Education Across the States

A preview of the Maryland State Board of Education meeting on Thursday, October 29, 2026: the board reviews the 2026 Maryland Report Card and MCAP high school science and American government results, considers adopting the combined Comprehensive PreK-12 Literacy Policy, and reviews cell phone and personal device access regulations under the Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act, with updates on teacher vacancies and the school calendar workgroup.

Sources

- Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) release, October 26, 2026, 'Maryland State Board of Education to Meet Thursday, October 29' (meeting time, place, and agenda items): https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/952440598/maryland-state-board-of-education-to-meet-thursday-october-29

- Maryland General Assembly, Department of Legislative Services, Fiscal and Policy Note for Senate Bill 928, 2026 Regular Session (Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act — local policy deadline, bell-to-bell definition, storage, social media, exceptions, and MSDE regulation duty): https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/fnotes/bil_0008/sb0928.pdf

- MSDE, Comprehensive PreK-12 Literacy Policy, Version 3 document (version history: PreK-3 adopted October 22, 2024; combined April 2026; Version 2 June 2026; Version 3 July-August 2026 public comment): https://msde.maryland.gov/stateboard/Documents/EdPolicyCommittee/20260813/Literacy-Policy-A.pdf

- MSDE release, October 19, 2026, 'MSDE Announces Historic Declines in Teacher Vacancy Rate' (2,145 vacancies in 2022-23 down to 572): https://news.maryland.gov/msde/msde-announces-historic-declines-in-teacher-vacancy-rate/

- Prince George's County Public Schools, Maryland Report Card press release (star-rating indicators for elementary/middle and high schools) — search pgcps.org Newsroom for 'Maryland Report Card' star ratings release.

- Kent County Public Schools and Herald-Mail (Washington County) reporting on early local phone-free policy adoption — search kent.k12.md.us for 'Student Cell Phone Use Policy' and heraldmailmedia.com for 'Washington County cellphone ban 2026-27'.

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A plain-English, section-by-section walkthrough of South Carolina Regulation 43-243, the frame regulation that adopts IDEA Part B and 34 CFR Part 300 for every South Carolina public program and adds the state rules on FAPE to age 21 under the September 1 rule, transition at age 13 aligned to the Individualized Graduation Plan, transfer of rights at 18, parentally placed private and homeschool children, residential treatment facilities, annual LEA determinations, and fiscal sanctions with a full hearing timeline.

Sources

- S.C. Code Regs. 43-243, Special Education, Education of Students with Disabilities (Cornell Legal Information Institute, full regulatory text): https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/south-carolina/R-43-243

- South Carolina Legislature, Code of Regulations index (Chapter 43, State Board of Education, official source): http://www.scstatehouse.gov/coderegs/statmast.php

- SCDE, SC Policies and Procedures for Special Education (determinations language; mirrors OSEP process, SPP Indicators 9-13): https://ed.sc.gov/districts-schools/special-education-services/fiscal-and-grants-management-fgm/grants/sc-policies-and-procedures-for-special-education/

- SCDE, South Carolina General Supervision Guide (determination information sources, timely correction, seven compliance and seven performance factors): https://ed.sc.gov/districts-schools/special-education-services/integrated-monitoring/general-supervision-guide/general-supervision-guide/

- U.S. Department of Education, 2026 SPP/APR Determination Letter for South Carolina (June 18, 2026; needs assistance; FFY 2024 data): https://oses.ed.sc.gov/data/state-performance-plan-state-determinations/idea-fy2024-part-b-annual-determination-letter/

- Verification without a stable URL: for OSEP Questions and Answers 23-01, search the U.S. Department of Education IDEA site (sites.ed.gov/idea) for 'State General Supervision Responsibilities under Parts B and C of the IDEA OSEP QA 23-01' and open the July 24, 2023 guidance PDF, Questions D-1 and D-2. For the federal rules cited (34 CFR 300.8, 300.104, 300.145-300.147, 300.167, 300.520, 300.530(d), 300.600-300.608), search eCFR at ecfr.gov for '34 CFR Part 300' and open the section number named in the episode.

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A plain-English, section-by-section walkthrough of Illinois special education regulations, 23 Ill. Adm. Code Part 226 — child find, evaluation and IEP timelines, discipline, dispute resolution, class size, and personnel standards — and how the part connects to federal IDEA requirements.

Sources

Full text of 23 Ill. Adm. Code Part 226 (Illinois General Assembly, JCAR): https://ilga.gov/agencies/JCAR/EntirePart?titlepart=02300226

Illinois State Board of Education, Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois (parent guide): https://www.isbe.net/Documents/Parent-Guide-Special-Ed.pdf

Federal regulations, 34 CFR Part 300 — verify on eCFR.gov (ecfr.gov, search "34 CFR Part 300"): Section 300.111 (child find), Sections 300.301-300.311 (evaluations and eligibility), Sections 300.320-300.328 (IEP content and team), Sections 300.530-300.536 (discipline), Sections 300.500-300.520 (procedural safeguards).

OSEP Questions and Answers on Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District (December 2017) — search ed.gov for "OSEP Questions and Answers Endrew F December 2017"; the Supreme Court opinion, 580 U.S. 386 (2017), is at supremecourt.gov — search "Endrew F. Douglas County 580 U.S. 386".

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When a teacher is absent in American Samoa, classes may be combined, covered by an adult without adequate preparation, or lose planned instructional time — and the Department of Education's emerging Substitute Teacher Equity Program Support, called Steps, is being built with the Pacific East Comprehensive Center to fix that, starting with discovery, a sustainable framework, and a focused pilot. Plus a contrast: the August deep-sea educator workshop that protected student learning by timing forty teachers' training before students returned.

Sources:

- Pacific East Comprehensive Center, Improving Student Access to Learning Environments When Staffing Capacity is Strained in American Samoa — the Steps (S.T.E.P.S.) high-leverage problem, current fallbacks for uncovered absences, pilot support areas in instructional quality, student engagement, teacher support, and workforce development, and the discovery-to-pilot sequence: https://pacificeastcc.org/islands/improving-student-access-to-learning-environments-when-staffing-capacity-is-strained-in-american-samoa/

- NOAA Ocean Exploration, NOAA Ocean Exploration and Partners Host Deep-Sea Educator Workshop in American Samoa — August 19-20, 2026 workshop at the Tauese P.F. Sunia Ocean Center, forty educators from kindergarten through twelfth grade, live connection to NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, and supplies for four instructional kits: https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/news/noaa-ocean-exploration-and-partners-host-deep-sea-educator-workshop-in-american-samoa/

- American Samoa Department of Education homepage (system totals: more than 12,000 students in one territorial system) — search amsamoadoe.com for the ASDOE homepage

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Madison adopted its 2026-27 budget on October 26, protecting early literacy, full-day 4K, multilingual programming, and career and technical education even as local taxpayers fund about ninety percent of the budget, while Oconto voters face a smaller nine hundred thousand dollar a year second referendum on November 3 after April's rejection already forced about six hundred four thousand eight hundred dollars in cuts.

Sources:

- Focal News, Madison schools approve 2026-27 budget as district warns of state funding gap, October 27, 2026 — https://focalnews.org/madison-wi/local/madison-schools-approve-2026-27-budget-as-district-warns-of-state-funding-gap

- Green Bay Press-Gazette, Oconto Unified schools ask voters to OK extra $900K per year for 5 years, October 27, 2026 — https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/local/oconto-county/2026/10/27/oconto-unified-school-district-puts-nov-3-2026-referendum-up-for-voters/92382996007/

- Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 2026-27 General School Aids certification, October 15, 2026 — https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIDPI/bulletins/42f4184 — verify by searching dpi.wi.gov for '2026-27 general school aids' if the bulletin link does not open.

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Guam's educators have a fifteen percent market adjustment in the approved twenty twenty-six Educator Pay Plan, while Bill 351-38 proposes a five-year path to ninety-five percent of the national average — and a live dispute over whether covered personnel means classroom educators only or every Department of Education employee, including the teaching assistants who rank last nationally in pay. Plus: the In-School Youth application deadline moves to October thirtieth.

Sources:

- Senator Telo Taitague release, October 1, 2026, welcoming approval of the 2026 Educator Pay Plan (fifteen percent for grades ED-1A through ED-7, five percent for administrators ED-8 through ED-11; Department of Administration review finding Guam educator salaries significantly behind national wages): https://gftunion.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/FOR-IMMEDIATE-RELEASE_Taitague-Applauds-Teacher-Pay-Increase-Investing-in-Teachers-is-an-Investment-into-Safer-Communities-Stroner-Families-and-Happier-Futures-10.01.26.pdf

- Marianas Business Journal, 'Eye on the prize: unions want bigger roles in negotiation' — Guam Federation of Teachers wage analysis, one hundred five teacher vacancies at the start of the school year, core teacher average of about sixty-one thousand four hundred sixty-five dollars against a seventy-six thousand five hundred fifty-two dollar national average, Bill 351-38 introduced August 24, 2026, earliest raise October 1, 2027: https://mbjguam.com/eye-prize-unions-want-bigger-roles-negotiation

- Guam Federation of Teachers Wage Analysis Summary for Lawmakers (August 2026) — elementary median sixty-two thousand two hundred forty dollars (eighty-one cents on the dollar), teaching assistants twenty-one thousand two hundred fifty dollars and preschool teachers twenty-two thousand one hundred twenty dollars, each last among fifty-four areas. Search: site gftunion.com GFT Wage Analysis Summary for Lawmakers.

- Bill No. 351-38 (COR), 38th Guam Legislature — text adding new section 3137 to Title 17, Guam Code Annotated: market competitiveness standard of ninety-five percent of the National Education Association national average within five fiscal years, fifteen percent single-year cap, board review at least every two years: https://billtexts.s3.amazonaws.com/_data/gu/http-guamlegislature-gov-38th-Guam-Legislature-Bills-Introduced-38th-Bill-No-351-38-COR-pdf.pdf

- Guam Federation of Teachers President letter to the 38th Guam Legislature, September 30, 2026, on the definition of covered personnel in Bill 351-38. Search: site gftunion.com GFT Support Bill 351-38 Covered Personnel Letter.

- Senator Chris Barnett release, September 30, 2026 — proposed amendment to Bill 351-38 extending the independent compensation study to the entire GDOE workforce including General Pay Plan employees, with up to two hundred fifty thousand dollars in dedicated study funding: https://gftunion.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/CMB-Press-Release_9.30.26.pdf

- Isla Public Radio / KPRG, October 22, 2026 — Guam Department of Labor and Guam Community College extend the In-School Youth Year-Round Program application deadline to October 30, 2026 after Typhoon Champi: https://www.islapublic.org/news/2026-10-22/gdol-extends-in-school-youth-program-application-deadline-to-oct-30

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A law signed Monday doubles Puerto Rico's high school equivalency exam to twice a semester — with exams being administered across the regions today — while the new emergency alert system faces its unfinished training rollout and teachers demand a written teacher-career payment date within ten business days.

Sources:

- El Nuevo Día, Jenniffer González convierte en ley medidas sobre interrogatorios a menores y exámenes de equivalencia, October 26, 2026 (Ley 211-2026 from House Bill 190: equivalency exams twice per semester, dates announced at least two months ahead on official sites and social media at least weekly, preparation resources and contacts from the Exams, Diplomas and Certifications Unit; Ley 213-2026 consent for recorded interrogations of minors; Joint Resolutions 70-2026 and 71-2026 on two closed Juana Díaz schools): https://www.elnuevodia.com/noticias/gobierno/notas/jenniffer-gonzalez-convierte-en-ley-medidas-sobre-interrogatorios-a-menores-y-examenes-de-equivalencia/

- Breaking News Puerto Rico / CyberNews, Gobernadora firma leyes sobre derechos de menores y exámenes de equivalencia de cuarto año, October 27, 2026 (signing summary for Ley 211-2026, Ley 213-2026, and the Juana Díaz resolutions): https://breakingnews-pr.com/2026/10/27/gobernadora-firma-leyes-sobre-derechos-de-menores-y-examenes-de-equivalencia-de-cuarto-ano/

- Puerto Rico Department of Education, Subsecretaría para Asuntos Académicos y Programáticos, calendar for administration of the high school equivalency exam in private institutions serving the Adult Education Program, first cycle 2026-2027 (exams on October 27, 2026 through the Arecibo, Bayamón, Caguas, Humacao and Ponce regional offices) — document retrieved via de.pr.gov official communications (intraedu.dde.pr.gov), search: PRDE calendario administración examen de equivalencia de escuela superior primer ciclo 2026-2027

- El Nuevo Día, Educación estrena sistema de alertas para atender emergencias en las escuelas públicas, October 15, 2026 (alert system activated during the Great ShakeOut drill; 18.8 million dollars in federal funds; command center; parent app as a next phase): https://www.elnuevodia.com/noticias/locales/notas/educacion-estrena-sistema-de-alertas-para-atender-emergencias-en-las-escuelas-publicas/

- NELPR, Departamento de Educación activa sistema de alertas de emergencia en escuelas, October 15, 2026 (panic buttons, mobile/fixed/web activation, backup power, RESTART federal funds, radios previously distributed to 856 schools, staff training under way in four of seven regions): https://nelpr.com/2026/10/15/departamento-de-educacion-activa-sistema-de-alertas-de-emergencia-en-escuelas/

- Puerto Rico Department of Education announcement via La Voz Digital de Puerto Rico, Educación invita a las familias a Casa Abierta para conocer el progreso académico de sus hijos, October 22, 2026 (October 23 open house delivering first-ten-weeks progress reports; future report deliveries January 15, March 19 and May 28, 2027): https://lavozdigitalpr.com/educacion-invita-a-las-familias-a-casa-abierta-para-conocer-el-progreso-academico-de-sus-hijos/

- EDUCAMOS, Carta abierta al Secretario de Educación, October 26, 2026, published in full by Rumbo Alterno (written Carrera Magisterial payment date requested within ten business days; 12-to-15 students per group demand; 2026 teacher study figures as cited in the letter): https://rumboalterno.net/2026/10/carta-abierta-de-educamos-al-secretario-de-educacion/

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A plain-English, section-by-section walkthrough of North Dakota Administrative Code Article 67-23, Special Education — the comprehensive general plan, state and federal funding, dispute resolution, response to intervention, and postsecondary transition programs.

Sources:

- North Dakota Administrative Code Title 67, Article 67-23, Chapter 67-23-01 (Comprehensive General Plan Requirements), North Dakota Legislative Council: https://ndlegis.gov/prod/acdata/pdf.bak/pdf/67-23-01.pdf

- Chapter 67-23-02 (State Funding for Special Education, amended October 1, 2024): https://ndlegis.gov/information/acdata/pdf/67-23-02.pdf

- Chapter 67-23-03 (Federal Funding for Special Education): https://ndlegis.gov/information/acdata/pdf.bak/pdf/67-23-03.pdf

- Chapter 67-23-05 (Special Education Dispute Resolution): https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/north-dakota/title-67/article-67-23/chapter-67-23-05

- Chapter 67-23-06 (Response to Intervention): https://ndlegis.gov/information/acdata/pdf.bak/pdf/67-23-06.pdf

- Chapter 67-23-07 (Postsecondary Transition Programs, effective April 1, 2022): https://ndlegis.gov/information/acdata/pdf/67-23-07.pdf

- North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI), Special Education: https://www.nd.gov/dpi

- Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. 1400-1419; 34 CFR Part 300

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MINUTES CORRECTION: The formal minutes for the October 19, 2026 Finance & Operations Committee are now posted, and this watch checked them against our corrected report on that meeting, as promised. Most of the reporting is confirmed exactly — all seven special education contract approvals passed 2-0 at the caps we reported (ACM Staffing $79,560, which also resolves the packet discrepancy we flagged; Beyond Words $46,800; Champion Speech Therapy $90,935; SLP Mama-to-be amendment to $76,930; Amergis $43,680; BlazerWorks $206,640; special education services $57,000 — $554,645 in new or expanded authority), the FY27 September Transfer Report was approved, and the solar power purchase agreements for Main Dunstable, Birch Hill, Bicentennial, and the School Administration Building were approved. One money item was materially different: we reported three CERF vehicles totaling $223,523, including a $56,296 Transit van; the minutes record approval of four purchases totaling $266,777.07 — dump truck $90,100, F-250 pickup $77,127, Maverick pickup $34,407, and a field tractor $65,143.07, with no Transit van. The minutes also record an information item we missed: a proposed joint city-school ERP system at approximately $9 million (no vote taken). Only two committee members were present, and every vote passed 2-0.

Also in this episode: the Board of Education did not meet on Monday, October 26 as previously listed — the full board meets Wednesday, October 28 at 5:00 PM to take up these recommendations (with the dump truck and Maverick amounts already revised in that agenda), followed by the Facilities Master Plan public hearing at 6:00 PM. Official documents confirm a board meeting on November 16 but do not label it the facilities vote; that timing is unconfirmed.

Watch board meetings live via the meeting link on nashua.edu under the Board of Education section.

Listener poll: https://strawpoll.com/xVg718Km6yr

Sources:

- Nashua School District, Finance & Operations Committee Minutes, October 19, 2026 (2-page PDF, linked from the Finance and Operations page on nashua.edu): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B1fUfvntA1NU-zFrUNd1kSDfVvEZaOf3/view?usp=drive_link

- Nashua School District, Finance and Operations agendas and minutes page (nashua.edu > Our District > Board of Education > BOE Meeting Agendas and Minutes > Finance and Operations): https://www.nashua.edu/our-district/board-of-education/boe-meeting-agendas-and-minutes/finance-and-operations

- Nashua School District, Board of Education Meeting Agenda and Attachments, October 28, 2026 (164-page PDF, linked from the BOE Meeting Agendas and Minutes page): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MmNdFQyC0MMlAfyvi-IxksfgvUNDZvUo/view?usp=drive_link

- Nashua School District, BOE Meeting Agendas and Minutes, October 2026 section (October 13 and October 19 minutes posted; no October 26 entry): https://www.nashua.edu/our-district/board-of-education/boe-meeting-agendas-and-minutes

- Nashua Board of Education meeting schedule, October-November 2026 (nashua.edu; October 26 blank, October 28 BOE meeting 5 PM + public hearing 6 PM, November 16 BOE meeting 6 PM): https://www.nashua.edu/our-district/board-of-education/boe-meeting-schedule

- Verification steps: open nashua.edu, choose Our District > Board of Education > BOE Meeting Agendas and Minutes > Finance and Operations, open the October 19, 2026 Minutes PDF, and compare each recorded 2-0 vote and dollar amount against this episode; then open the October 28, 2026 Agenda and Attachments PDF (Finance & Operations recommendations, pp. 1-2) to see the amounts the full board will vote on.

AI Generated

Berkeley County, one of West Virginia's few growing school systems, has sent the state the required 30-day notice before suing over school funding — pointing to special education costs that ran 38 million dollars beyond state funding in one year and to teacher pay competition with Virginia and Maryland — while respondents in the Patten funding case face a filing deadline this week. Sources: WV MetroNews, 'Competition for teachers and special education costs drive Berkeley County lawsuit over funding' (MetroNews Talkline interview with the Berkeley County superintendent, October 26, 2026) — search wvmetronews.com for 'Berkeley County lawsuit funding'; West Virginia Public Broadcasting, 'Berkeley County Schools To Sue Over School Funding Formula' (October 22, 2026) and 'Pressure mounting in courts to deal with WV school funding as Berkeley County prepares lawsuit' (October 26, 2026) — search wvpublic.org for 'Berkeley County sue funding formula'; West Virginia Department of Education, 'WV Board of Ed. Takes Position the School Funding Formula is Inadequate' (October 14, 2026), wvde.us articles section; West Virginia Constitution, Article XII, Section 1 (thorough and efficient clause), via the West Virginia Legislature at wvlegislature.gov; West Virginia Department of Education fall 2026-27 enrollment release (226,687 students, down 8,270), via wvde.us.

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