Esther Wickham

Nationally, public K-12 schools spent almost $1 trillion in 2024, while the average per-pupil spending nears $18,000. 70% of students are below proficient benchmarks. The solution can’t be throwing more money into a broken system, said Patrick Graff with @SchoolChoiceNow

California’s Capitol renovation project, expected to exceed $1 billion, is drawing scrutiny over widespread nondisclosure agreements. More on The Center Square Daily.

"We have an Education spending problem," @RyanWalters_ @Freedom4Teachrs

Do teacher unions hold strong political influence in schools? @RyanWalters_ says student walkouts are not organic protests; they are driven by the unions to use children to push their political message.

Spoke with the CEO of @Freedom4Teachrs @RyanWalters_ about civic education in American public schools. "Our goal is to educate children so that they can do what they want to with that knowledge. Not to direct them of how to be an activist.”

READ MORE HERE: thecentersquare.com/california/art…

Following a report by Defending Education revealing that the nation’s largest teachers unions spent more than $1B on political activities, education experts are questioning whether the unions’ heavy political spending has produced any meaningful improvement in student outcomes.

A California education leader is criticizing state policies on athletics, citing concerns about fairness and opportunities for female athletes. More on The Center Square Daily.

As tensions with Iran continue, President Trump told The Center Square the administration is considering what its red line would be for a ceasefire agreement.

Sonja Shaw, president of the Chino Valley Unified School District board and a Republican candidate for state superintendent of public instruction, speaks at the "Protect Girls Sports" rally at Yorba Linda High School. @realSonjaShaw @thecentersquare

@CAFamily holds press conference over a transgender athlete competing in girls sports at Yorba Linda HS Reese Hogan student athlete & Sonja Shaw, Republican Candidate for CA State Superintendent of Public Instruction speaking.

Important to note that materials/documents related to these PRIDE Month events in SFUSD are locked from public view.

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: SF schools fund Pride events with taxpayer dollars San Francisco Unified School District used public funds for LGBTQ+ Pride Month events, including a youth event featuring drag makeup lessons and performances with the Gay Men’s Chorus. The district says it has supported LGBTQ+ programs for decades, but has not disclosed how much was spent, even as it faces a projected $102M budget deficit.

Materials obtained by a nonprofit group highlight Pride Month programming in San Francisco schools, prompting discussion among parents and policymakers. Watch more on The Center Square Daily.

Congress is debating whether to extend FISA Section 702, a law that allows surveillance of foreign nationals but has raised concerns about U.S. data collection. More on The Center Square Daily.

With student debt nearing $1.7 trillion, new federal proposals aim to measure whether college programs lead to better financial outcomes. More on The Center Square Daily.

A federal case is drawing attention to allegations involving funding and associations tied to a prominent advocacy organization. More on The Center Square Daily.

A BREAKING release of fed financial data from FY24 (yes, I get the irony) shows that K12 spend is now over $1 trillion. National avg is over $17K. We cover what's relevant in today's newsletter. Link in next post.

Are rising graduation rates masking deeper issues in education? Some experts say proficiency data tells a different story. Watch on The Center Square Daily.