efforts to significantly increase education funding have been stymied, with recent vetoes by Governor Mike Dunleavy further exacerbating the situation, leaving critical projects in jeopardy and endangering the safety and education quality in remote communities. Lawmakers face a pressing need to find sustainable funding solutions, such as taxation or new revenue sources like a natural gas pipeline, to address these long-standing infrastructure challenges.