Microschooling has experienced rapid expansion in recent years, with estimates from RAND indicating that between 750,000 and 2.1 million students now attend these small, innovative learning environments. This surge mirrors the earlier explosive growth of the charter sector, which scaled from the first charter law in 1991 to over 3.7 million students by 2021.

The debate over gifted and talented programs should focus on whether schools can accurately assess each student's potential, writes Joni Lakin, a professor of educational research at The University of Alabama. Lakin highlights the limitations of traditional identification methods, which often rely on one-time tests and early sorting, and advocates for using multiple measures and regular reviews to identify and nurture student strengths.

Arizona's universal private school choice program, the oldest in the US, has grown by 633% since it opened to all students in 2022, now representing 7% of the state's school population and 10% of the Department of Education's budget. The Rand Corp. notes that most participants come from affluent districts and that much of the funding goes to private school tuition.

The Sutherland Institute has filed an amicus brief in the 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals to support Darren Patterson Christian Academy's participation in the Colorado Universal Preschool Program without altering teachings on gender and sexuality. The case challenges the state's nondiscrimination requirements, which the school says conflict with religious beliefs.

Mia Smothers, a freshman at Mercy High School in Baltimore, has been selected to participate in a digital dialogue with Pope Leo XIV during the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis, becoming one of only five youths chosen for the event. Smothers, known for her active involvement in her parish and community, will engage with the pope in a live session, marking a historic first for the conference.

Colorado's 2026 Teacher of the Year, Stephen Paulson, responded to vandalism fueled by TikTok challenges by launching a student-led "Castle Clean Up" that expanded into tutoring, event support and community service. The project improved school culture and strengthened relationships between students and staff at Greeley Central High School.

Students with disabilities face an uncertain landscape in Tennessee's voucher-eligible private schools. While some schools explicitly offer accommodations, many reserve the right to deny admission or support depending on staff capacity and the severity of a student's needs. As private institutions, these schools are not subject to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and there is no comprehensive tracking of how many students with disabilities are served by the voucher program. Lawmakers attempted but failed to pass an amendment barring discrimination against students with disabilities, leaving families to navigate inconsistent policies and limited transparency.