Democrats say the flip in Sarasota County indicates voters want education to move on from political fights over social issues, while conservatives point to their wins.

Nearly a quarter of U.S. children did not show up for school regularly in 2025, a slight decline from the previous year but still up from about 15 percent before COVID.

Limited funds and low enrollment forced districts to close more than 1,000 schools in 2025-26.

Public school classrooms are required to post the Ten Commandments, Bible verses are being injected into social studies curriculums and some school districts are required to allow students to leave campus midday to participate in Bible study.

The Washington Post asked more than a dozen counselors, researchers and policy analysts about the most important considerations when choosing a college.

The reasons have been building for years, but the final straw for Mesa Public Schools officials came last November with a small, low-turnout election that became mired in misinformation and menace.

The Hawkins County School District—where federal investigators said students subjected a Black classmate to repeated harassment, including calling him racist slurs, hitting him and holding a mock "slave auction" to sell him to White peers—will implement several changes under a settlement.

The rapid expansion of state voucher programs follows court decisions that have eroded the separation between church and state.