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The Report
A newsletter from The Hechinger Report
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In today's edition: How the Trump administration could affect specialized charter schools. ([link removed]) Colleges work to make the humanities more job-friendly ([link removed]) . A new collaboration between trade unions and high school CTE programs ([link removed]) .
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Laura Cassidy is the wife of Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and a co-founder of Louisiana Key Academy. Credit: Kathleen Flynn for The Hechinger Report
Louisiana Key Academy, which serves more than 700 students on three campuses in the state, was co-founded in 2013 by Laura Cassidy, a retired breast cancer surgeon whose husband is Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy — the new chair of the Senate committee whose role includes overseeing education. The Cassidys have a daughter with dyslexia and have long advocated for similar students and their families.

Nationwide, about 15 percent of students, or 7.5 million children, receive special education services. Most attend traditional public schools, but a growing number are enrolling at specialized charter schools like Louisiana Key Academy. The federal government plays a role in serving those students by issuing guidance, defending their right to a “free appropriate public education” and providing money. Louisiana Key Academy, for example, received $165,000 in special education funds in 2023, the most recent year for which data was available; including pandemic relief and school lunch money, federal funds made up 18 percent of the $11.6 million in revenue it reported that year.

President Donald Trump has vowed to shrink the federal government’s role in education. Already in his first weeks in office, he’s sent the education world into a tailspin by trying to impose a temporary freeze on federal grants and loans and signing an order to expand school choice, among other actions. He is also reportedly preparing an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, with the ultimate goal of eliminating it altogether. Families and advocates are watching to see how the new administration’s approach will alter the day-to-day reality for students who rely on special education services.

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Come together this March at SXSW EDU ([link removed]) to join the brightest minds in education. Be part of the innovation creating a new tomorrow for learners everywhere. Get ready to be inspired with bold, new ideas and celebrate 15 years of impact with us March 3-6, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
Reading List


** Colleges rebrand humanities majors as job-friendly ([link removed])
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“Hey, did you know that in Humanities we teach some of the most in-demand skills in the market?”



** ‘Golden ticket to job security’: Trade union partnerships hold promise for high school students ([link removed])
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For trade unions and CTE programs, new collaboration may be key to survival



** The buzz around teaching facts to boost reading is bigger than the evidence for it ([link removed])
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New research shows glimmers of hope, but more proof is needed



** America’s kids are still behind in reading and math. These schools are defying the trend ([link removed])
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Many of the districts that outperformed the country serve predominantly low-income students or students from underrepresented groups



** 1 in 5 child care workers is an immigrant. Trump’s deportations and raids have many terrified ([link removed])
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Staff, kids aren’t showing up for work or care as federal crackdown on immigration ramps up



** Universities need a ‘Trump response plan’ ([link removed])
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The new administration is already upending universities’ efforts to act on climate change



** Child care centers were off limits to immigration authorities. How that’s changed ([link removed])
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As raids ramp up, child care programs search for ways to ease fears for children, staff and families



** OPINION: Parents have the power to drive change and make sure that AI addresses inequality ([link removed])
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As AI continues to influence education, it’s vital that we approach this technology with both optimism and caution



** ‘Hay una cultura de temor’: Estudiantes indocumentados agonizan ante comienzo del nuevo mandato de Trump ([link removed])
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Las leyes de privacidad pueden ofrecer cierta protección, pero los estudiantes aún temen que ellos o sus familias puedan ser deportados

⭐ Extra credit! You are allowed to repost or reprint our stories as long as you follow these guidelines ([link removed]) . Questions? Email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
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