Private, Public & Charter School's K-12

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Schools, libraries sound alarm over potential changes to federal internet program

A multi-billion-dollar federal program that helps schools and libraries afford broadband internet is under review by the Trump administration, leaving education officials and advocates worried about potentially significant cuts. 

https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/12/repub/schools-libraries-sound-alarm-over-potential-changes-to-federal-internet-program/?

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Take a pause

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Stock: Getty Images

Schools are giving overwhelmed kids a place to reset, Axios' Natalie Daher writes. 🧠 Across the country, schools are adding calming rooms, "Zen Dens" and other supervised spaces where kids can step away for a few minutes, settle themselves and return to class. The idea is to ease stress before it leads to a meltdown, a trip to the principal's office or an absence from school. Why it matters: We spend a lot of time teaching children how to push through discomfort. Some schools are also teaching them when, and how, to pause. 🏫 Case in point: Nearly 20 Iowa schools had adopted "brain health retreat rooms" as of early this year, Axios Des Moines' Jason Clayworth reports. Up to five students can use a room for 10 minutes staffed with school social workers. At Ottumwa High, students made about 1,000 visits in the first half of last year. Officials say school attendance has improved since the rooms opened, while some students need them less as they build coping skills. Zoom out: Similar efforts are popping up elsewhere. The National Education Association reported in 2024 that schools were using staffed calming rooms to help students manage anger, anxiety and other difficult emotions before returning to class. At Hough High School, outside Charlotte, N.C., students who feel too stressed or anxious to focus can spend up to 15 minutes in a supervised "Zen Den," with a counselor available if needed. The school says the goal is to build resilience and coping habits. 🔬 What the research says: There's good evidence for teaching kids self-regulation, even if research specifically on dedicated calming rooms is still limited. A JAMA Pediatrics review of 49 randomized trials involving more than 23,000 children and adolescents found self-regulation interventions were effective overall. Many studies have found improvements in academic achievement, social skills, mental health and behavior. ✨ The bottom line: Feeling overwhelmed doesn't have to derail the day. These rooms give kids a place to pause — and practice getting themselves back on track.

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Homeschool is increasingly a choice for kids with disabilities and autism America’s public education system offers some of the world’s best services and protections for students with disabilities, guaranteed by federal law. But more parents are abandoning their rights to those services. They say public schools are failing their kids and they’re better off trying to educate them at home. In many states, they’re receiving thousands of dollars from taxpayers to do it. Read more.

Why this matters: Increasingly, politicians — most of them conservative — say parents of kids with disabilities should receive financial support if they choose private or homeschool options. Thirty states, plus the District of Columbia, have taxpayer-funded scholarships for private school or homeschooling, and many give priority or more money to students with special needs.   The special education rate is 15%, boosted in part by the inclusion of autism-spectrum disorders. But disability screenings are also on the rise — both in schools and in medicine — with less stigma associated with diagnoses. It’s also possible that simply more Americans have disabilities: Advances in medicine mean more premature babies are surviving, and they often have developmental delays or medical conditions.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Americans with disabilities worry about proposed changes to major national health survey

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Buckets, chickens and worms: Schools reduce cafeteria food waste through compost, shared tables

At Lovin Elementary School in Lawrenceville, Georgia, students play with their food. Sort of. Read More.

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School Closures Surge

A total of 1,156 US public schools closed during the last academic year, the highest number since the pandemic. The figure, from a new analysis published this week, largely reflects declining birth rates and funding cuts.  Student enrollment is falling faster than public schools are closing, with enrollment down by roughly 1.4 million students from 2019 to 2024. Analysts say the decline is primarily due to a multidecade drop in birth rates; the under-18 population fell by roughly 2.1 million children from 2010 to 2025. The federal immigration crackdown and postpandemic expansion of private school vouchers and homeschool options have also contributed. Projections indicate that tumbling enrollment could cost public schools roughly $11.5B in state funding annually by 2030-31, compared with revenue received in 2025-26, potentially spurring further closures.  Research shows closures may not deliver the savings school districts expect, since busing, severance, and vacant-building security add costs. Displaced students also often experience long-term declines in reading and math scores. Compare state test scores here. And dive into the history of America's public education system here.