Jonaki Mehta

Couldn't have put it any better. This is uncharted territory for public media.

If you want to help save a member station that will be heavily impacted by federal $ being pulled, a former NPR staffer, Alex Curley, put together this simple, beautiful way to 'adopt a station':

adoptastation.org

U.S. vs. China: Inside a great power rivalry Are the world's two largest economies headed toward decoupling?

We now have a dedicated series page for everything U.S. vs China: www.npr.org/series/g-s1-... It helps our audience keep track of the twists and turns in one of the world's most consequential diplomatic relations.

really going to have an impact on their academic success,” she says. “There’s a lot of ripple effects that come from that.”

More stories to come from Skowhegan, Maine and Mill Stream Elementary very soon!

so that has really helped for my home life and my school life." Mental health services are especially hard to come by in rural, low-income parts of the country. Chigali worries what will be lost without the funds. “Not being able to check in when [students] are having an off day, it's just...

out by 2027, but now $1 billion will be cut by December. This means Chigali and her colleagues will have to reduce how many students they can see, even though they already have long waitlists. 5th grader Ryleigh says, “Miss Jordan taught me how to talk through it instead of getting physical...

to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which sent federal money to schools for mental health services. For the last three years, it has paid for the salaries of three licensed counselors like Jordan Chigali,or Miss Jordan, as the students call her. The district had a plan for the money to run...

Last week, our team was in rural Maine, talking to counselors and students at Mill Stream Elementary about the value of mental health services in schools. Then, last Wednesday night, as we were on the road home the Trump administration announced cuts...
www.npr.org/2025/05/07/n...

The response we got from Harvard:

a Department spokesperson said that Harvard has “spent years ignoring completely, a total coordinated effort to drive Jewish life underground.” Harvard didn't immediately respond to NPR's request for comment.

The Trump admin is pulling future research funding for Harvard in its ongoing battle with the university over what the administration alleges is unchecked antisemitism on Harvard's campus. In a call with reporters before the letter was released,
x.com/EDSecMcMahon...

A smaller Nation's Report Card NAEP board cancels tests to try to appease DOGE

hechingerreport.org/proof-points...

Some details on key parts of the Nation's Report Card - which is widely considered the gold standard for student achievement tests - being scrapped in the wake of DOGE cuts. @jillbarshay.bsky.social on what's being cut, what's staying and how the NAGB seems to be suggesting this 'with much pain.'

With federal funding on the line, school leaders weigh Trump DEI order The Trump administration has told states they have until April 24 to promise to end DEI programs in K-12 schools, or risk losing federal dollars.

The Trump administration has told states they have until April 24 to promise to end DEI programs in K-12 schools, or risk losing federal dollars.
From @jonakimehta.bsky.social

Education Dept. warns schools: Eliminate DEI programs or lose funding The department sent a letter to state leaders threatening the loss of funds for K-12 schools that don't follow its interpretation of civil rights laws.

If you missed our story about the letter the Ed Dept sent to state and local leaders, you can listen / read here:
www.npr.org/2025/04/03/n...

On 'sending education back to the states' and threatening to pull funding from schools, McMahon acknowledged that not all states treat school funding the same, and asked private sector donors in the room to step up. 'As we pull down bureaucracy, there could be gaps and holes we need you to fill."

said "Black History Month is not just about Blacks, it's about our history...we should welcome everyone to come in and learn about that history and that diversity. So rather than being with exclusion, it's all about inclusion.'

At an ed tech conference in SanDiego where Education Sec McMahon spoke. Asked about the latest letter re: DEI to schools, she said 'i think discrimination is the bad thing.' Moderator Phyllis Lockett asked if cultural events and other DEI programs like them would still be allowed to exist. McMahon

I'd link to the www.npr.org story but...

Want to raise bilingual kids? First, let go of a common myth Speech pathologists offer parents real-world advice on how to incorporate a second language with their kids at home — and demystify a misconception about bilingualism.

Speech pathologists offer parents real-world advice on how to incorporate a second language with their kids at home — and demystify a misconception about bilingualism.

but there are no federal or State laws prohibiting the principles of DEI,"says the letter.

The NY dept says it already follows civil rights laws, including Title VI.

New York Dept of Education says it will not comply with the US Dept of Ed's order to certify their schools are getting rid of DEI programs.

"We understand that the current administration seeks to censor anything it deems ‘diversity, equity & inclusion...

rely more heavily on funding. Title I and special education programs are some of the biggest pots of money the feds send schools. Will continue following how changes to the Dept of Ed will affect low-income students and families.

Then we got news that the Ed Dept sent state leaders a letter warning that if they don’t lose DEI programs, they could risk losing Title I funding. The federal govt. only sends schools about 10% of the funds they rely on, but schools in rural and low-income areas...
www.npr.org/2025/04/03/n...

How the Education Department helps students with disabilities get an education Special education laws and the U.S. Department of Education have evolved together over nearly five decades. Now, the Trump administration seems to want to separate the two.

Started the morning with a story about the role of the federal government in special education in light of recent comments from the Trump administration about moving "special needs" to HHS.
www.npr.org/2025/04/03/n...

Have You Recently Sought Help From the CFPB? ProPublica Wants to Hear From You. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is walking away from cases that might have helped return money to consumers across the U.S. We want to hear from people who feel left behind.

Have you:
• Filed a complaint with the CFPB in the past year?
• Had problems with a company whose case the CFPB dismissed or stopped investigating?
• Been in touch with the CFPB regarding investigations or resolutions in the past year?

Let us know 👇

How the Education Department cuts could hurt low-income and rural schools With cuts to nearly all the staff at the Department of Education's primary data agency, low-income and rural schools may not get the federal funds they rely on in coming years.

several employees there I spoke to. These self described "data nerds" tell me they're fairly confident the essential dollars will reach school districts for next school year, but they're VERY concerned about the 2026-27 school year. More here:
www.npr.org/2025/03/21/n...

The National Center for Education Statistics. NCES has existed since 1867, and has been THE central, reliable source of information about education in the US. With nearly 100 staffers gone, the data crunching to make Title I and grants for rural schools is going to be near impossible, according to

Hey y'all - I'm in the baby stages of building up my Bluesky, but wanted to share some reporting from this week: Just a minutes ago, nearly half of the Ed Dept.'s staff finished their last day of work before being put on admin leave: many who spent decades at the dept. All but 3 people remain at...