Education
History shows revoking Harvard’s tax status won’t be easy — or fast
A presidential effort to revoke Harvard University's tax-exempt status could run up against a number of challenges, including violating federal law.
Nearly 300 scientists apply for French academic program amid Trump cuts in U.S.
Nearly 300 U.S.-based researchers have applied to one program that promises "scientific refugee status" for those fleeing Trump's academic funding rollbacks.
LA schools superintendent says he’ll protect undocumented students ‘to the very end’
DHS said it was conducting wellness checks on students who arrived unaccompanied to the border. The head of the Los Angeles Unified School District has a different account.
With federal funding on the line, school leaders weigh Trump DEI order
The Trump administration has told states they have until April 24 to promise to end DEI programs in K-12 schools, or risk losing federal dollars.
Harvard professor gives perspective on the Trump administration clash with university
What does the clash between Harvard and the Trump administration look like from the perspective of its faculty? NPR's Michel Martin akss Harvard Law School professor Nikolas Bowie.
Families say school civil rights investigations have stalled after federal cuts
The U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights investigates discrimination in schools. It recently lost more than 40% of its staff.
Higher ed war heats up as Trump threatens Harvard’s tax-exempt status
The president's comments came after the administration froze $2 billion in federal grants for Harvard after the university rejected what it saw as illegal government demands.
As special ed students are integrated more at school, teacher training is evolving
General education teachers are more likely than ever to be working with students who have special needs.
Harvard rejects Trump administration’s demands for deep changes
The university refused to make changes it said would "dictate what private universities can teach" and "whom they can admit and hire," among other things.
DOGE abruptly cut a program for teens with disabilities. This student is ‘devastated’
The program, Charting My Path for Future Success, aimed to help teens with disabilities transition from high school to the real world. It abruptly ended when DOGE terminated its federal contract.
Federal judge orders USDA to unfreeze funds to Maine
The funds had been initially withheld following President Trump's clash with Maine Gov. Janet Mills over the issue of transgender athletes.
Most of the families applying for Alabama’s new school vouchers have kids in non-public schools
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s office released application figures Tuesday for the CHOOSE Act, the new program which will help eligible families tap state dollars to help pay for private school or home-schooling costs.
Americans without a degree still believe in the value of college, a new poll says
The majority of Americans without degrees still believe in the value of higher education, according to the poll. But not all college degrees are created equal.
USAID enabled 208 Afghan women to defy the Taliban ban on college — until now
A USAID grant enabled them to either study online or enroll in college in another country. Now the grant has been terminated.
Bienvenidos! Some colleges are targeting a long-neglected group: Hispanic students
Colleges are recognizing the importance of this growing pool of potential students.
Supreme Court sides with administration over Education Department grants
By a 5-4 vote, the justices allowed the administration to freeze millions of dollars in grant funding for diversity and instructional programs at public and private universities.
Education Dept. warns schools: Eliminate DEI programs or lose funding
The department sent a letter to state leaders threatening the loss of funds for K-12 schools that don't follow its interpretation of civil rights laws.
How the Education Department helps students with disabilities get an education
Special education laws and the U.S. Department of Education have evolved together over nearly five decades. Now, the Trump administration seems to want to separate the two.
Parents sue Bucknell alleging hazing led to freshman football player’s death
Freshman Calvin "CJ" Dickey Jr., died after his first practice at the university. His parents are suing the school, also alleging staff neglected to account for his sickle cell trait during training.
6 things borrowers should know about federal student loans right now
NPR has spent the past few weeks catching up with student loan experts and asking the Trump administration for clarity on some of borrowers' biggest questions.
NPR speaks to a former Education Secretary about dismantling the department, arrests
NPR's Emily Kwong speaks with former Education Secretary John B. King Jr. about the dismantling of the education department and recent arrests of international scholars.
How the Ph.D. Project, and 45 colleges, became a target of the Trump administration
For about 30 years, the Ph.D. Project has supported students from underrepresented groups who are earning doctoral degrees in business. Now, it's attracted the attention of the Trump administration.
What we know about the case of detained Georgetown professor Badar Khan Suri
The Indian national and postdoctoral fellow is the latest scholar detained or deported by the Trump administration for speaking in support of Palestinian rights or criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza.
Trump says Education Department will no longer oversee student loans, ‘special needs’
The president said federal student loans would move to the Small Business Administration, and hinted that the Department of Health and Human Services would take over special education oversight.
How the Education Department cuts could hurt low-income and rural schools
With cuts to nearly all the staff at the Department of Education's primary data agency, low-income and rural schools may not get the federal funds they rely on in coming years.
Trump suspends $175 million in funding to University of Pennsylvania over trans athletes
The University of Pennsylvania found itself at the center of the trans athlete debate when one of its trans students won a series of events during the 2022 swim season.
Trump to sign order aiming to close the Education Department
The Trump administration has already moved to cut the department's staff by half.
Louisiana has a long history with French. This immersion school aims to keep it alive
Most Louisianans no longer speak French, but a growing number of schools are now immersing kids in it. At École Pointe-au-Chien, the focus is on teaching local French dialects first.
Harvard will be free for students whose families make $100,000 or less
The expanded financial aid plan will also offer free tuition to families that make $200,000 or less. The move comes after affirmative action was barred from the admissions process.
How Alabama students went from last place to rising stars in math
Alabama is the only state where 4th-grade math scores are higher now than they were in 2019, before the pandemic. This is the story of how the state pulled it off.
March Madness begins for NPR’s College Podcast Challenge
Our 10 finalists for the best college podcasts in the country include students from some familiar schools, and a few surprises.
As enrollment in online college grows, students wonder: Why does it cost more?
Rather than lowering the price, some universities use online courses to subsidize everything else.
