May 27, 2025

Shaking off the long weekend? Here’s a little boost to help you get back in the groove. Let’s finish the 2024–25 year strong!

Get ready for three inspiring days in Austin! The Summer Leadership Conference webpage now features our breakout presenters and session topics. From cutting-edge innovation to leadership development and equity-centered practices—there’s something for everyone!

This year’s theme, ESAs Shaping the Future of Education, highlights the powerful role of ESAs in advancing innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurial strategies across the education landscape.

What You Can Expect:

✅ Engaging breakout sessions led by ESA leaders and innovators
✅ Actionable strategies to take back to your team
✅ Opportunities to connect with peers and national thought leaders

Early bird rate is available through June 6, 2025.

Join us in Austin and be part of the movement shaping the future of education!

The Supreme Court, in a 4-4 ruling, said Oklahoma cannot create the nation's first religious charter school funded directly with taxpayer dollars. Joan Wade, Executive Director of AESA released a statement on the decision, stating that AESA is encouraged by today’s win but knows that the fight to dismantle the separation of church and state is just beginning.

On April 24, 2025, a U.S. district judge issued a nationwide stay on the implementation of the U.S. Department of Education’s February Dear Colleague letter, which outlines the Department’s interpretation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act in light of the Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard Supreme Court decision.

The court found that the plaintiffs—including the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), AFT Maryland, the American Sociological Association, and a public school district—are likely to succeed in their claim that the Dear Colleague letter is arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act.

The stay prohibits the Department from enforcing Title VI based on interpretations in the February letter that extend beyond existing law. However, it does not prevent the Department from pursuing other Title VI-related enforcement actions.

We will continue to monitor this case and keep our members informed as developments unfold.

House Republicans came together to pass their domestic policy megabill late last week after weeks of internal conflict and last-minute intervention from President Donald Trump. The vote went almost entirely along party lines. The bill now heads to the Senate, where Republicans are expected to tear up many of the policy provisions sought by House GOP hard-liners.

Last week, Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-NY) introduced an updated version of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). This version of KOSA is the same language Blackburn/Blumenthal introduced in December 2024, but this time the education provision is explicitly included. 

First Focus on Children, UnidosUS, and AFL-CIO report finds that nearly 45% of all children in the United States — or 34 million kids — rely on Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or both for essential health care and food. The report, “Children Under Attack: How Congressional Assaults on Health and Food Programs are Endangering the Youngest Americans,” offers the first analysis of the combined impact of cuts proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives’ budget reconciliation bill.

Economic Policy Institute released Cuts to Medicaid Will Disproportionately Hurt People of Color and Children.

In the wake of a fourth round of cuts to the National Science Foundation (NSF), analysis of previous rounds of cuts found that education accounts for more than half of the nearly 1,400 terminated grants and almost three-quarters of their $1 billion value, with this money no longer flowing to research organizations and universities.

Have we missed one of your ESA’s stories? Send submissions to csowder@aesa.us to be included in future editions of Online News. 

Hosted by the Kentucky Educational Development Corporation’s (KEDC) dedicated team, each episode of the KEDC Podcast features insightful conversations with educators, leaders, and changemakers who are reimagining learning and strengthening schools. Listeners will hear real stories, explore innovative programs, and experience the collaborative energy that defines the KEDC network.

The primary focus in this month's update is on the CoSN 2025 State of EdTech Leadership Report.