Civil Rights: A federal appeals court cleared Mississippi schools to enforce a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Separately, the Justice Department backed dismissing 56 school desegregation cases without first verifying that districts have met court-ordered requirements. Student Safety: Local officials say ICE agents tackled and injured a U.S. citizen student with disabilities near a Santa Maria high school while the student was walking to school. School Transport: Pennsylvania districts and bus operators face diesel prices averaging $6.54 a gallon, up from $3.97 a year ago; small contractors warn prolonged costs could force some out of business. District Budgets: Tulsa Public Schools approved closing 17 schools as it confronts a $12 million shortfall. Early Learning: Childcare costs rose faster than inflation from 2020 to 2024, with full-time care averaging more than $13,000 in 2025—a growing strain on families and a campaign issue. Teaching and Technology: An opinion piece warns that AI tutors may become common while access to human teachers remains unequal; cited Pew data show 20% of teens in households earning under $30,000 do nearly all their homework with chatbots, compared with 7% in households earning at least $75,000. College Debt: The Education Department dropped its challenge to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, preserving borrowers’ access to the program.