Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to every college and university president with the goal of continuing its efforts to curb voting among college students. This latest letter threatens colleges and universities if they participate in or use the data from the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement, claiming that if they do so, they “could be at risk of being found in violation of FERPA.”
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is the federal law that protects the privacy of student education records and applies to any institution that accepts Department of Education funds. Like many of this administration’s actions, this letter is designed to have a chilling effect, since no determination has been made by the department that participation in, or use of, NSLVE studies violates any privacy statutes.
In existence since 2013, with more than 1,000 colleges and universities nationwide currently choosing to participate, the NSLVE is a study of student political engagement at higher education institutions. The NSLVE uses data that colleges and universities voluntarily provide to the National Student Clearinghouse, which matches student enrollment records with public voting files to determine whether students registered to vote and whether they voted—not whom they voted for. NSLVE, which is housed at Tufts University, then uses the de-identified data it receives to send a confidential report to participating campuses about their own students’ voting participation.
Under the guise of protecting student privacy, the Department of Education is weaponizing FERPA to try to get to the Trump administration’s goal of weakening voter participation, especially among college students, for political reasons. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon herself stated in the press release announcing the new guidance that “American colleges and universities should be focused on teaching, learning, and research— not influencing elections.” And the department admits in its guidance letter that its assessment that NSLVE is in violation of FERPA is based on a “preliminary analysis” and that ED merely has “concerns” about NSLVE’s use of data. The department does not conclude that NSLVE or the use of the NSLVE data violates any laws, including privacy laws.
The NSLVE primarily uses directory information—name, address and date of birth—which institutions may disclose without consent as long as they have given general public notice (including notice of the option to opt out of disclosure) at the beginning of the academic year. In addition, when other information is provided—such as gender, race/ethnicity and degree-seeking status—it is allowable because it falls under FERPA’s “studies exception.”
This exception allows information to be shared for studies that “improve instruction.” The NSLVE’s research is designed to enable colleges to improve civic education on campus—something that is a stated goal of this administration. Furthermore, NSLVE reports do not contain individually identifiable information and are only shared with the institution itself. It is for these reasons that the Department of Education, since the program’s inception more than a decade ago, has found this work to be allowable under FERPA.
It is critical for colleges to understand what this letter is saying—and what it isn’t. Students deserve to have their data protected, and the federal government has a critical role to play in safeguarding their data. It is the Department of Education’s obligation to use its resources to do so. It is paramount that the government ensures any actions taken by institutions put student privacy first. But alleging potential student privacy violations when there are none is a waste of resources and undermines what is really at stake.
As recognized by the Higher Education Act’s requirement that higher education institutions provide voter registration forms to all their students, colleges have an important role to play in promoting civic engagement and participation in democracy among students. As long as they are doing it in a way that is compliant with the data sharing allowed in FERPA, the federal government must not interfere with colleges’ participation in the NSLVE— especially with threats that are not backed up with legal findings. Insights from the NSLVE are critical to strengthening nonpartisan civic engagement for college students. Restricting use of the data in an election year is not about protecting students—but instead is harmful to them and to our democracy.
Amanda Fuchs Miller is the president of Seventh Street Strategies and former deputy assistant secretary for higher education programs at the U.S. Department of Education in the Biden-Harris administration.
GREENVILLE, Ala. — Toward the end of a math lesson on a sunny Friday in October, fourth-grade teacher D’Atra Howard and math instructional coach LaVeda Gray ducked out of the classroom to huddle. Howard’s students at Greenville Elementary School were calculating remainders in division problems on worksheets, and Howard wanted to confer with Gray on which of them needed extra help.
Howard is in her second year of teaching. She’s working at the school, 45 miles south of Montgomery, Alabama, with an emergency certificate — a temporary license that allows someone without a professional teaching credential into the classroom. Gray, who works with a half dozen of the school’s 16 teachers, was observing Howard and stepping in to help as needed.
Alabama is betting that funneling more money into improving instruction, including hiring coaches like Gray, can overcome teacher inexperience and family poverty to raise student scores. State and national leaders praise the state’s gains to date.
But on the ground in poor schools, staff say they have far to go to close gaps with better-off parts of the state.
A Hechinger Report analysis of 15 of Alabama’s least-affluent districts — which represents about 10 percent of the state’s districts — shows that students there have gained ground since the pandemic and after the Alabama Numeracy Act passed in 2022. Only about 1 percent of students earned a proficient score on the state math test in the 2020-21 school year, but around 14 percent earned proficient scores in 2024-25.
However, the gap between the poorest districts and the state average is still wide. Statewide, around 24 percent of students scored proficient in 2020-21, compared to around 42 percent in 2024-25.
Greenville Elementary is an example of a school that has seen scores rebound. More than 80 percent of students at the school are eligible for free and reduced-price lunch, and more than 1 in 5 people live in poverty in Butler County, where it’s located. But the school’s proportion of fourth graders scoring proficient on the state math test jumped from 7 percent in 2023 to 24 percent in 2024.
Part of that is due to the work of Gray, who said that Howard has sharpened her eye for students who stumble. “Starting out, it wasn’t always like that,” she said. “I had to point out, ‘Hey, this student, when we walked around, did you see that they didn’t have anything written down or had the wrong figures?’”
After a 10-minute discussion, Howard and Gray pinpointed several students who Howard would pull aside for individual work on the coming Monday. Then Howard hustled back to class.
Research suggests elementary school math matters a lot to academic and life outcomes. Early math achievement predicts success in reading and science through eighth grade, a 2013 study found. Math skills also better predict future earnings than other factors like reading scores, parent-child relationships or children’s health, according to a 2024 Urban Institute report.
Alabama’s 2022 law reshaped math instruction at the elementary level by providing money for all schools to hire math coaches and by mandating that struggling schools use state-approved math curricula, among other changes. It also required university teacher preparation programs to include more math instruction courses. To help students who are behind, the state launched a summer math program to get low-scoring fourth and fifth graders up to grade level.
The politics of spending money on education in Alabama have flipped. On the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the Nation’s Report Card, the state ranked last in the proportion of fourth graders — 28 percent — scoring at or above proficient in math. At 28 elementary schools, not a single student scored proficient.
Legislators grasped the threat that this represented to the state’s economic ambitions, said Peter Jones, associate professor of political science and public administration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In a state trying to lure investors from biotech, finance and other sectors, better schools help companies recruit qualified workers and attract out-of-state employees with children, said Jones. The early success of the 2019 Alabama Literacy Act, which similarly revamped how schools in the state teach reading, made it easier to vote for a similarly styled bill targeting math, he said.
The result was that in a state where Republicans dominate government, Republicans shepherded the numeracy law through the Legislature, and Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed it. The Legislature funded it at $15 million in its first year, which state lawmakers have since increased to $95 million.
The reform has won praise from national education experts. On June 3, the National Council on Teacher Quality released its assessment of elementary school math instruction policies in the 50 states. It rated most as weak or unacceptable and only one as strong — Alabama’s.
The most recent NAEP test results suggest the changes are delivering. In fourth-grade math proficiency, Alabama went from ranked last in 2019 to 35th in 2024. It was the only state to beat its 2019 fourth-grade proficiency rate. And it was one of 18 states where fourth-grade math scores among economically disadvantaged students grew between 2022 and 2024.
“Not all students are to the level that we want to see, but that growth is what we’re really focused on,” said Mark Dixon, president of A+ Education Partnership, an Alabama-based education advocacy group that backed passage of the Numeracy Act.
Still, there are immense challenges in narrowing the gaps between Alabama’s poorest and richest districts. Almost 9 percent of the state’s teachers are working on emergency or provisional teaching certificates, the latest state data shows. But in Alabama’s 15 poorest districts, the percentage of teachers not fully certified is 20 percent. That disparity undercuts efforts to lift the quality of math instruction, say school leaders and staff.
Two hours north of Greenville is Glen Oaks Intermediate School in Fairfield, a suburb of Birmingham. Ringed by a canopy of tall southern pines and live oaks, it sits in the middle of a neighborhood of newer brick split-level and ranch homes with trim bushes and neat lawns.
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But nearly a third of Fairfield residents live below the poverty line, and 93 percent of Glen Oaks’ children qualify for free and reduced-price lunch, making it one of the state’s most economically disadvantaged schools. Of its teachers, more than a third weren’t fully certified in 2024, according to state data.
School math instructional coach Shenea Robinson said she devotes most of her time to working with those teachers. “It’s just going like, ‘A, do this, B, do this.’ I feel like I’m taking them through a crash course in a teacher education program,” she said. “It’s fast-paced. We’ve had a lot of tears.”
One day in October, one of the teachers with emergency certificates, Ellanise Hines, worked with 17 fifth graders on calculating the volume of solid shapes. While one group of students worked on a computer, a second group measured Amazon Prime boxes that Hines was using as hands-on models. A third group sat with Hines around a table doing volume calculations on worksheets.
Hines has been in the classroom for two years and is working toward getting certified. Two days before this class she’d sat with Robinson to go over the best way to teach this lesson and then taught it to Robinson as she would her students. They talked through strategies to help students having trouble.
Fifth grader Haleigh Jackson said that because of Hines she finally can calculate volumes and decimals this year after not getting them in fourth grade. “She broke them down and explained how they worked until I got it,” said Jackson.
Fifth-grade teacher Ellanise Hines explains the formula for determining the volume of solid shapes. Credit: Steven Yoder for The Hechinger Report
State education advocates said coaches and the use of high-quality curricula are especially important for teachers like Hines who are still working towards certification. “If you didn’t have that coaching and you had that inexperienced teacher coming into the classroom with zero support, you’d continue to see the poor results we’ve seen before,” said Dixon, with the Alabama education advocacy group.
But Robinson said that for all the gains she makes with inexperienced teachers, many don’t return. “Having to start the process back over with brand new people every year is hard,” she said.
Unlike at Greenville, proficiency among Glen Oaks’ fourth graders has been flat, with just 6 percent scoring proficient in both 2023 and 2024 on the state test, well below the state 2024 average of 38 percent. “We’re at 90 to 95 percent in academic growth, so we’re making a difference,” said Robinson. But the majority of the school’s third through fifth graders are performing at kindergarten to second-grade level, she said.
“A student in fifth grade who was on kindergarten level may have moved to third grade, but they still are so far away from proficient,” she said.
Education advocates praise Alabama for doubling down on elementary math teaching. In May, Ivey signed an education budget that included $27 million to hire an additional 220 math coaches. “Many states are not investing in improving math instruction,” said Heather Peske, president of the National Council on Teacher Quality. “So Alabama is quite a leader.”
A fifth-grade student in Ellanise Hines’ class listens as Hines reviews procedures for calculating the volume of irregular shapes. Credit: Steven Yoder for The Hechinger Report
States’ willingness to spend on teacher training could be especially important in coming years. The Trump administration’s proposed 2026 budget calls for eliminating more than $2 billion in dedicated federal funding for improved teacher effectiveness, part of an administration proposal to turn dedicated education funding streams into state block grants.
Whether gains among the state’s least well-off fourth graders will hold remains to be seen. The improvement in Alabama’s poorest districts since 2021-22 might reflect that they’re making up for losing more ground during the pandemic. Among the state’s 15 poorest districts, the decline in scores from the 2018-19 school year to 2020-21 was greater than the state average.
Some frontline staff would like to see improvements to keep the momentum going. Student attendance is optional at the summer math programs designed to help struggling fourth and fifth graders, and a report by the state education department found that in 2024 just 1 percent of eligible fourth and fifth graders showed up. At Glen Oaks, less than half of eligible students enrolled in summer math even though the school offered transportation and meals, said Robinson, and she’d like attendance to be mandatory.
Lisa Adair, an assistant superintendent at the Butler County district, said she’d like to see the Legislature fund math interventionists — specialists who work with individual students.
“During the legislative session last year, we were trying to explain to legislators the difference between coaches and interventionists,” Adair said. “In their heads, coaches are doing the same thing.” In the end, a proposal to fund interventionists didn’t advance, she said.
Adair hopes the state’s math push opens up opportunities for Butler County students. Many of their parents work in local factories in difficult conditions and get home exhausted after being on their feet all day, she said.
Recently, a workforce development group invited district leaders and a few teachers to tour some of those plants to help school staff learn about the skills their students will need to get jobs there. Manufacturers had been telling the district that some graduates couldn’t do basic math and were struggling in their factory jobs.
Adair left with an additional message, one that gives more urgency to the district’s efforts to improve math instruction.
“It was a wake-up call,” she said. “I’m thankful for our workforce development, don’t get me wrong. But for me, it was reaffirmation that I don’t want my kids to be part of the working poor. I want more for them.”
Data intern Kristen Shen contributed to this report.
Savion Horn watched as “before” and “after” images appeared on a screen at the front of his classroom: black-and-white photos of boys and girls, much younger than him and his classmates, first with faces framed by long hair and traditional clothing, then with their locks cut, wearing high-necked dresses and stiff button-ups.
For Horn, then a high school senior at Grand Prairie High School near Dallas and a descendant of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, it was his first in-depth lesson on the boarding schools where the U.S. government sent hundreds of thousands of Native American children in the 19th and 20th centuries with the goal of assimilating them and eradicating Native culture.
“They weren’t allowed to speak their own language. They weren’t allowed to represent themselves with their music or art,” said Horn, who was exposed to the lesson last school year through the American Indian/Native Studies class offered at his high school. “It was very emotional to me, and it would be for anyone who actually wanted to take anything away from the class and learn.”
The American Indian/Native Studies course, or AINS, was piloted in the Grand Prairie school district in 2021 following years of work by Indigenous parents and educators around the state, who drafted course materials from scratch. To build on the success of a Chicano/Mexican American studies class the state approved in 2015, the Texas board of education had in 2018 called for the creation of other ethnic studies classes, including Native studies. Two years later, board members certified the AINS class as an “innovative course,” meaning it covered state-approved topics that fall outside of the required curriculum and other districts could adopt it.
But in 2025, when the class came up for its regular five-year renewal under the process for “innovative courses,” the political landscape in Texas had changed. Starting in 2021, the state had taken steps to limit instruction around issues of race, ethnicity and gender: That year, Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 3, which restricts instruction on “controversial issues” and says educators should approach those topics “objectively and in a manner free from political bias.” This past June, just a week before the committee met to discuss the course, the state passed SB 12, allowing parents to review and raise objections about K-12 educational materials and prohibiting policies, activities or programs that “reference race, color, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation.”
At the federal level, President Donald Trump has issued executive orders calling for the end of DEI practices in public K-12 schools and colleges. And leadership of the Texas education board had changed too, leading to more scrutiny of course content.
Groups including the Ethnic Studies Network of Texas, an organization devoted to the advancement of diverse representation in schools curricula, and Native-led nonprofits like the Society of Native Nations lobbied for the course’s survival. Four Native nations from across Texas and Oklahoma also endorsed AINS, sayingthe class offered students the opportunity to understand a more complete, accurate picture of tribal histories than is typically taught in K-12 classrooms.
At the Texas education board’s June hearing, most members were supportive of the class and sympathetic to the frustrations of course organizers with the prolonged renewal process. Some board members, though, expressed concern about the course, arguing that its discussion of the role of Catholic churches in the mistreatment of students at boarding schools might shame Christian students. Another representative questioned the purpose of land acknowledgements recognizing Indigenous people as an area’s original residents, suggesting that some land was traded or given to settlers or was unclaimed and that it wasn’t always clear to whom it belonged.
After two days of debate, the board voted 9-5 in favor of renewing the course. With a compromise to remove a passage in a reading about George Washington that the board objected to, the course will continue to operate as an innovative class for another five years. At a time when DEI is under attack around the country, supporters of the Native studies class view their success as giving hope to others who want to see similar classes created or preserved in other states.
“I cannot underscore enough how important of a win this is,” said Sarah B. Shear, an associate professor of social studies and multicultural education at the University of Washington-Bothell, whose research has found that content on Native Americans in most K-12 social studies curriculum often leaves out information on modern contributions of Indigenous people.
Community members, course advocates and educators gathered in February 2020 for a planning session to discuss the American Indian/Native Studies course. Credit: Courtesy of Durango Mendoza
In part because of research like hers, a few other states and districts have taken similar steps to expand Native studies. In 2015, lawmakers in Washington state passed a mandate that every school district teach tribal history, culture and government, becoming the second state to approve a Native Education for All law, after Montana in 1999. In 2025, California expanded history lessons about the Gold Rush and Spanish colonial periods to include more Native perspectives. And in Arizona, students must encounter at least two social studies courses — one in grade school, another in high school — that include the history of Native Americans in their state.
In Texas, educators, parents and tribal members around the state came together over Zoom at the height of the pandemic to develop the course, which covers lessons relating to geography, arts and culture and the contemporary achievements of Indigenous peoples around Texas and the country. The content includes sections about pivotal Supreme Court cases on tribal affairs, boarding schools and Stephen F. Austin’s Indian extermination policies in addition to topics like mascots and Indigenous scholarship in research.
The course’s creators — 22 people from Indigenous and non-Indigenous backgrounds — held trainings on its content and teaching strategies for educators interested in adopting the class. Lanette Aguero, the Grand Prairie district’s social studies coordinator, was among them. She attended an ethnic studies conference at Texas Christian University in 2019, which led her to want to bring the class to her district.
While the Native American population in the 27,000-student district is quite small — only about 120 identified as Native American in 2023-24, the most recent year for which data is available — the population of Native Americans in the larger Dallas area is significant. Twelve students in Grand Prairie signed up for the class its first year, 2021, and by 2024 the class had grown to 48 students. In 2024, two other districts, Robstown and Crowley, adopted the course as well.
As one of the first teachers of the American Indian/Native Studies class, Kimberly Rafalski, who is non-Native and a longtime social studies instructor in the Grand Prairie district, said she often felt like she learned alongside her students. Together, they walked through precontact histories and the ongoing stories of Indigenous peoples that are typically left out of traditional textbooks.
Some days were more difficult than others, she said. She recalled leaving school in tears after discussing the history of boarding schools, the image of her own young children in her mind. But throughout the year, Rafalski said, the class grew close through reflection and celebrations of Indigenous perseverance through art. “There’s a lot of things in this class. They’re hard topics to teach,” Rafalski said. “There’s no sensationalizing any of it.” But, she added, “we’re not going to do trauma. Every time we learn about something difficult, we do something that shows resilience.”
Grand Prairie ISD social studies coordinator, Lanette Aguero, waiting to testify at the State Board of Education’s hearing on June 26, 2025. Credit: Kaiya Little for The Hechinger Report
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In 2018, when the state education board called for the adoption of ethnic studies classes, most members supported the idea of expanded instruction, but they had differing views on whether that content should be included in separate courses or integrated into existing ones. Supporters of the ethnic studies classes referenced research suggesting that student performance improved by including representation in their textbooks, while others worried a class specializing in specific ethnic groups could be divisive. Ultimately, Texas approved a Mexican American studies course that year, marking the first high school ethnic studies class greenlit in the state and the first K-12 Mexican American Studies course to be approved by a state board of education. The Native studies class was approved three years later, followed by an Asian American studies class in 2024.
Students seemed to like the class: Some 97 percent of the 63 students who responded to a Texas Education Agency survey on the course said they felt “more positive about Native American/Indigenous culture than before taking the class.” One student said the course “helped me by not being afraid of who I am as a Native American.”
Walter Dougherty, a 10-year-old from Conroe Independent School District near Houston who testified in favor of the course, said at the hearing that before AINS, his classes focused more on ancient civilizations than today’s Native Americans.
“People talk about us like we’re gone, but we’re not. I’m right here,” Dougherty said. “My brother and I are Cherokee kids growing up in Texas, and we want people to know our culture and history. … When I learn about my Cherokee family, I feel proud. I feel like I can do anything.”
“I can’t imagine if my son were to never understand about his ancestors,” said Cheyenne Rendon (Diné and Apache), the senior policy officer for the Society of Native Nations and a lifelong Texan who grew up attending San Antonio schools. AINS, she said, “gives me hope that we’re not going to be erased.”
Tom Dougherty testified at the State Board of Education’s hearing in June 2025 alongside his sons, Henry (left) and Walter (right). The family are members of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Credit: Kaiya Little for The Hechinger Report
During discussions about reauthorizing the American Indian/Native Studies course, the question of whether it ran afoul of Texas’s latest anti-DEI policies came up repeatedly.
At the hearing, Orlando Lara, cofounder of the Ethnic Studies Network of Texas, defended the course’s legality, noting that the federal Department of Education said in an April 2025 letter that “American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian history is not classified as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) or critical race theory (CRT).” Under this direction, Native Americans represent distinct political identities as members of sovereign tribal nations, nonspecific to racial or ethnic classifiers.
But board members continued to press Lara over the technical definitions of race and ethnicity as they questioned how to interpret the latest state legislation.
Because of a lack of guidance from the Texas Education Agency on the “controversial issues” legislation in 2021, Lara said later, “for a long time, a lot of districts didn’t know what would get them in trouble with the law.” To counter this, he said, the Ethnic Studies Network is “trying to get out there that there’s no reason to fear teaching the class.”
There were other objections to the course too. State school board member Julie Pickren, R-Pearland, said materials used in the class depicted “President George Washington as a terrorist” and lessons about boarding schools were “accusing our Christian missions and churches of kidnapping and sending kids to reeducation camps.” Pickren did not respond to interview requests. Her comments about George Washington appeared to refer to an online resource from academic publisher ABC-Clio, which described his 1779 campaign against Iroquois villages siding with the British in which he instructed the army “to rush on with the war-whoop and fixed bayonet” because nothing would “disconcert and terrify the Indians more than this.”
Audrey Young, a Republican school board member who represents the Houston area, shared similar concerns. She argued that 2024 curriculum standards requiring “suitable” educational materials to promote patriotism, lawful activity and other values should apply to innovative courses like the AINS class. “Currently, the suitability standards aren’t required” for innovative courses, Young wrote in an email. “But I do believe that if courses are being taught to students, then they should have to follow ALL the laws.”
Pickren and Young were among the five board members who voted against the class, but another nine members voted in favor. Those supporters noted that the AINS course materials had undergone a series of reviews and further deliberation was unnecessary.
“It is Texas history,” Gustavo Reveles, a Democrat who represents El Paso and other predominantly Hispanic border communities and who voted for the course, said in an interview. “A child can see themselves represented, can see themselves as members of this very amazing state and country, not just because of George Washington, not just because of Abraham Lincoln, but because of his people that look like him and talk like him.”
While supporters of the class celebrated the board’s approval, it’s only one step. They are now trying to get the course standards approved as Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, which would leave it less vulnerable during review and renewal conversations. As it stands, the class faces another board vote in 2030 at the end of its current five-year innovative course period. Course organizers are also trying to encourage more districts and educators to adopt the class.
After graduating from the Grand Prairie school district last spring, Horn joined his family on the road as he took his place in the family business as traveling circus organizers.
He said the class became a way for him to connect with his culture and family as a descendant of the Potawatomi Nation. Now, he said, he hopes to get involved with his local Native communities and participate in the Texas powwow trail, a Native-run cultural celebration that takes place in several Texas cities each year.
“I appreciate being a part of a community, especially this one,” Horn said. “I know where I’m from, and it means a lot to me.”
Kaiya Little is a member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma who has written about a variety of topics highlighting the environment and Indigenous identities in Texas.
Contact editor Caroline Preston at 212-870-8965, via Signal at CarolineP.83 or on email at preston@hechingerreport.org.
Many parents of disabled children are being forced to pay thousands a year out of pocket as special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision continues to fall short, new research has found.
Children who need additional support in nursery, school or college currently access help through the SEND system, with their parents applying for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
But long delays, inconsistent decisions and plans that don’t fully meet needs are causing many children with complex needs to miss out, disability charity Sense has warned.
Mother-of-one Natalie, 38 and from the West Midlands, said securing the right educational support from her seven-year-old son Azuriah has often caused her to “struggle to pay the bills,” despite having an EHCP in place for him.
Azuriah is autistic, non-verbal, has global development delay and was recently diagnosed with ADHD. To ensure she can care for him, Natalie is only able to work part-time as an HR adviser in the health sector.
Natalie, 38, and her seven-year-old Azuriah from the West Midlands (Family handout / Sense)
Her son started at special school a year later than his peers, after he had already turned five, because they were offered a place at a school too far away initially and had to turn it down.
Three years on, Natalie continues to pay for four hours of therapy a week for Azuriah to develop his communication and social skills, costing £140 a week, or £7,280 a year. She claimed his EHCP does not fully meet his needs, with his school delivering little speech therapy, so she must fill in the gaps.
Natalie said: “For our family, the budgeting never really ends and I still feel like I am failing Azuriah. He’s non-verbal and ideally, he would have speech therapy on top of the therapy sessions I already pay for to help his communication and social skills – but that could easily cost more than £10,000 a year and I can’t afford that.
“Looking back, I can see paying for the extra therapy has helped Azuriah but I shouldn’t need to do this alone. He has an EHCP and, to me, this is basic support that should be offered in school. With speech therapy, he started at his special school with that being in place as a basic but now it’s been cut back to almost nothing.”
Azuriah, 7, has an EHCP but mother Natalie says the support on offer at his school has been cut back (Family handout / Sense)
She added: “Our family has had so many years of financial and emotional shocks because the right support just isn’t there – sometimes it feels as if you need to be rich to be disabled. The SEND reforms need to make sure the system is properly funded, so every disabled child can access the therapies they need from a very early age.”
There are around 482,000 schoolchildren with EHCPs in the UK, rising to around 639,000 when including those aged up to 25 and/or not in school.
The number of EHCPs has increased by 166 per cent between January 2015 and January 2025.
As demand for provision grows, many councils have raised concerns about the unmanageable cost of provision, prompting the government to announce earlier that it will write off 90 per cent of the SEND deficits accrued.
Ahead of this, Sense has urged the government to ensure adequate funding for the SEND system, robust legal rights for disabled children, and joined up support between education, health and social care professionals supporting disabled children.
The charity’s survey of 1,000 parents, carried out by Censuswide, found:
42 per cent of parents had paid for private assessments to secure SEND support for their child, spending an average of £1,791 in the past six months
44 per cent had paid privately for therapies – such as speech and language therapy, physiotherapy or occupational therapy – that should have been funded by their local authority, spending an average of £1,680 in six months
39 per cent had made their own transport arrangements because their local authority would not fund home-to-school travel, spending an average of £1,567 over six months
Natalie and Azuriah interact with a snake at a Sense play session (Family handout / Sense)
James Watson-O’Neill, Sense chief executive, said: “It is unacceptable that so many families are being forced to shoulder such a huge financial burden because an underfunded SEND system is failing their children.
“Parents are doing everything they can to stop their children from falling through the cracks or waiting years for vital assessments and essential therapies. They know that their child’s wellbeing, happiness and future life chances hang in the balance.
“Too often, families are left with an impossible choice: pay out of pocket for support that should be guaranteed by law, or watch their child go without. For those who simply cannot afford it, it is their children who bear the greatest cost.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We are determined to seize this once in a generation opportunity to reform the broken SEND system and transform life chances for children with additional needs so every child can thrive in a school that meets their needs, close to home.
“For too long, families have been forced to fight for support that should be routinely available when and where it is needed. We’re laying the groundwork for an inclusive education system where all children are supported at the earliest stage and can thrive in a school that meets their needs, getting the support when they need it, closer to home
“Our reforms in the upcoming schools white paper will create a better system for all families, where support is delivered earlier and closer to home, while retaining legal rights to support.”
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The University of Texas System’s governing board voted Thursday to adopt new restrictions on teaching deemed “controversial” or “contested.”
The unanimous vote came without questions or discussion from the board members, and despite numerous objections and pleas from faculty who spoke at the regents’ meeting. Many of those faculty described the policy as vague, unnecessary, and a threat to academic freedom and students’ education.
Following approval, board Chair Kevin Eltife directed UT’s chancellor and vice chancellor to work with the system’s 13 institutions “to ensure compliance with this item.”
The policy requires faculty to fairly present differing views and evidence on “reasonably disputed matters and unsettled issues,”as well as avoid controversial topics “not germane” to their courses.Faculty must disclose the topics they will discuss in their syllabi and stick to them, according to the policy.
Further, the new rules call on UT institutions to strive for “balance”in their faculty bodies and curricula in terms of viewpoints, as well as design core education requirements that students can meet without having to “study unnecessary controversial subjects.”
They also bar faculty from attempting to “coerce, indoctrinate, harass, or belittle students, especially in addressing controversial subjects and areas where people of good faith can hold differing convictions.”
At the meeting, UT Austin professor Alex Karner described those expectations as appropriate, but added that “they’re already well established in professional norms and existing university system policies.”
He also voiced concerns over the “undefined and subjective standards” of terms like indoctrinate and belittle.
“Without clear guidance, ordinary and necessary teaching practices — things like challenging student assumptions, presenting uncomfortable historical evidence or evaluating student work critically — could be reinterpreted as violations,” Karner said.
Adele Nelson, an art history professor at UT Austin, spoke of her former students’ success in the museum world after receiving an education that equipped them with “sophisticated critical thinking skills. She said the policy “risks gambling this away and undermining expert instructors’ ability to prepare students for successful careers.”
She pointed to a work of art titled “A Logo for America” by Latin American artist Alfredo Jaar that challenges a U.S.-centric meaning of the word “America” that she often introduces in her own class.
“Why do I show this challenging work of art early in the semesters to my students? Because it is relatable and easily legible,” Nelson said. “The work proposes a point of view unfamiliar to some of my students and invites them to understand different perspectives. They do not have to believe them. In fact, I rely on my students’ diversity of opinions to propel the analysis.”
Another UT Austin professor, David Widder, described growing up in Singapore,where “professors who criticize the wrong people or teach controversial ideas are often harassed or fired.”
Widder argued that censoring teaching at UT institutions would reduce the value of students’ degrees.
“It’s quite simple, we should trust that our bright students here in Texas can tackle any challenge, no matter how hard or controversial,” he said. “Learning about controversial issues helps students learn to think carefully, critically and creatively.”
The Texas conference of the American Association of University Professors blasted the policy Thursday after the meeting. The faculty group described it as a “sweeping, vague policy” that would dictate how controversial issues are taught.
The faculty group pointed to the Texas A&M University System, which recently adopted a policy that restricts teaching on topics related to race, sexual orientation and gender.
That policy, the AAUP conference said, has led to course cancellations, “nontransparent” artificial intelligence review of syllabi,and administrators censoring certain texts by the classical Greek thinker Plato in an introductory philosophy class.
A Tennessee state lawmaker dropped his bill to end tenure, but said, “We’ll maybe be back.”
rruntsch | iStock | Getty Images Plus
Tennessee’s House Higher Ed Subcommittee chair has withdrawn his bill to end tenure in public universities after saying he “stumbled into a little bit of the history” and “got a little deeper than I thought I would.”
“It got me to thinking about political lines, pendulums, they’re always moving … I kind of think that way about tenure,” Republican Justin Lafferty told his subcommittee Wednesday in a brief but wide-ranging explanation for dropping the bill.
According to a video of the meeting posted on the state General Assembly’s website, Lafferty said he learned tenure goes back to the 1600s or 1700s, “a time when there weren’t that many highly educated folks,” so “it was very important to keep the best and the brightest.”
Though he didn’t use the words“academic freedom,” he echoed arguments for protecting itthat proponents of tenure often use. Mentioning the Vietnam War era, Lafferty said, “In a controversial time, I kind of understand you want those protections in place to not lose the talent that you’ve been able to acquire.”
But healso suggested that he filed his bill in opposition to controversial faculty speech. He didn’t mention Charlie Kirk, but he complained about faculty speech regarding someone’s death and a “half a million” payout. (Darren Michael, a tenured theater professor at Tennessee’s Austin Peay State University, was terminated for reposting a news headline about Kirk but was later reinstated and paid $500,000.)
“With tenure now, the pendulum has swung so far that we can have state employees that we pay with our tax dollars—‘mock’ might not be the right word, but can certainly be very insensitive towards the death of another human being,” Lafferty said. “And as a Tennessean, I’m not comfortable with the fact that that person cannot be removed from a job.”
Lafferty withdrew his bill, but he may not be done targeting tenure. He said during the meeting that “we’ll maybe be back.” News Channel 5 reported that Lafferty said the bill likely didn’t have a path forward this year. He didn’t return Inside Higher Ed’s requests for comment Thursday.
To call teachers “busy” is an understatement. But between grading lessons, attending PDs, and preparing for parent-teacher conferences, it’s still imperative that you find the time for preventative health. And Quest is here to help you save on your wellness testing.
Quest isn’t just a reliable go-to for your annual lab tests. Perhaps you’d like to get an allergy test to figure out what is causing your eyes and nose to itch every day. Or maybe you have a history of high cholesterol in your family and you would like to assess your risk for heart conditions—there’s a Quest test for that too, among many others.
No matter what kind of screening options you may be interested in, there’s more good news: Teachers can get a 10% discount on select tests with Quest! Simply validate your status as an educator with ID.me or BeansiD to get started.
We’re curious—what else can we help you save on this month?
Email us at editors@weareteachers.com and we’ll try to include your suggestions in our deal roundups. Happy shopping!
McHenry, Ill., Feb. 19, 2026 – Building on its September 2025 introduction into the public library market, Follett Content today announced a significant next step in its growth strategy: the addition of widely respected library-market veterans and a series of new technology investments designed
to strengthen support for public library systems nationwide.
As the public library book distribution landscape continues to evolve, Follett Content is moving quickly and deliberately to scale its capabilities, deepen its expertise, and bring additional choice and stability to public libraries.
To fuel this next phase of growth, Follett Content has brought on 10+ experienced professionals with more than 300 years of collective public library experience – including individuals who previously held roles at Baker & Taylor and other well-known library service providers.
“Public libraries made it clear that trusted relationships and deep institutional knowledge matter,” said Britten Follett, CEO of Follett Content. “Our newest team members embody that. They’ve supported public libraries for decades, and their passion for this market is an essential part of where we’re headed.”
Follett Content is also making targeted investments in its technology infrastructure. These enhancements will support more robust workflows for public libraries, including:
• Brief MARC accessibility • Support for complex grids • EDI ordering and invoicing capabilities • Account management enhancements
These upgrades are currently underway, with additional o[erings and enhancements expected to roll out this year. While not announcing specific launch dates, Follett Content confirmed that the pipeline of improvements is significant and reflects a multi-year commitment.
“The message from public libraries has been clear: they want another strong, reliable partner, and they want one invested in long-term infrastructure, not shortcuts,” said Amy Egan, VP and GM of Library at Follett Content. “We’re excited about what’s coming. This is just the beginning.”
Follett Content emphasized that this acceleration is rooted in its long-term strategy, not in reaction to recent disruptions experienced by other providers.
“Our commitment to public libraries didn’t begin this year,” Follett added. “We’re here to strengthen stability, expand choice, and partner with libraries for decades to come.”
Public libraries interested in learning more or engaging with Follett Content’s public library team can visit https://hubs.ly/Q043JtyV0.
Follett Content Solutions is the largest provider of children’s and youth print materials and solutions to PreK-12 libraries, classrooms, learning centers and school districts in the United States and educational institutions worldwide, and a major supplier to public libraries. Follett Content provides books, Makerspace and hands-on learning materials through Titlewave®, the most powerful collection management tool for educators, school librarians, and public librarians. They offer trusted services backed by more than 150 years of expertise. Follow @FollettContent on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.
eSchool Media staff cover education technology in all its aspects–from legislation and litigation, to best practices, to lessons learned and new products. First published in March of 1998 as a monthly print and digital newspaper, eSchool Media provides the news and information necessary to help K-20 decision-makers successfully use technology and innovation to transform schools and colleges and achieve their educational goals.
Assessment is often discussed as the final step in learning, but in practice, it is one of the most cognitively demanding tasks educators perform. Designing a high-quality assessment requires alignment with curriculum standards, appropriate cognitive demand, clarity of language, and the ability to evaluate reasoning, not just final answers. In mathematics, this complexity is amplified. Small changes in numbers, contexts, or phrasing can significantly alter task difficulty. As a result, assessment design is rarely a simple matter of “writing a test.” It is an iterative process that depends heavily on experience and professional judgment.
Despite its importance, assessment creation is frequently treated as an individual responsibility rather than shared infrastructure. Unlike learning content, which is often supported by textbooks, platforms, and repositories, assessments are commonly built from scratch by each teacher.
Why Consistency Matters More Than Ever
In scalable education—whether online, blended, or system-wide—consistency is not a luxury. It is a prerequisite for fairness, trust, and credibility.
Teachers often need multiple versions of the same assessment to:
Reduce academic dishonesty.
Accommodate retakes.
Manage scheduling constraints.
These versions must be equivalent in difficulty and scope. When they are not, outcomes become difficult to interpret. Students may be assessed on tasks that appear similar but differ substantially in cognitive demand, undermining the reliability of results.
In large-scale systems, inconsistency compounds quickly. When hundreds or thousands of assessments are created independently, variation becomes inevitable. This raises critical questions: How comparable are the results? How fair is the grading? And how much unseen labor is required to maintain quality?
The Workload Problem No One Sees
Teacher workload is often discussed in terms of lesson planning, classroom management, or administrative tasks. Assessment design, however, is rarely quantified—despite the fact that it consumes substantial time.
Creating one high-quality math test can take hours. Creating two or three equivalent versions multiplies that effort. Reviewing, adjusting, and validating those versions adds further cognitive load.
Because this work happens behind the scenes, it is easy to overlook. Yet it directly affects:
Time available for feedback.
Opportunities for instructional improvement.
Overall sustainability of teaching practice.
Without structural support, teachers are forced to balance speed against rigor. Over time, this tension can impact both assessment quality and professional well-being.
The Limits Of Manual Processes In Assessment Design
Manual assessment design relies on individual expertise, which is valuable but also fragile at scale. Human judgment is inherently variable, especially under time pressure.
Common challenges include:
Unintended shifts in difficulty between versions.
Uneven distribution of skills across tasks.
Inconsistent opportunities for students to demonstrate reasoning.
These issues are not the result of poor teaching. They are symptoms of systems that place high-stakes demands on processes never designed to scale. To address this, assessment needs to be approached not as isolated artifacts, but as structured systems.
Toward Structured Assessment Design
Structured assessment design does not mean removing teacher autonomy. On the contrary, it aims to support professional judgment by reducing repetitive manual work and increasing transparency.
This can include:
Clear templates aligned with curriculum goals.
Predefined difficulty parameters.
Systematic variation that preserves equivalency.
Some educators and institutions have begun experimenting with digital tools to support this process. Various platforms serve as examples of how structured generation of assessment tasks can assist teachers while keeping decision making in human hands. The value of such tools is not automation for its own sake, but consistency. When structure is embedded into the design process, assessments become more reliable, easier to review, and simpler to adapt.
Assessment As Educational Infrastructure
If digital learning is to scale responsibly, assessment design must be treated as core infrastructure, not an afterthought.
This requires:
Shared frameworks for equivalency.
Professional development focused on assessment literacy.
Tools that support, rather than replace, teacher expertise.
Consistency in assessment is not about standardization alone. It is about ensuring that all students are evaluated on comparable terms, regardless of context or delivery mode. When assessment design is supported at the system level, teachers gain time, students gain fairness, and institutions gain trust in their data.
Conclusion
The future of scalable education depends not only on how content is delivered, but on how learning is measured. Assessment consistency is the missing link that connects pedagogy, fairness, and sustainability.
By recognizing assessment design as skilled labor—and by providing the structures and tools to support it—education systems can move beyond ad hoc solutions toward more equitable and resilient models of learning.
This weekend, I’m taking my little guy for an indoor activity using the free game of bowling he got for meeting our first family reading goal LAST summer! When sub-zero temperatures and snow days plague our country, summer reading probably sounds a LONG way away. But this is the time public librarians are designing and planning for their big summer reading program!
This year, some librarians are creating their own summer reading programs to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America. Others are relying on established national programs like:
Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP): A multi‑state consortium that creates high‑quality, affordable themed summer reading resources for libraries nationwide, or
iREAD (Illinois Reading Enrichment and Development): A flexible national summer reading program developed by the Illinois Library Association and used by thousands of libraries across many states through statewide partnerships.
But one of the most powerful drivers of lifelong reading isn’t a program at all–it’s a relationship. And some of the most effective literacy ecosystems today are those where schools and public libraries work not in parallel, but in partnership with parents and students.
Few places demonstrate this more clearly than East Hampton, Connecticut, where a decade‑long collaboration between school librarians and the public library has created a seamless year‑round literacy experience for students.
“It just seems very natural to us,” said school librarian Katie Tietjen during a recent conversation. “Why wouldn’t we all work together? We all have the same goal of getting kids to read.”
That shared mission–paired with mutual respect and a willingness to adapt–has become the backbone of a thriving model other communities can learn from.
A partnership built on trust and continuity
The collaboration began organically with a simple outreach from then–public librarian Ellen Paul, who invited Katie to connect as she entered her role as a new school librarian. There was no formal program, no grant, no directive–just two professionals with aligned goals.
As Katie explained, that openness is what created a decade‑long tradition: “There’s really been a long tradition of just collaborating… it just seems very natural to us.”
Even as staff changed over the years, the partnership didn’t fade. Instead, each new librarian–school and public–was welcomed into a system that valued cooperation over silos.
Public Library Director Christine Cachuela echoed this mutual appreciation: “We know you have a lot to do – especially at the end of the school year.” Her team sees their role as stepping in to lighten the load, not add to it.
A summer reading program that actually works
While many communities struggle to engage students meaningfully over summer break, East Hampton has built a program that is personal, relational, and rooted in consistent school–library contact.
For elementary students, the children’s librarian visits every single K–5 classroom to introduce the summer reading program. This isn’t an assembly or a flier sent home–it’s face‑to‑face engagement that builds excitement and trust. Christine described this individualized approach as a key differentiator–one that “helps build familiarity and excitement among students.”
Older students benefit from challenge‑based activities, flexible reading choices, and visits embedded directly into English classes. Public librarians present in the school library, making the program feel like a natural continuation of the school year rather than an add‑on.
Christine adds that “face time” deepens the community partnership: “The kids would come into the library over the summer, maybe for the first time, and the first words out of their mouth were like, ‘Oh my gosh, you were in my classroom!’ And so they’re just so excited to have that familiar face.”
And community support amplifies impact: Local businesses donate prizes, teachers volunteer for summer read‑alouds at the public library, and students see their future teachers outside the school setting, deepening connections.
A year‑round literacy ecosystem
This partnership isn’t a “summer project”–it’s a 12‑month collaboration that supports students at every stage.
Preschool visits and teacher read‑alouds strengthen early literacy pipelines.
Middle school lunch‑wave book clubs, create weekly touchpoints for students.
High school “library minions” and Teen Advisory Boards give teens ownership of library activities.
Public librarians participate in school Wellness Days, embedding themselves into school culture.
Christine shared that she advises public librarians to “take as much of the burden off the school as you can… reach out with something very specific: ‘This is what I can offer you. I planned this activity. When would you want me to come do it?’”
This mindset–proactive, flexible, and supportive–is the secret to sustainability.
Breaking barriers to access
The partnership also tackles a structural challenge: ensuring every student has access to public library resources.
Together, the teams:
distribute library cards to preschoolers and third graders,
run in‑school library‑card sign‑ups for eighth graders,
provide tutorials of Libby, Hoopla, and other digital tools, and
streamline card‑issuing processes for high school students.
This means that when a student wants a new print book, audiobook, graphic novel, eBook, or research material the school doesn’t have, they already know how–and where–to get it.
A blueprint for communities everywhere
If there’s one thing East Hampton proves, it’s that impactful partnerships don’t require massive budgets or complicated structures. They require:
proactive outreach,
flexibility,
shared values, and
the willingness to show up–together.
As Christine summarized: Public librarians should reach out with specific ideas, not broad offers–schools are too busy to decipher vague intentions. And Katie reaffirmed that understanding each other’s rhythms and constraints is critical to building trust.
Together, they’ve created more than a program. They’ve built a literacy ecosystem that meets students wherever they are – school, library, or home.
Getting started
Every community has the ingredients to replicate this model. In fact, many are already trying. But what East Hampton demonstrates is that true success lies in sustained, intentional partnership–not one‑off events or seasonal coordination. Because when schools and public libraries work together, they don’t just promote summer reading–they nurture lifelong readers.
And as Katie put it, the question isn’t whether collaboration is possible, it’s: “Why wouldn’t we all work together?”
Britten Follett, Follett Content Solutions
A fifth-generation family member, Britten Follett is CEO at Follett Content Solutions, largest provider of children’s and youth print materials and solutions to PreK-12 libraries, classrooms, learning centers and school districts in the United States and educational institutions worldwide, and a major supplier to public libraries. She has led Follett’s business since September 2019 and is responsible for providing leadership, strategic direction, and business development. In September 2020, Publishers Weekly named her a “PW Star Watch” honoree, one of 40 professionals singled out from the North American publishing industry.
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Sitting in a classroom and being lectured day after day is no way to excite young people about learning. Students want educational experiences that engage them, link classroom lessons to real-world relevance and help them find the meaning behind what they are learning in school.
Many young people today are finding that kind of learning in high-quality career and technical education programs throughout the country that teach learning experiences aligned to current industry needs. That means opportunities to explore career possibilities that match their strengths and interests and help build key technical and durable skills.
It wasn’t always this way.
In 2019, only 13 percent of parents believed that hands-on CTE programming was well suited for high-achieving students, instead of for those who struggled with traditional learning.
Yet in a survey last year, more than a third (35 percent) of middle and high school parents said that high school CTE programs are best suited for high-achieving students, signaling a shift that even those who excel academically can and should benefit from hands-on learning.
Attitudes toward postsecondary CTE, nondegree programs (trade schools, industry certifications, technology boot camps, apprenticeships, et cetera) are also changing: The percentage of parents who prefer nondegree pathways over traditional college for their kids has increased 6 points over the past six years to 17 percent, according to the survey by Britebound, formerly American Student Assistance, where I serve as president and CEO.
Parents are now acknowledging there are more engaging ways to prepare young people for their future, demonstrating a growing acceptance of a wider array of education-to-career programs. The shift is significant becauseparents are both the decision-makers for their kids’ K-12 education and the primary influencers in the postsecondary plans for teenagers.
And while conventional wisdom has long maintained that the only path to career success involves a college degree, that’s no longerthe case. Almost 1 in 5 workers without a degree earned more than the median college graduate salary of $70,000 annually, while about 2 million workers without degrees earned more than six figures a year, recent research by The Burning Glass Institute and Britebound revealed.
The research also uncovered crucial choices that put individuals on a path to these lucrative careers, beginning with their first job. These employees started their careers in certain entry-level roles or “launchpad jobs” that offer a combination of good pay and benefits, job stability and opportunities for rapid career growth.
The report identified 73 launchpad jobs in a variety of industries, although many of them skew toward technical work. Examples include EMTs, electricians, bank tellers and other jobs that require skills taught in CTE programs.
These are now gateways to launchpad jobs, and professions build on the strong skills foundation found in CTE programs. In addition to learning in-demand technical and durable skills, these students gained:
Hands-on training: By giving students the opportunity to apply their technical and durable skills to real projects, they gain valuable experience that gives them a competitive advantage when applying for their first job.
Industry mentors: Connecting young people with working professionals ensures they have timely, realistic information about careers, including salaries, job security, training requirements and opportunities for advancement.
Clear pathways: Some CTE programs allow students to earn certifications along the way, helping them navigate a path to professional success.
Durable skills: Universal skills that employers are demanding, regardless of the field, are generally referred to as durable skills. These are the kinds of skills that every worker needs regardless of the job and can transfer from one field to the next, like collaboration, communication, flexibility and problem-solving. A study by America Succeeds found that70 percent of the most requested skills in nearly 82 million job postings are durable skills. They are competencies that are valuable not just for any career, but also for adult life.
These benefits show why students should consider CTE programs. Influencers — including parents, educators and counselors — can help by learning more about available CTE opportunities so they can best advise young people based on their interests and strengths.
Regardless of the postsecondary pathway pursued, one critical piece of the puzzle that is missing in making that decision is the opportunity for young people to explore their options prior to making a post-high school choice.
Students who are exposed to career exploration opportunities and CTE programs, or who complete a career-readiness learning opportunity like an internship or entrepreneurial experience, are significantly more prepared to understand the kinds of career training that will fit their aspirations, skills and career goals.
Unfortunately, far too many students leave high school without this opportunity for career education. Instead, they choose postsecondary education aimlessly, rather than pursuing options aligned with their career goals.
We must do a better job in helping high schoolers prepare for the path ahead of them by ensuring they have access to resources that help them understandallof their options and pathways to success, including access to a wide variety of CTE programs.
Julie Lammers is president and CEO of Brightbound, formerly American Student Assistance.
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Dive Brief:
The University of North Texas is facing potential cutsas it confronts a larger-than-expected $45 million budget deficit for the 2026 fiscal year.
In a message to students,UNT President Harrison Keller warned Tuesday thataddressing the situation would “inevitably require hard choices, and the impact will be felt across our university.”
He attributed the fiscal gap to a $32 million drop in state funding for instruction and operations, as well as steeper declines in international enrollment in master’s programs than administrators had projected.
Dive Insight:
UNT started fiscal 2026 with a budget deficit of $31.2 million, only to see it grow throughout the year.
“Our projected budget deficit is structural, not just temporary, and the reasons for it are dynamic and complex,” Keller said. He said university leaders were working through decisions on specific budget measures.
“Our goal will be to navigate our current fiscal challenges in ways that ultimately strengthen UNT for the long term,” Keller said. “I commit to you that we will navigate our budget challenges responsibly, deliberately, and most importantly, with great care and consideration for the impact on UNT students and other members of our community.”
He added that university leaders would frequently share information about budget plans as they finalize them.
Keller didn’t share how much international enrollment declined. UNT did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
A Q1 report for the university’s board of trustees stated that year-end revenue is expected to fall $14.7 million short of budget projections due to a drop in nonresident graduate enrollment.That’s on top of a $47.3 million year-over-year decrease in tuition and fee revenue that UNT had already budgeted for in August because of anticipated declines in international enrollment, which began in 2024.
In fall 2024, foreign students comprised more than 15% of the university’s student body, according to the latest stats from UNT.
Unlike many regional public universities, UNT’s overall enrollment had largely been on the rise in recent years.Between 2019 and 2024, fall enrollment increased about 19% to 46,864 students, according to federal data.
But last fall, headcount dropped by 5.7%, or a little over 2,600 students — one of the largest declines among Texas public colleges, according to data from the state’s higher education coordinating board.
UNT budgeted for a $16 million loss in state formula funding for fiscal 2026 because of declining enrollment.
Faculty and staff in recent years have expressed frustration over their pay and a lack of raises amid ongoing budget pressures.
“The problem is not that they cannot give raises this year,” one unnamed faculty member told the North Texas Daily, the university’s student newspaper, last September. “The problem is, all the other years where they had not as many budgetary problems and they didn’t give raises. And the problem is the lack of transparency about it and the lack of planning.”
Jay Bhattacharya is now also acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
The National Institutes of Health director will become acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and President Trump will nominate the CDC’s former acting director to lead the National Science Foundation, a White House official confirmed to Inside Higher Ed. The NIH and NSF are among the largest federal funders of university research.
The official said NIH director Jay Bhattacharya will maintain his current duties while also leading the CDC “until a permanent CDC director is nominated and confirmed.” Jim O’Neill was dismissed last week from leading the CDC, a position he had only held since late August. The NIH is headquartered in Bethesda, Md., while the CDC is based in Atlanta.
“Both are eminently qualified for these positions, and the White House has confidence in them to deliver on the president’s agenda,” the official said.
Bhattacharya’s new duties leading the CDC come as the NIH continues to lack permanent leadership in many top posts. With last week’s ending of Lindsey A. Criswell’s directorship of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, 16 directors of the 27 institutes and centers that comprise the agency are in an acting capacity.
These NIH directors have departed for multiple reasons, including terminations by the Trump administration and resignations.
Today, district leaders are being asked to make irreversible budget decisions with fewer dollars and less margin for error than ever before. Yet many districts are making those decisions with limited evidence of what actually works in their classrooms — not because leaders lack interest in data, but because few systems are designed to support real-time learning at the district level.
For school and district leaders, quality data is key. Without strong research, data and connections, district leaders can find themselves working in silos, testing similar ideas in parallel without a shared way to learn what works, what does not and why.
“Right now, education research and development (R&D) isn’t about experimentation; it’s about making smarter bets with limited resources,” shared Jillian Doggett, director of the League of Innovative Schools at Digital Promise.
“R&D has to be embedded in a district’s DNA so that we are not making decisions based on assumptions of what we think works, or on what worked five or 10 years ago,” said Doggett.
That shift requires moving past a traditional approach in which programs are adopted districtwide before leaders have meaningful local evidence of fit or impact.
Dr. Robert Hill, superintendent and chief executive officer of the Springfield City School District in Ohio, argues that meeting students’ needs requires stepping beyond familiar models. To him, research and development is a way to test new approaches, learn quickly and build evidence before scaling.
“Through R&D, we can think outside the box, build evidence through continuous improvement and then advance policy, with funding attached, that actually supports kids,” Hill said.
How Districts Are Prioritizing Research and Development
Prioritizing research and development has already led to measurable progress for Hill’s district. As part of a chronic absenteeism cohort, Hill and his team worked with peer districts to test strategies, analyze real-time attendance data and refine approaches based on what was actually driving shifts in student engagement. Rather than relying on a single program or past assumptions, the district used an inclusive innovation model to identify which interventions were effective.
“Research and development has helped us better engage our students,” Hill shared. “By aligning student interests to career pathways and connecting that with labor market data, we are actually seeing forward progress on our academic outcomes.”
For Dr. Audra Pittman, superintendent of Calistoga Joint Unified School District in rural California, engaging in education research and development helps ensure her district operates through an equity lens. Her approach to innovation is grounded in the belief that if current practices are not working for all students, districts have an obligation to keep trying new approaches.
Through a structured research partnership, Pittman’s district is examining how families and staff can partner more effectively through a cohesive, district-wide engagement and support approach centered on a co-design framework. This work asks not only whether something works, but also for whom, under what conditions and why.
The partnership allows Pittman’s team to pilot ideas thoughtfully, balancing innovation with the realities of limited time and capacity.
Image Credit: Digital Promise
Why Collaboration Is Essential to Scaling What Works
Alongside education research and development, Pittman attributes strong connections with peers across the country to turning local insights into broader change.
As a busy superintendent, Pittman knows how difficult it can be to identify new methods she can trust. Engaging with peers who are testing emerging approaches and sharing evidence of impact has supported more efficient, informed decision-making.
Doggett has seen districts benefit from this hands-on approach to research and development, including access to research partnerships, shared tools and opportunities to learn across systems.
“That connective tissue allows district-led R&D to move quickly, learn in real time and extend beyond individual districts.”
From Policy to Action
The collaborative efforts of district leaders matter not only for research and development but also for policy.
“It’s necessary to have conversations with [policymakers] to express the challenges we are facing, the flexibility that’s necessary to advance an R&D model, and the funding that’s associated with that,” Hill shared.
Traditional funding structures often require districts to commit to specific programs upfront, leaving little room for the iterative testing that defines effective research and development. As a result, districts are often forced to choose certainty over learning — even when that certainty is more assumed than proven.
Late last year, Hill, Pittman and other district leaders convened in Washington, D.C., to make the case for a reimagined approach to funding that better supports effective education R&D.
During those meetings, leaders shared how collaborative research and development efforts have supported improvements in teaching and learning and discussed ways to scale effective practices. They called for sustained investment, greater flexibility to reduce barriers to innovation and more transparent sharing of results to accelerate learning and advance equity nationwide.
“When you’re surrounded by districts from across the nation, you are reminded that education … is truly a bipartisan issue,” Pittman reflected. “We are somewhat divided now, and this is an opportunity to bring us back together.”
Last summer, I was visiting a Head Start center in rural Ohio when a teacher offhandedly mentioned to me that student behavior has become markedly worse since the pandemic. The teacher was confident she knew why: too much time on iPads at home.
The comment stuck with me as another in a long stream of anecdotes I had been hearing about worsening behavior. I wrote about the trend that teachers are talking about — and potential solutions — in a story that ran this week in partnership with the Los Angeles Times.
Educators and experts had a host of reasons they believe explains this trend. Like the Ohio preschool teacher, other teachers told me that excessive screen time is affecting children’s attention and social and emotional development.
Children are also experiencing more poverty, which can affect brain development, health, well-being and behavior. Between 2021 and 2023, the child poverty rate nearly tripled to 14 percent, from a historic low of 5.2 percent, after pandemic-era aid to families ended, for example. Last year, nearly half of families with young children reported difficulties meeting their basic needs, according to a report by Stanford’s Rapid Survey Project.
Some experts blame parenting practices to a degree. Scott Ervin, a former teacher and superintendent who now provides consultations and training to schools and teachers on behavior management, says there seems to be more of an emphasis on parents talking about behavior with children — sometimes to an extreme degree — and fewer consequences. That overload of “attention and control” when children are misbehaving at home is “just absolutely catastrophic,” Ervin said. “Teachers are having to deal with the aftereffects.” (These children are also entering schools where even the youngest must focus on more challenging academic tasks while getting less time for recess — even though recess is proven to improve behavior and learning.)
Likely, it’s a confluence of many factors. And as I found from my recent reporting, it’s forcing educators, districts and states to reexamine their approach to behavior and figure out how to address it. For some, like a Northern California teacher I visited, that means taking a more holistic approach to understanding what children are dealing with outside of school, and throwing out punitive or potentially embarrassing behavior management techniques, like public “clip charts” where student names are moved up or down to reflect “good” or “bad” behavior.
Other states, however, are doubling down on giving teachers more power to punish students — something President Trump supports as well.
This story about student behavior was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the Hechinger newsletter.
We live in an ever-evolving world, powered by advancements across STEM fields. Today, STEM has become increasingly intertwined with how we live our daily lives–from how we learn, to how we work, to entertainment and more.
STEM innovations are a major force driving society forward, as we’ve most recently seen with the AI explosion that is generating a growing demand for STEM talent in the workforce. In fact, STEM employment is set to increase nearly 3x the rate of non-STEM employment by 2033.
As teachers, our job is to equip students to excel in our dynamic world–not only within the classroom, but to also empower them to build foundational skills that will help them to thrive when they enter the workforce.
As STEM talent continues to become vital, these skills are ones K-12 teachers must ensure we’re implementing in our classrooms, because introducing STEM education early on helps spark curiosity among students.
So, what can teachers do to fuel a passion for STEM among their students?
The power of project-based learning
Project-based learning (PBL) is proving itself to be a successful pedagogy–nearly half (46%) of K-12 Gen Z students say opportunities to engage with learning material in a hands-on way drive their interest, and about one-third most enjoy what they’re learning when they can make real-world connections.
PBL is an alternative to traditional rote learning methods. When applying PBL to STEM education, instead of having students listening passively to information, they actively engage in real-world problems that require them to use STEM concepts to solve complex problems. This hands-on approach allows students to develop a deeper sense of knowledge of the topic they’re learning about–they’re not just merely memorizing but also learning from its applications. For instance, in a PBL setting, students could identify lack of access to filtered water as a problem and then work together to design a sustainable water filtration system to address this challenge.
PBL helps students not only supplement theoretical knowledge but also provide a sense of purpose and applicability. It helps enhance the learning experience for students by making it enjoyable and allowing students to see the impact they can bring out into the world beyond the classroom.
When it comes to STEM, PBL plays a powerful role in tapping into students’ curiosity. STEM curriculums aren’t typically viewed as ones that power creativity, but by framing learning in terms of interesting questions or issues, PBL allows students to explore, experiment and learn these topics in a unique way that allows them to become innovators in the classroom. This process can be highly motivating, allowing students to become agents in their own learning process. The sense of ownership and pride that comes with successfully finishing a challenging project can ignite a lifetime interest in STEM.
Building the skills to power future STEM innovators
PBL helps enhance learning experiences for students by making the process more exciting and engaging, and it also allows them to develop and foster crucial skills that are necessary in our STEM-powered world.
By introducing PBL into the classroom, students are given the opportunity to work closely together on project work, which allows them to harness core skills like collaboration, clear communication, vital problem-solving abilities, creativity and perseverance. These skills are ones that empower students throughout their education journey–from K-12 and beyond–and are also essential for STEM career success. Encouraging skills like creativity in students’ developmental years empowers them to think outside of the box–a crucial competency for STEM professionals. Creativity drives innovation, and helping students to flex and build this muscle early on will allow them to enter the STEM workforce ready to drive change.
Figuring out how to implement PBL can feel overwhelming, especially if the existing curriculum doesn’t allow room for this approach. Luckily for teachers, there are a plethora of great programs, like the National Science Teaching Association and Toshiba’s ExploraVision, which offer support and resources to make PBL opportunities a reality, helping us spark a passion for STEM among our students.
Shaping STEM leaders in the classroom
As we’ve seen with AI’s rapid advancements, STEM fields are shaping the nation’s future. Today’s students are soon to become the future leaders of tomorrow. Teachers bear a responsibility to prepare them with the skills they need to thrive in their education–as well as in the workplace.
Project-based learning is a critical, and proven, means of providing students with hands-on, experiential learning that nurtures curiosity, skills and a sense of purpose. As we prepare our students to address the challenges and opportunities of the future, PBL is an integral and effective tool, fueling a lifelong passion for STEM and equipping students with the skills necessary to become strong STEM leaders.
Tami Brook, STEM School Highlands Ranch
Tami Brook is a second-grade teacher at STEM School Highlands Ranch. With six years of experience in problem-based learning, she’s dedicated to challenging students to apply their knowledge and explore innovative solutions to real-world problems.
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A special education teacher was killed in a car crash in Savannah, Georgia, on Monday morning that involved Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Department of Homeland Security said Linda Davis, 52, died after Oscar Vasquez-Lopez, a 38-year-old man from Guatemala whom ICE was trying to arrest, “fled the scene, making a reckless U-turn and running a red light, colliding into a civilian vehicle.”
Although the collision occurred near Herman W. Hesse K-8 School, students were not present as Monday was a federal holiday, the school said.
The Chatham County Police Department said Vasquez-Lopez was in custody and had been charged with reckless driving, driving without a valid license, failure to obey a traffic control device and homicide by vehicle-1st degree.
“However, the Chatham County Police Department was not a part of the DHS/ICE operation, attempted traffic stop, or pursuit. The Chatham County Police Department was also not aware of the DHS/ICE operation or pursuit until after the crash,” the department said.
Davis’ death has called attention to the dangers of vehicular pursuits.
“We have a no-chase policy [in Chatham County], and the no-chase policy is to help protect our citizens more than it is anything else,” Chester Ellis, chairman of the Chatham County Board of Commissioners, told WTOC-TV.
Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley told the local news outlet that Davis’ death was “more than likely preventable.”
Conversely, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin rejected any ICE culpability in Davis’ death.
“This vehicular homicide is an absolute tragedy and deadly consequence of politicians and the media constantly demonizing ICE officers and encouraging those here illegally to resist arrest — a felony,” McLaughlin said. “These dangerous tactics are putting people’s lives at risk. Fleeing from and resisting federal law enforcement is not only a crime but extraordinarily dangerous and puts oneself, our officers, and innocent civilians at risk. Now, an innocent bystander has lost their life.”
Davis had worked at Herman W. Hesse K-8 School since the beginning of the school year. Principal Alonna McMullen described her as an “exceptional educator.”
“She dedicated her career to ensuring that every child felt supported, valued, and capable of success,” McMullen said in a statement. “Her kindness, patience, and enthusiasm created a nurturing environment for her students and inspired those around her.”
In a Facebookpost, McMullen informed parents of Davis’ death and said counseling would be offered.
“The most important thing we can do is to be supportive and encourage an open expression of feelings,” McMullen said in the post.
Aisha Buchanan, a former co-worker, said Davis always made people feel like they mattered.
“Whether they’re a custodian or a teacher, a principal or even a student, you always matter. And that was her message to everybody,” Buchanan said, per WTOC.
(GREENVILLE, Wis.) February 16, 2026 – School Specialty, a leading provider of learning environments, instructional solutions, and supplies for preK-12 education, is proud to celebrate outstanding educators with its 12th annual Crystal Apple Awards. Starting today, students, parents, administrators, and peers are encouraged to nominate educators who embody inspiration, leadership, and a tireless passion for teaching.
Each year, students, parents, administrators, and fellow teachers nominate teachers who, like last year’s inspiring finalists and winners, go above and beyond to touch the lives of students every day. This year, School Specialty will award 16 finalists from the nominees, five of whom will be selected as winners through a public vote.
“Entering our 12th year of the Crystal Apple Awards is a milestone that reminds us why we do what we do,” said Dr. Sue Ann Highland, National Education Strategist at School Specialty. “These awards are about more than just recognizing phenomenal educators; they are about providing dedicated teachers with the resources they need to keep inspiring the next generation of thinkers and leaders.”
Crystal Apple Finalists receive a $100 School Specialty merchandise certificate for themselves and an additional $100 certificate for their school. This year’s winners will each receive a personalized trophy and a $500 gift certificate from School Specialty for themselves, as well as a $250 School Specialty gift certificate for their school.
Public voting on nominees will be open from April 6 to 12, 2026, and the winners will be announced on April 21.
About School Specialty, LLC
With a 60-year legacy, School Specialty is a leading provider of comprehensive learning environment solutions for the preK-12 education marketplace in the U.S. and Canada. This includes essential classroom supplies, furniture and design services, educational technology, sensory spaces featuring Snoezelen, science curriculum, learning resources, professional development, and more. School Specialty believes every student can flourish in an environment where they are engaged and inspired to learn and grow. In support of this vision to transform more than classrooms, the company applies its unmatched team of education strategists and designs, manufactures, and distributes a broad assortment of name-brand and proprietary products. For more information, go toSchoolSpecialty.com.
eSchool Media staff cover education technology in all its aspects–from legislation and litigation, to best practices, to lessons learned and new products. First published in March of 1998 as a monthly print and digital newspaper, eSchool Media provides the news and information necessary to help K-20 decision-makers successfully use technology and innovation to transform schools and colleges and achieve their educational goals.
Breezy HR is a cloud-based Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that supports end-to-end hiring, from job posting to offer and compliance.
It offers Bootstrap (free), Startup, Growth, Business, and Custom Pro plans, with centralized candidate management, scheduling, collaboration tools, and scalable automation for streamlined hiring.
Overview Of Breezy
This section will help you understand what exactly Breezy is and how its key features can help your business.
What Is Breezy?
Breezy HR is a complete hiring tool that helps you track applicants, find candidates, and automate your workflow. It covers the entire hiring process, from posting jobs on various job boards to conducting interviews and making job offers. Breezy also connects with other HR systems. Its unified dashboard keeps all candidate information in one place and allows your hiring team to collaborate easily.
Core Features And Functionality
Below is an overview of the key features that can help teams manage and optimize their end-to-end recruiting process.
Customization And Control
Recruitment pipelines, interview workflows, scorecards, and hiring stages are fully customizable to match the organization’s hiring processes.
Job Posting And Candidate Sourcing
Breezy HR enables one-click job posting to more than 50 job boards and provides branded careers pages, increasing visibility and outreach to both active and passive candidates.
Career Pages And Candidate Experience
Organizations can deploy mobile-friendly, branded career sites to deliver a consistent candidate experience across devices.
Candidate Management
All candidate information, like resumés, notes, and evaluations, is kept in a single profile dashboard. This allows recruiters and hiring managers to easily track candidates’ history and progress.
Collaboration And Communication
In-platform email and optional SMS help the hiring team stay connected. Internal commenting and shared feedback tools also reduce the need for outside email chains or spreadsheets.
Scheduling And Interviewing
The built-in calendar makes it easy to schedule interviews. You can book appointments yourself and conduct video interviews if your plan supports it. This feature helps coordinate with various people more smoothly.
Offers, Compliance, And Integrations
Offer letter templates, approval workflows, eSignatures, and compliance features (such as data privacy and record-keeping) are included, along with further integrations to HRIS systems for seamless handoffs from hiring to onboarding.
Reporting, Analytics, And Performance
Standard reporting tools provide insights such as pipeline health and time-to-hire. Advanced analytics (via optional add-ons) enable deeper examination of recruitment efficiency and source effectiveness.
Efficiency And Accessibility
With cloud access and mobile-compatible interfaces, Breezy enables recruiting operations from anywhere, reducing administrative overhead and facilitating effective collaboration among distributed teams.
Breezy Plans And Pricing: A Detailed Overview
The official Breezy HR pricing page lists five plans, ranging from a free tier to custom enterprise pricing. The table below summarizes current subscription options and billing details.
Plan
Key Features
Plan Price
Bootstrap
Branded career site.
Job posting and sourcing capabilities.
One active job position at a time.
Ideal for early-stage setups or infrequent hiring.
Enhanced hiring workflows and expanded collaboration tools.
Scheduling support and advanced process controls.
Access to deeper reporting and analytics.
$329/month (monthly)
$273/month (annual)
Business
Full ATS capabilities for large/complex teams.
Advanced HRIS and compliance integrations.
Offer workflows and onboarding support.
Governance controls for approvals and multi-department workflows.
$529/month (monthly)
$439/month (annual)
Custom Pro
Enterprise-grade security and custom implementation.
API access and custom data export features.
Dedicated success manager and advanced reporting.
Designed for high-volume hiring, compliance-heavy environments.
Quote-Based
Please note: There are optional add-ons, such as SMS, Breezy Intelligence, Onboard, and Expert Training, which can increase the total cost.
Breezy Pricing Comparison
This section will help you understand the benefits of each plan and the cost differences, enabling you to make an informed decision.
Bootstrap Plan (Free)
Best For
Teams that hire infrequently and want to trial an ATS without making a financial commitment.
Especially startups or micro-organizations that are evaluating their internal hiring processes.
Breezy Bootstrap Plan Features
It includes a branded career site and the option to post jobs on external job boards.
There’s a limitation of one active position at a time.
Breezy Startup Plan At $189 Per Month ($157 Per Month If Billed Annually)
Best For
Small teams or growing organizations transitioning from spreadsheets or manual hiring workflows to a structured ATS-based approach.
Breezy Startup Plan Features
Unlimited positions, candidates, and users with access to core ATS tools, including:
Job posting.
Candidate tracking.
Centralized communication.
Scheduling.
Standard reporting.
Breezy Growth Plan At $329 Per Month ($273 Per Month If Billed Annually)
Best For
Organizations with moderate to high hiring demands, including multiple roles, recurring hiring cycles, or expanding teams.
Breezy Growth Plan Features
All startup features plus enhanced workflows.
Expanded collaboration tools.
Scheduling support.
Access to standard reporting and analytics functionality.
Breezy Business Plan At $529 Per Month ($439 Per Month If Billed Annually)
Best For
Organizations with larger hiring teams, multiple departments or locations, and a need for compliance, standardization, and centralized control.
Breezy Business Plan Features
Full core ATS capabilities.
Advanced integrations (HRIS, compliance).
Offer and onboarding workflows.
Enhanced governance controls, such as job and offer approvals.
Breezy Custom Pro Plan (Upon Request)
Best For
Enterprises or organizations with specialized needs, such as custom workflows, advanced security, data integrations, high-volume hiring, or compliance-heavy processes.
Breezy Business Plan Features
Custom Pro works the best with businesses that have:
API access.
Advanced reporting and data export options.
A dedicated account manager.
Pricing is offered on a quote basis, depending on business requirements.
Breezy Use Cases
Breezy HR offers solutions for various hiring needs, from occasional recruiting to large-scale talent operations. Small teams and solo recruiters who hire infrequently can begin with the Bootstrap or Startup plans. The Growth plan is for organizations that are expanding and need more structured hiring processes. Larger companies can use the Business and Custom Pro plans, which support multi-department teams. These plans include key features such as compliance, approval workflows, HRIS integrations, and centralized candidate data management. This helps to reduce manual coordination and improve efficiency in job postings and automated workflows.
Pros And Cons Of Using Breezy HR
Breezy HR has both pros and cons, which we will explore below so that you can make informed decisions.
Pros
Breezy centralizes applicant tracking, candidate management, and collaboration in one platform, with unlimited positions and job postings to 50+ job sites.
Additionally, there are tools to engage passive candidates, as well as unified communication, scheduling, and compliance controls that streamline the hiring process and reduce manual coordination.
Cons
Bootstrap is limited to one active role, and total breezy cost can rise as hiring scales or when add-ons like SMS and analytics are needed.
For teams with minimal hiring volume, multiple features may be underutilized, and paid plans may feel expensive.
How To Decide Which Plan Is Right For You?
To decide on a hiring plan, consider your needs. Use the Bootstrap plan for occasional hiring, while the Startup or Growth plans work better for ongoing needs. Think about your team size and how complex your workflows are before choosing a plan. Solo recruiters can start with the Startup plan, but if you need to coordinate between multiple teams, you might need the Growth or Business plans. Also, plan for the long term and consider the total cost of Breezy, as extras like SMS or analytics can increase the price. Make sure to focus on automation and compliance if governance and integrations are important to you.
Breezy Alternatives
Breezy HR tools are great for teams that are hiring often and need a clear structure and collaboration. Organizations that hire only occasionally should look for simpler ATS options. To make the process easier, we have collected the top ATS solutions in our directory. There, you can compare them and choose the best fit. If you want a single platform for all HR tasks, though, you may prefer a complete HRIS system.
The Startup plan costs $189 per month or $157 if you pay for the year. The Growth plan costs $329 per month or $273 if paid annually. The Business plan costs $529 per month or $439 when billed annually. The Bootstrap plan is free, and the Custom Pro plan has pricing based on a quote.
Yes, Breezy offers a 14-day trial period for all features, allowing you to evaluate the product without an immediate commitment.
Optional add-ons such as SMS/Text Messaging credits, Breezy Intelligence analytics, Onboard, and expert support are billed separately and can increase the total Breezy cost depending on usage.
Pricing may change over time. Readers should verify current pricing before making a commitment.
Yes, users can upgrade or downgrade plans, but confirm specifics, such as billing and feature changes, with the Breezy support team.
