From The W/A Team
As governors deliver their annual "State of the State" addresses, they set the policy agenda for the year ahead—signaling where legislatures, state agencies, and stakeholders should expect momentum. You can get the latest from W/A Research on education and workforce priorities outlined in State of the State addresses here:
Highlights
Bipartisan K-12 budget proposal would stall gutting of Education Department - K-12 Dive - 20 January 2026
Families at All Income Levels Struggle to Find Child Care - EdSurge - 21 January 2026
Amid Funding Cuts, Rising Volunteerism Offers Hope for Struggling Nonprofits - The Chronicle of Philanthropy - 21 January 2026
Federal Policy & Politics
Rebuking Trump, Congress Moves to Maintain Most Federal Education Funding - Education Week (subscription model) - 20 January 2026
Republicans took control of education. Can Democrats take it back? - The Washington Post (subscription model) - 21 January 2026
Trump admin drops court appeal blocking anti-DEI effort against universities, K-12 schools - The Hill - 21 January 2026
Higher Education
Colleges Can No Longer Pretend Today’s Students Are Just Students - The Evolllution - 21 January 2026
Investigations and a Billion-Dollar ‘Shakedown’: How Trump Targeted Higher Education - The New York Times (subscription model) - 21 January 2026
The SAT has surged in popularity. The ACT is making changes. - The Washington Post (subscription model) - 18 January 2026
Community colleges are not a fallback. They are a bold first choice - Community College Daily - 21 January 2026
Early Learning & Child Care
Funding for Key Early Learning Programs, FY2026 - First Five Years Fund - 20 January 2026
Governor Abbott Launches Task Force on Early Childhood Education and Care - KSST Radio - 20 January 2026
Educator Talent & Staffing
Teachers in 34 States Don’t Get Paid Parental Leave, New Study Finds - The 74 - 21 January 2026
Technology & AI
Where States Err In Their AI Education Guidance – And How To Fix It - Forbes (subscription model) - 20 January 2026
Ohio Dept. of Education Unveils Model AI Policy for K-12 - GovTech - 21 January 2026
Opinion: AI in K–12: A New Year Reality Check for School Leaders - Education Week (subscription model) - 20 January 2026
Student Health, Safety & Nutrition
Several U.S. Colleges Enhance Security Measures Amid Safety Concerns - Campus Safety - 21 January 2026
2 options for free school meals head to North Dakota special session - North Dakota Monitor - 20 January 2026
Workforce & Career Pathways
Amid tough job market, new college grads see fewer openings at small businesses - The Baltimore Sun (subscription model) - 16 January 2026
School Choice
Gov. Polis Says Colorado Will Opt Into Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program - Chalkbeat Colorado - 21 January 2026
Idaho will participate in federal education tax credit, governor says - Idaho Education News - 21 January 2026
State & Local News
Minnesota | As ICE Targets Twin Cities Schools & Bus Stops, Even Citizens Keep Kids Home - The 74 - 20 January 2026
New Jersey | Cursive Makes a Comeback in New Jersey Schools - The New York Times (subscription model) - 20 January 2026
Virginia | Virginia Democrats target military college’s funding after anti-DEI push - The Washington Post (subscription model) - 21 January 2026
LA | A Year After Fires Scorched L.A. Schools, Difficulties Plague Reopenings - The 74 - 21 January 2026
San Francisco | SF goes all in to pay for private tutors for 1,500 more city students - San Francisco Chronicle (subscription model) - 20 January 2026
Job Opportunities
Looking for your next opportunity in education? W/A Jobs features 3,500+ career opportunities from 300+ organizations across the education industry. Today’s featured role is:
Savvas Learning Company is hiring a Senior Project Manager to help efficiently manage and deliver projects for technology, product, and business initiatives, in a high-growth environment.
Also Reading
Charting a Path Through Education Data In 2025 - EdSurge - 20 January 2026