The Sun-Times and WBEZ have published about 20 stories and audio pieces this week about the Rev. Jesse Jackson, showing how his civil rights work intersected with film, education, Chicago mayors and much more. So, here's an ICYMI thread with some highlights. 🧵

When immigration agents swept through Chicago, many feared school attendance would plummet. Overall attendance rates are similar to last fall, but there were big unusual drops after intense periods of enforcement, @sskedreporter.bsky.social & @amyqin.bsky.social report www.wbez.org/education/20...

NEW: CPS says the ASPIRA charter network is on the brink of financial collapse & ASPIRA's CEO says the schools can't make payroll next week w/o a cash infusion -- by @dmihalopoulos.bsky.social & @sskedreporter.bsky.social www.wbez.org/education/20...

School leaders from New York City and Denver are finalists for CPS top job chicago.suntimes.com/education/20...

NEW from @sskedreporter.bsky.social & @mannycam.bsky.social: 93 people applied to be next CPS CEO & school board has narrowed it down to 2 finalists. Interim CEO/supe Macquline King didn't make the cut & we won't find out names yet -- Board signed NDAs www.wbez.org/education/20...

ICYMI: @mannycam.bsky.social spoke with students in the heavily Latino Morton HS district about gaps in support amid ramped up immigration enforcement. Some skipped homecoming in protest. “If we don’t advocate for ourselves, no one else will,” one teen said. www.wbez.org/immigration/...

After a HS junior was deported to Guatemala, LAUSD let her enroll in its virtual academy as a temporarily relocated student & a teacher helped her get better WiFi & care packages. Would love to see other examples of how US schools are supporting their deported kids www.nytimes.com/2025/10/17/u...

“We can’t guard for every situation.” @mannycam.bsky.social reports how the ICE detention of a landscaper working on the grounds of a CPS school is raising Qs about how much the district can protect students & families while on school property, outside the building www.wbez.org/education/20...

For 6 months, I’ve followed ELLIS, a Bronx HS for newcomers, to understand what it means to educate immigrant students in Trump’s second term. Proud to share the 1st of 2 stories about ELLIS, Bridget, an undocumented teen, & the fight to keep her education alive. www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...

NEW: The Trump administration is putting $14M toward training teachers in history & civics to coincide w/ the 250th anniversary of the Declaration's signing. Many see an opportunity to help teachers & students — but the $ is coming from canceled Biden-era grants www.chalkbeat.org/2025/07/28/t...

W/ a Supreme Court ruling likely to encourage more opt-outs at school for religious reasons, my teammate Norah has a fascinating look at debates playing out in Texas, where some schools are adopting Bible-infused curriculum & state law already allows opt-outs www.chalkbeat.org/2025/07/17/t...

UPDATED: A new Trump administration rule will deny undocumented children from enrolling in Head Start programs. The change represents one of the most direct & far-reaching attempts to target immigrant children & could have ripple effects on K-12 schools www.chalkbeat.org/2025/07/10/n...

NEW: How Trump's "big, beautiful" bill will affect children & schools. House just passed the bill (with all Dem's and 2 Republicans voting no) & Trump is set to sign: www.chalkbeat.org/2025/07/03/h...

Our next session is 'Children's Funding Under Fire on Every Front,' featuring @brucelesley.bsky.social of @firstfocus.bsky.social and @kalynbelsha.bsky.social of @chalkbeat.org #USCNationalFellows #fundingcuts #childhealth

The National Science Foundation is a major funder of education research. @kalynbelsha.bsky.social looks at how funding cuts have grounded middle-schoolers' drones and broken trust with communities. www.chalkbeat.org/2025/06/10/t...

NEW: Schools are likely to lose mental health staff & colleges may shut down training programs after the Trump admin stopped funding many grants meant to help schools after the Uvalde tragedy. Colorado, Oklahoma, Wisconsin & Teachers College (helping NYC) all lost $ www.chalkbeat.org/2025/05/02/t...

Want to know more about how all the changes happening at the U.S. Department of Education could affect you & your school? Please join me & this great panel tomorrow to talk about what this moment means for equity, access & public education: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

NEW: How a story about a prince & knight who fall in love fueled a debate about parental rights, opt outs, & inclusive school curriculum. The Supreme Court will hear arguments Tues in a case that could give religious parents more control over their kids' education www.chalkbeat.org/2025/04/18/s...

The Trump administration is attempting to take away all of Maine's federal education funding because it refused to comply with demands like these ⬇️ www.chalkbeat.org/2025/04/11/t...

NEW: Today the Trump admin said it's taking Maine to court over its policy allowing trans girls to compete on girls' sports teams & will seek to take Maine's K-12 federal ed funding. We took a deeper look at how this case could affect trans kids & schools nationwide www.chalkbeat.org/2025/04/12/t...

NEW: With what appears to be just 1 person left from the Office of English Language Acquisition at the Ed Dept, advocates worry some $890M in federal $ for English learners won't be spent properly & the quality of teacher training will suffer. Here's what we know: www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/21/t...

NEW: This morning Trump said he wanted to move services for students with disabilities out of the Education Department and to Health and Human Services. Many experts say he can't do that without an act of Congress. Here's what we know — w/ @ericameltzer.bsky.social www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/22/t...

NEW: Trump has finally signed the long-awaited executive order asking Linda McMahon to take steps to close the Education Department. Here's what we know so far — via @ericameltzer.bsky.social @andrewujifusa.bsky.social & me www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/20/t...

A former Education Department staffer said the entire Office for Civil Rights teams in Philly, Chicago, SF, Cleveland, Boston and NY were let go. That represents half of regional civil rights offices. Via @kalynbelsha.bsky.social and @ericameltzer.bsky.social www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/11/e...

NEW: The Department of Education announced it was laying off 1,300+ staffers today, 1/3 of the agency. Combined with retirements & buy-outs nearly half the Department is vanishing. The entire staff of six OCR regional offices was cut. — w/ @ericameltzer.bsky.social www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/11/e...

Whenever it ultimately arrives ... here's what we know so far about a likely executive order to try to close the U.S. Department of Education. www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/06/t...

Linda McMahon has been confirmed as Education Secretary. www.chalkbeat.org/2025/03/03/l...

Educators sue to block enforcement of anti-diversity civil rights guidance https://www.chalkbeat.org/2025/02/26/lawsuit-seeks-injunction-against-anti-dei-dear-colleague-letter/

NEW: Among the education research projects abruptly terminated by DOGE was a program helping 1,100 teens & young adults w/ disabilities plan for life after high school. "It’s just heartbreaking," one parent told me. "I feel like this wasn’t well thought out." www.chalkbeat.org/2025/02/26/t...

Department of Education news breaking tonight: The agency’s civil rights arm has opened just 20 investigations in the past three weeks. By comparison, about 250 civil rights investigations were opened during the same period last year. www.propublica.org/article/depa...

It's not just at school that NYC students fear immigration enforcement - it's also on their commutes. "Now, every time I see a police officer, I get anxious and nervous around them,” a Bangladeshi student from the Bronx told us. W/ @amyzimmer.bsky.social www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...

NEW: In her confirmation hearing, Linda McMahon stood firmly behind President Trump's calls to gut the Department of Education. But she appeared open to reversing some DOGE cuts — and still wants to lead the agency.

Linda McMahon said she stands firmly behind President Trump’s calls to gut the U.S. Department of Education at her confirmation hearing, but she promised to work with Congress to do so. Here's what you need to know via @ericameltzer.bsky.social and @kalynbelsha.bsky.social

Denver is suing the Trump administration to restore the "sensitive locations" policy. The district argues it has had to divert resources away from learning to reassure families and develop a response to potential immigration enforcement. www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/202...

Denver Public Schools sues feds to stop immigration enforcement at schools, “sensitive locations” https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2025/02/13/denver-district-sues-ice-to-stop-immigration-enforcement-at-schools/

A sampling of the reader responses to my reporting about DOGE's cuts to education research & data-gathering at the U.S. Department of Education (original story here: www.chalkbeat.org/2025/02/11/e...)

McMahon's investments in municipal bonds funding school construction projects include the following in Illinois: Joliet Junior College, Franklin Park School District, River Trails School District, and Waukegan Community Unit School District 60

NEW: Linda McMahon has said she will divest from dozens of municipal bonds funding school construction projects across the U.S. if confirmed as Education Secretary. She's likely earning $900K+ a year in interest payments from public education-related bonds. www.chalkbeat.org/2025/02/12/e...

Again, my thoughts on Plyler and the risks posed by these state policies (and others likely to come) bsky.app/profile/scho...

NEW: Last year, The Heritage Foundation called on states to pass laws that could prompt a challenge to Plyler v. Doe, which guarantees children the right to a public education regardless of immigration status. Now lawmakers in at least 5 states are doing just that. www.chalkbeat.org/2025/02/08/r...

Sharing updated reporting from @chalkbeat.org: Secret Service agents, who are overseen by DHS but don't enforce immigration law, are who showed up at Hamline ES today. "The fear, confusion, and conflicting accounts could be a preview of what’s to come" in wks ahead www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2025...

Just got full directive from Dept of Homeland Security about end of sensitive locations policy. Says ICE agents will use discretion & "a healthy dose of common sense" to decide if enforcement should happen at a sensitive location, like a school. More guidance on how to use discretion could follow.

🧵1/3 How Education Rights Could Change 🎯🚨 Education Rights Could Change Drastically If the Dept of Education is dismantled: ➡️Civil rights complaints → DOJ lawsuits ➡️Fewer investigations of issues @chalkbeat.org reporter, @kalynbelsha.bsky.social explains what this means for students.

🧵1/4 #schoolutionspodcast S4 E18 BONUS: Coaching, Teaching, & Classroom Management Strategies Sparked From My Conversation with @kalynbelsha.bsky.social of @chalkbeat.org (❤️ Olivia Wahl) 🎧 Listen: www.buzzsprout.com/1890886/epis... 📺 Watch: youtu.be/lGGzPtLZ898

In a recent @brookings.edu piece, experts on immigration and education weighed in on the potential implications of enhanced immigration enforcement on public schools and young people and what education leaders can do to protect their students. www.brookings.edu/articles/imm...

NEW: DHS has officially ended a longstanding policy that limited immigration arrests & surveillance at schools. What does that mean for students & educators? We've been writing about this possible change over the last few months: www.chalkbeat.org/2025/01/21/t...

NEW: If President-elect Trump rescinds a longstanding policy that limits immigration enforcement at/near schools, we could see parents stopped more often at dropoff & interactions w/ school police could become more fraught. Here's how schools can prepare: www.chalkbeat.org/2024/12/18/s...

In almost every state which tracks this data, chronic absenteeism rates for Native students are higher than their peers. The one exception? Oklahoma.

Chronic absenteeism is a crisis for schools across America, but Native students have been particularly hard-hit. We explore how one school district in Arizona is using cultural success coaches to help families address challenges that keep students from coming to school.

Absenteeism among Native American students increased the most in NM during the pandemic, according to data compiled in 34 states by @asssociatedpress.bsky.social. The response has included everything from more events at schools to tribal leaders making home visits www.chalkbeat.org/2024/12/03/n...