School facility upgrades can close about 10% of the achievement gap between high- and low-wealth school districts, while also increasing property values for the surrounding communities.

Chicago Teachers Union leadership will use this summer's contract negotiations with Chicago Public Schools to push for expansion of "sustainable community schools" in the district. The model doesn't work: students perform worse, absenteeism rises.

Richardson ISD officials presented Thursday a proposal to close a handful of elementary schools and reshape attendance boundaries. Fort Worth education leaders earlier this month announced the district would cut roughly 130 positions. Across the state, districts face budget shortfalls that will trigger hard choices.