Law & Courts

Education news, analysis, and opinion about court cases, lawsuits, and regulations affecting schools.
  • The Supreme Court in Washington, June 30, 2024.
    The U.S. Supreme Court considers a major challenge to the E-rate program for school internet connections on March 26.
    Susan Walsh/AP
    Law & Courts Supreme Court Appears Unlikely to Strike Down School E-Rate Program
    The Supreme Court seems unlikely to strike down the E-rate program, though some justices questioned its funding structure and oversight.
    Mark Walsh, March 26, 2025
    5 min read
    President Donald Trump, left, holds up a signed executive order as young people hold up copies of the executive order they signed at an education event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 20, 2025.
    President Donald Trump, left, holds up a signed executive order as young people hold up copies of the executive order they signed at an education event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 20, 2025. The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to permit the cut of funding for teacher training programs.
    Ben Curtis/AP
    Law & Courts Trump Asks Supreme Court for OK to Move Ahead With Deep Teacher-Training Cuts
    The Trump administration on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to allow it to cut hundreds of millions of dollars for teacher training.
    The Associated Press, March 26, 2025
    2 min read
    Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference held at Trump Tower, Friday, Sept., 6, 2024 in New York.
    Donald Trump speaks during a news conference held at Trump Tower on Sept. 6, 2024 in New York. His education actions since returning to the White House in January 2025 have drawn numerous lawsuits alleging he's overstepping his authority.
    Stefan Jeremiah/AP
    Law & Courts See All the Lawsuits Filed Over Trump's Education Policies
    Here’s a look at the moves that have drawn litigation, and where the complaints stand.
    Brooke Schultz, March 26, 2025
    3 min read
    The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
    Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
    Law & Courts Opinion Can States Bar Religious Charter Schools? The Supreme Court Will Soon Decide
    Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions suggest that bans on faith-based charter schools may violate the Free Exercise Clause.
    Rick Hess, March 25, 2025
    13 min read
    Kim Anderson, the executive director of the National Education Association (NEA), speaks during a demonstration at the headquarters of the Department of Education, Friday, March 14, 2025, in Washington.
    Kim Anderson, the executive director of the National Education Association, speaks during a demonstration at the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Education on March 14, 2025, in Washington. The NEA and the American Federation of Teachers have both filed lawsuits seeking to block President Donald Trump's efforts to dismantle the Education Department.
    Mark Schiefelbein/AP
    Law & Courts NEA, AFT Sue to Block Trump’s Education Department Dismantling
    The nation’s two largest teachers’ unions are asking federal courts to halt efforts to close the U.S. Department of Education.
    Brooke Schultz, March 24, 2025
    4 min read
    Restroom sign male female
    Getty
    Law & Courts Idaho Can Restrict Transgender Students’ Restroom Use, Appeals Court Rules
    A federal appeals court panel declined to block an Idaho law requiring students to use restrooms that align with their "biological sex."
    Mark Walsh, March 21, 2025
    3 min read
    The Supreme Court of the United States is seen on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington.
    The U.S. Supreme Court, seen on Feb. 27, next week will hear arguments in a challenge to the funding structure of the $4 billion federal E-rate program, which provides discounts to schools to connect to the internet.
    Rod Lamkey, Jr./AP
    Law & Courts Schools Fear Funding Loss as Supreme Court Weighs E-Rate Case
    The justices hear arguments next week in a challenge to the funding structure of the $4 billion program to connect schools to the internet.
    Mark Walsh, March 20, 2025
    8 min read
    People Waiting In Line Before Brass Scale On Blue Background
    E+
    Law & Courts Religious Charters, LGBTQ+ Books, and More: A Winter Legal Roundup
    This winter, key court cases tackled school desegregation, parental rights, religious charters, LGBTQ+ policies, and education funding.
    Mark Walsh, March 19, 2025
    7 min read
    Vector illustration of a dollar being repaired with tape.
    iStock/Getty
    Law & Courts Judge Orders Trump Admin. to Restore Teacher-Prep Grants It Slashed
    The administration must reinstate funding for all recipients of three federal grants supporting educator development, a judge ruled.
    Mark Lieberman, March 17, 2025
    3 min read
    The exterior of the Department of Education Building in Washington, DC on Thursday, December 14, 2017.
    The exterior of the Department of Education Building in Washington on Dec. 14, 2017. Parents are suing the department over the firing of its office for civil rights staff, arguing that the layoffs will stifle civil rights investigations.
    Swikar Patel/Education Week
    Law & Courts Parents Sue Ed. Dept. Over Civil Rights Office Layoffs and Delays
    The lawsuit argues that the mass layoffs leave students and families with little recourse for discrimination complaints.
    Brooke Schultz, March 14, 2025
    4 min read
    January Littlejohn of Tallahassee, Fla., center, stands as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. At left is second lady Usha Vance and at right is first lady Melania Trump.
    January Littlejohn of Tallahassee, Fla., center, stands as President Donald Trump, during his March 4 address to Congress, highlighted her case alleging that school officials secretly aided her child's gender transition.
    Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
    Law & Courts Parents Lose Appeal in Gender Case Trump Called ‘Child Abuse’
    A federal appeals court ruled against parents who contend their school district aided a "secret" gender transition of their child.
    Mark Walsh, March 13, 2025
    4 min read
    A commuter walks past the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Education, which were ordered closed for the day for what officials described as security reasons amid large-scale layoffs, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Washington.
    A commuter walks past the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Education on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Washington. The department this week announced it was shedding half its staff. Twenty-one states have sued over the mass layoff.
    Mark Schiefelbein/AP
    Law & Courts States Sue Trump Over Education Department Firings
    The challenge from 21 attorneys general comes just days after the Education Department announced it would shrink its staff by roughly half.
    Brooke Schultz, March 13, 2025
    4 min read
    The U.S. Supreme Court is seen near sunset in Washington, Oct. 18, 2018.
    The Trump administration has filed briefs supporting conservative positions in two high-profile U.S. Supreme Court cases on religion and public education.
    Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
    Law & Courts Trump Admin. Backs Catholic Charter, LGBTQ+ Lesson Opt-Outs in Supreme Court
    The Trump administration filed briefs supporting conservative positions in two big cases on religion and public education
    Mark Walsh, March 13, 2025
    5 min read
    California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks at a press conference to announce a lawsuit against the Trump administration over budget cuts to teacher training funds at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building on March 6, 2025, in Los Angeles.
    California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks at a press conference to announce a lawsuit against the Trump administration over budget cuts to teacher training funds at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building on March 6, 2025, in Los Angeles.
    Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times via TNS
    Law & Courts 8 States Sue Trump Administration for Cuts to Teacher-Training Grants
    Lawsuit claims Trump’s education cuts will worsen teacher shortages in STEM, special ed, and bilingual programs.
    Jaweed Kaleem, March 7, 2025
    6 min read
    Education Secretary Linda McMahon, left, greets Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., before President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
    Education Secretary Linda McMahon, left, greets Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., before President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. The National Education Association and ACLU are suing the U.S. Department of Education over its letter seeking to end race-based programming in schools.
    Ben Curtis/AP
    Law & Courts Nation's Largest Teachers' Union Sues Education Department Over DEI Threats
    It's the second lawsuit to challenge the guidance that seeks to end diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools.
    Brooke Schultz, March 5, 2025
    4 min read