Week In Review: AI, federal funding and ESEA waivers.

The article focuses on recent developments and challenges in U.S. K-12 education policy, funding, and school operations. It highlights a U.S. Department of Education letter encouraging the use of federal grants to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) in schools, emphasizing ethical, accessible, and educator-led implementation aligned with federal privacy laws. The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee proposed a $79 billion Education Department budget for fiscal year 2026, maintaining funding for Title I and special education programs. Additionally, new federal guidance restricts certain diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices in school hiring, while states are encouraged to seek waivers from Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) requirements to reduce bureaucratic constraints. The article also addresses operational challenges such as school closures, teacher underqualification in Texas, and innovative student-led media programs in Indiana.