Politics, Policy, and School Practices

Source: Brookings

Date: 2/20/26

How the US Department of Education has turned civil rights enforcement into a discriminatory tool

This is part of the "Why we have and need a US Department of Education" series, which seeks to examine the role of the U.S. Department of Education at a time when the president of the United States has called for the Department's demise. It considers what the Department does to shape education policy and practice in the United States. It also addresses misconceptions about the Department's role and the president's authority to dismantle it.

Special Education

Source: Manhattan Institute

Date: 2/19/26

Reassessing "Carter-Case" Spending for Students with Disabilities in New York City Schools

New York City's special-education system looks very different today from the way it did a decade ago. For the 2026 fiscal year, 2.15% of the Department of Education's entire budget was approved for "Carter-case" tuition reimbursement. Originally meant as a safeguard for students denied a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), the Carter framework has expanded far beyond its intended purpose. Policy decisions such as the shift to settling previously won cases and reducing annual FAPE adjudications have allowed private placements to continue year after year without determining whether the district can meet students' needs in NYC. As filings increased, the city's spending on tuition reimbursement also increased significantly, even as outcomes for many private programs remain unknown. NYC's experience serves as a warning for states and large districts nationwide. With shifting more authority to states, NYC shows how deviations from the annual accountability structure of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) can reshape incentives, obscure program quality, and create inequities in access to services. Reassessing Carter cases in NYC is essential to restore IDEA's accountability structure, rebuild the nation's largest public school system's capacity, and ensure that students receive appropriate services in their least restrictive environment (LRE), without relying on litigation.

Virtual Education

Source: Pioneer Institute

Date: 2/17/26

Virtual Schools, Actual Learning: Digital Education in America

State policy is pivotal to the development and availability of online and virtual learning options, and Pioneer Institute's new Virtual Schools Toolkit provides tactical guidance for developing such policies in the current educational landscape.
...
The editors offer a framework for designing state virtual school policies that cover vision and goals, governance and oversight, funding, quality assurance, and teacher preparation and support. They list key questions, actions to be taken and estimated timelines for each area.

Review of Redrawing the Lines: How Purposeful School System Redistricting Can Increase Funding Fairness and Decrease Segregation

Source: New America

Reviewed by: Christopher Cleveland and Joshua Almes of Brown University

A recent New America report argues that states can advance educational equity by redrawing school district boundaries to reduce within-state fiscal and demographic disparities. While the analysis has some methodological limitations, it offers policymakers a useful framework for understanding how existing district lines shape unequal access to resources.

Christopher Cleveland and Joshua Almes of Brown University reviewed Redrawing the Lines: How Purposeful School System Redistricting Can Increase Funding Fairness and Decrease Segregation. Their review assesses how well the report meets its goals, and it identifies areas where additional research could strengthen the discussion.

Texas Charter Growth and Special Education: Insights from Major Cities and Large CMOs

By: David E. DeMatthews, Jinseok Shin, Pedro Reyes, Laura G. Torres, Daniel Geist; University of Texas at Austin

"This report uses longitudinal data to illuminate statewide and city-level trends in charter growth and special education as well as assess differences in special education enrollment and spending between charter management organizations and school districts."

Everything you need to know about "no tax on tips"

By: Nina Mast & David Cooper, EPI

"This FAQ answers key questions about the "no tax on tips" policy and what it means for working people."

The New Federal Voucher Program: Considerations for Policymakers

By: In the Public Interest

"States get to choose whether to opt in to the Federal Voucher Program. Here are the questions they should ask."

Basketball in the Last 60 Seconds: Ben Sasse on Mortality, Meaning, and the Future of America

By: Hoover Institution

This is outside our usual postings, but this interview with former Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse is compelling. Sasse was diagnosed in December with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and given 3 months to live. In this interview with the Hoover Institute, Ben Sasse reflects on faith, mortality, and redeeming the time - then takes on Congress, higher education, and our fragmented, attention-starved republic.

Protecting Students While Public Education is Under Attack

By: EdTrust

"This guide outlines five urgent threats posed by the federal government's retreat from public education, along with the concrete actions advocates must press state leaders to take to counter this Great American Heist and ensure that every student can succeed"

GreatLakesCenter.org