A high school football player in North Texas died two days after suffering a “medical emergency” at practice. The student expressed that he was not feeling well, immediately began receiving treatment, and was later taken to a medical center for monitoring. The practice was indoors, however, the facility does not have an HVAC system.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritkzer signed several new laws in August, some of which impact education and health insurance. School officials are now required to notify a principal if they become aware of a person in possession of a firearm on school grounds, or if they become aware of any threat of gun violence on school grounds. Governor Pritkzer also signed legislation clarifying that student health insurance plans do not provide dependent coverage to a student’s parent or stepparent. 

Overall K-8 academic achievement trends are largely unchanged from the 2021-2022 school year, with modest gains in reading and slower progress in math. The new report from i-Ready Diagnostics explores how chronic absenteeism and student mental health challenges may impact overall performance, finding that previous relief aid was insufficient for helping students get fully back on track.

The Stanford Accelerator for Learning held a hackathon with teachers, students with disabilities, and AI innovators. The goal was to develop product prototypes using generative AI to improve life quality and increase equity for students with disabilities. This Q&A explores some takeaways and key concepts, including how AI can accelerate the identification of learning disabilities, ways text-to-speech can increase learning outcomes, and how AI may reflect racial bias.

Visa bans and disruptions are projected to dramatically reduce new international student enrollment — reaching a potential 30-40% decline. This could result in nearly $7 billion in lost revenue for the country. The full report, which was compiled by NAFSA: Association of International Educators and JB International, breaks down the projected impact of enrollment losses by state, with California losing more than $1 billion and New York trailing closely.

The Center for Learning Equity found that students with disabilities—who make up about 14% of public school and 12% of charter school students—face higher rates of exclusionary discipline and lower access to college preparation resources. The students are twice as likely to be arrested or suspended, based on 2021-2022 data, and two to six times less likely to have access to classes and programs that help students do well in college.

Federal and Maryland leaders have reintroduced the Jordan McNair Student Athlete Heat Fatality Prevention Act to Congress, which includes protections for college and high school athletic programs. The bill honors Jordan McNair, a former University of Maryland freshman who collapsed due to heatstroke during football practice in 2018. The University has implemented additional measures to prevent and treat heat-related injuries, including making cold water immersion tubs available at every practice and game, and installing and maintaining readily accessible automatic defibrillators in every venue. 

Ongoing downsizing to the U.S. Department of Education will significantly impact rural schools, according to a new analysis. Because rural schools rely heavily on state and federal funding—and reduced staffing has delayed disbursement of funds and access to technical assistance—they are more likely to face challenges in offering advanced classes and recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers. 

A 130-year-old elementary school in the Chicago suburbs is using a first-of-its-kind geothermal heating and cooling system to significantly reduce its energy costs and reduce its carbon emissions by about 30%. The system has a much smaller surface footprint than other geothermal designs, which makes it ideal for suburban schools. Colleges and universities across the nation are also studying or actively building infrastructure to more efficiently heat and cool campus buildings.