US public schools

Financial Times reports that insurance against gun violence is becoming a booming business in the United States. Products covering active-shooter incidents and related liabilities are attracting growing demand from schools, businesses and event organisers amid the persistent toll of shootings. The rise points to how private markets are adapting to a risk that public policy has not resolved.

Free speech organisations are warning that new education directives will broaden book bans in schools, arguing the orders will restrict what students can read. The groups say the measures give officials wider authority to remove titles from libraries and classrooms. The reports stem from Florida outlets, suggesting the policy debate centres on US state education policy, with civil liberties groups pushing back against expanded censorship powers.

Researchers at Brown University's School of Public Health have published a new tracker mapping private equity involvement in healthcare across the United States. The tool aims to document which hospitals, physician practices and other providers are owned by private equity firms. It comes amid growing scrutiny of buyout firms' role in medical care and its effects on costs and quality.

A growing number of US states are giving students the option to earn a formal 'climate literacy' credential alongside their diploma, reflecting how climate change is moving into mainstream education. The push comes as extreme weather events intensify, prompting schools to certify that graduates understand climate science and its consequences. Education outlets report the trend is expanding, though requirements vary by state and critics debate how much curriculum space climate topics should occupy.

An opinion piece in Wyoming argues that families across the state need greater freedom to choose their children's education, calling for expanded school choice options. The article frames parental choice as the key issue in Wyoming's education debate, a topic that continues to draw attention as states across the US consider voucher programs, charter expansion and other alternatives to traditional public schooling.

PEN America reports nearly 12,000 school book bans across the United States in the 2025-2026 school year, the largest number recorded in a single year. The free expression group's tally covers removals and restrictions of books from public school classrooms and libraries, and the record figure is drawing renewed attention to debates over censorship, parental rights and what materials belong in schools.

The US Senate has passed a bill giving Wyoming greater flexibility to manage its school trust fund, which supports public education in the state. The measure would allow state officials more discretion in how the fund's assets are invested and used. Details on the vote margin, bipartisan support, or next steps in the House remain unclear.

A guide compiling resources and practical tips for opposing book bans is being circulated, offering advice for parents, educators and community members pushing back against efforts to remove books from school and public libraries. The material responds to a wave of censorship attempts targeting titles with LGBTQ+ themes and other marginalised voices.

A University of Rhode Island education leader says book banning causes damage beyond the titles removed, arguing the practice affects students and school communities as well as literature itself. The remarks were published by the university's Rhody Today outlet, adding an educator's voice to the ongoing debate over school library and curriculum book removals in the United States.

Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello performed Woody Guthrie's 'This Land Is Your Land' and included the verse often omitted from the song: 'In the squares of the city, in the shadow of the steeple, by the relief office I saw my people... Is this land made for you and me?' The lesser-known verses carry pointed social commentary about hunger and inequality, and are frequently left out of school and public performances.

A new middle school serving LGBTQ students is set to open in Brooklyn, making it one of the only publicly discussed schools of its kind in the United States. The plan has drawn attention in New York City education circles, with supporters calling it a safe space for vulnerable students and critics expected to debate public funding for identity-focused schooling.

Senator Mike Rounds met with leaders of AI company Anthropic at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology to discuss the future of artificial intelligence. The visit highlights growing attention to AI policy in Washington and the industry's engagement with lawmakers, as well as South Dakota's push to position itself in the national conversation on emerging technology.

Writers and commentators are revisiting ancient philosophical traditions to ask how their teachings on consciousness, responsibility, purpose and human agency can help people navigate the rise of artificial intelligence. The argument is that Stoic, Buddhist and other long-established schools of thought may offer tools for ethics and meaning as intelligent machines reshape work and daily life, renewing interest in philosophy as a practical discipline for the AI era.

A custodian at a St. Johns County, Florida school who has been detained by immigration authorities is now the focus of a case before the US Supreme Court. The case is expected to weigh in on how far immigration enforcement can reach toward people working in schools and their communities.

The ACLU of Indiana argues that today's wave of book bans is not a new phenomenon, but a continuation of a long history of censorship aimed at marginalized communities. The group draws links between past efforts to remove books and current challenges in schools and libraries, framing restrictions as tools that have repeatedly silenced minority voices.

ProPublica has published an interactive quiz showing how easy it is to open a private school in the United States, where regulatory requirements vary dramatically from state to state. The project highlights gaps in oversight of private education, letting readers test whether their own state would require much more than minimal paperwork before a school could open its doors.

Colorado voters will weigh in on a ballot measure that would bar transgender students from participating in certain school sports teams, according to Chalkbeat. The proposal would restrict transgender athletes from competing on teams matching their gender identity in specific categories. The issue has become a prominent political topic nationally, with several US states passing similar restrictions in recent years, making the Colorado vote a closely watched test of public opinion.

ProPublica has published an investigation showing that microschools, a fast-growing alternative to traditional schooling, operate with little or no regulatory oversight in many US states. The reporting focused on Arkansas, West Virginia and North Carolina, where private schooling programs have expanded rapidly under permissive rules. Commenters on education and politics forums are praising the reporting and voicing concern about accountability in publicly funded school choice programs.

Jordan Vallone argues in a newspaper column that books which challenge readers deserve a place on library and school shelves. The piece pushes back against efforts to remove difficult or controversial titles, defending access to a wide range of ideas. It adds to an ongoing public debate in the United States over book bans and content restrictions in schools and libraries.

Health officials in Pennsylvania report the state's measles outbreak has grown to more than 900 confirmed cases. The outbreak, one of the largest in the US in recent years, has prompted renewed calls for vaccination and heightened concern among parents and schools. Officials are urging residents to check their immunization status as the case count continues to climb.

The US Treasury has released the rules governing the nation's first federal school voucher program, a significant step in federal education policy. The program will allow public money to follow students toward private schooling, a change long sought by school choice advocates and opposed by critics who warn it could drain resources from public schools.

A new Oklahoma legal case is testing whether the state can authorize a religiously affiliated charter school, following a deadlocked US Supreme Court decision that left the core question unresolved. The 4-4 tie prevented a national ruling, so the constitutional issue returns to state courts, with the outcome likely to shape whether publicly funded charter schools can be run by religious organizations.

Pollak Library at Cal State Fullerton will host Banned Books Week from October 5 to 8. The annual event highlights books that have been challenged or removed from libraries and schools, and is being noted amid ongoing national debates over book censorship.

An education expert has offered commentary on Washington DC's decision to add financial literacy to the public school curriculum. The move would see students taught practical money skills such as budgeting, saving and credit as part of their standard schooling. The expert's remarks are drawing attention as districts across the US weigh similar additions of personal finance education.

A Harvard conference focused on education choice argues that ending excessive regulation is essential to making alternatives to traditional public schools widely available. Speakers and participants framed overregulation as a barrier that limits how many families can realistically access charter schools, private options, or other choices, and called for policy reform to open up supply.