Education Across the States

Sioux Falls kindergarten falls for a fifth straight year, South Dakota's technical colleges set a record while its universities slip, and three school votes one week out all need sixty percent.

Sources:

- KELO (via KRRO), Enrollment is Down in the Sioux Falls School District, Oct. 27, 2026 — https://krro.com/2026/10/27/enrollment-is-down-in-the-sioux-falls-school-district/

- Argus Leader, Early enrollment count shows fewer Sioux Falls students than last year, Sept. 15, 2026 (final report Oct. 26 and DOE funding sign-off Oct. 31) — https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/education/2026/09/15/sioux-falls-school-district-sees-enrollment-decline-across-grades-report/91774382007/

- KOTA Radio, South Dakota Technical Colleges Reach Record Enrollment Despite Dual-Credit Decline, Oct. 26, 2026 — https://www.kotaradio.com/2026/10/26/south-dakota-technical-colleges-reach-record-enrollment-despite-dual-credit-decline/

- South Dakota News Watch, Local and legislative elections to watch this November, Oct. 16, 2026 — https://www.sdnewswatch.org/local-legislative-south-dakota-elections-2026/

- Rapid City Post, The Daily Slice: Monday, October 26, 2026 (final Rapid City bond forum, Oct. 29, Stevens High School Theatre) — https://rapidcitypost.com/the-daily-slice-monday-october-26-2026/

- South Dakota Department of Education, Hot Topics archive (Board of Education Standards meeting Nov. 2; next content standards hearing Nov. 16 in Sioux Falls), Oct. 26, 2026 — https://doe.sd.gov/newshub/archive/HotTopics.aspx

AI Generated

Wyoming's Class of 2026 averaged 18.9 on the ACT while benchmarks slipped, and nonprofit scholarship organizations face a December 1 deadline under the new federal tax-credit program.

Sources:

- Wyoming Department of Education, 'Superintendent Degenfelder Releases ACT Results for the 2026 Graduating Class' (published October 21, 2026) — https://edu.wyoming.gov/superintendent-degenfelder-releases-act-results-for-the-2026-graduating-class/

- Wyoming Department of Education, 'WDE Opens Applications for Scholarship Granting Organizations under the Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program' (published October 12, 2026) — https://edu.wyoming.gov/wde-opens-applications-for-scholarship-granting-organizations-under-the-federal-tax-credit-scholarship-program/

- Wyoming Department of Education, 'WDE Seeks Public Comment on Alternate Assessment Participation Waiver Extension Request' — https://edu.wyoming.gov/wde-seeks-public-comment-on-alternate-assessment-participation-waiver-extension-request-3/ — search edu.wyoming.gov for 'One Percent Participation Waiver Extension Request' for the Oct 28, Nov 3 and Nov 5 virtual meeting links and the December 4 comment deadline.

AI Generated

Oregon awards six point four million dollars in Career and Technical Education Revitalization Grants to fifty-one high schools, consortia, and education service districts serving more than twenty thousand students, and Tigard-Tualatin votes to close one elementary school it will not name until November ninth.

Sources:

- Oregon Department of Education and Bureau of Labor and Industries news release, Oregon invests $6.4 million in hands-on career learning for students at 51 schools (October 26, 2026): https://www.einpresswire.com/article/952577244/oregon-invests-6-4-million-in-hands-on-career-learning-for-students-at-51-schools

- Cascade Business News, republication of the same ODE/BOLI release (October 26, 2026): https://cascadebusnews.com/oregon-invests-6-4-million-in-hands-on-career-learning-for-students-at-51-schools/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=oregon-invests-6-4-million-in-hands-on-career-learning-for-students-at-51-schools

- KXL, Tigard Tualatin Board Plans to Close One Elementary School (October 27, 2026): https://www.kxl.com/tigard-tualatin-board-plans-to-close-one-elementary-school/

- Recipient list without a stable URL in the release: on the Oregon Department of Education website (oregon.gov/ode), search for 'CTE Revitalization Grant' and open the CTE Revitalization Grant webpage, which links the list of programs that received grants.

AI Generated

Oklahoma is removing chronic absenteeism from the formula that grades its schools — nineteen percent of students were chronically absent in twenty twenty-four to twenty twenty-five — while the compulsory attendance law stays, a new tardiness signal arrives, state fitness guidance takes effect November first, and early voting opens tomorrow.

Sources:

- Oklahoma State Department of Education, Oklahoma Releases 2025 Public School Report Card (December 1, 2025): https://oklahoma.gov/education/divisions/media/newsroom/2025/december/oklahoma-releases-2025-public-school-report-card.html — SB 711 removal, pending ESSA plan amendment approval, 81 percent good attendance, state grade D

- The 74, Oklahoma Schools Have a Chronic Absenteeism Problem. Now, It Will No Longer Count Against Them (June 3, 2026): https://www.the74million.org/article/oklahoma-schools-have-a-chronic-absenteeism-problem-now-it-will-no-longer-count-against-them/

- Oklahoma Voice, Oklahoma schools beat national average in student attendance, report finds (June 3, 2026): https://oklahomavoice.com/2026/06/03/oklahoma-schools-beat-national-average-in-student-attendance-report-finds/ — search oklahomavoice.com if the link fails

- Minga via EIN Presswire, Oklahoma Now Grades Schools on Instructional Time, Not Chronic Absenteeism (October 26, 2026): https://www.einpresswire.com/article/951899075/oklahoma-now-grades-schools-on-instructional-time-not-chronic-absenteeism — vendor survey data, labeled as such on air

- Oklahoma State Department of Education, October 2026 health and physical education bulletin via GovDelivery: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/OKSDE/bulletins/42fb787 — Fitness Assessment Guidance and the November 1, 2026 effective date

- University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Education Policy Conference, October 27, 2026: http://www.ou.edu/education/centers-and-partnerships/education-policy/events/education-policy-conference-2026

- Marietta Monitor, Election information released (October 2026), for early voting hours October 28-31 and Election Day November 3: https://www.mariettamonitor.com/news/election-information-released/article_c712603c-0df0-46b9-9fb4-21197e27592b.html — or search the Oklahoma State Election Board for early voting October 28-31 2026

AI Generated

Albuquerque Public Schools grades itself against the four goals its board set in 2023 and reports three met and one missed: reading and postsecondary readiness ahead of schedule, middle school math behind, and only twenty-two percent of graduates with disabilities reaching the readiness benchmark the district as a whole has already beaten.

Sources:

- Albuquerque Public Schools, APS Exceeds Postsecondary Goal, Driven by Sharp Gains Across High Schools (posted August 19, 2026): https://www.aps.edu/news/news-from-2026-2027/aps-exceeds-postsecondary-goal-driven-by-sharp-gains-across-high-schools

- Albuquerque Public Schools, APS Announces Community Meetings on Right-Sizing (posted October 16, 2026; updated October 21, 2026): https://www.aps.edu/news/news-from-2026-2027/aps-announces-community-meetings-on-right-sizing

- The Paper (City Desk ABQ), APS hits new milestones: Superintendent touts record-low teacher vacancies, high ambitions (September 1, 2026): https://abq.news/2026/09/aps-state-of-the-district/

- Pete Dinelli, APS Superintendent Proclaims School System Strong With 3 out of 4 Proficiency Goals Achieved (October 26, 2026), summarizing Albuquerque Journal reporting and APS board goal monitoring data: https://www.petedinelli.com/2026/10/26/aps-superintendent-of-schools-proclaims-school-system-strong-with-3-out-of-4-proficiency-goals-achieved-touts-progress-made-in-proficiency-scores-and-graduation-rates-commentary-new-mexico-pu/

- 96.3 KKOB, APS meetings (October 22, 2026), for the March-or-April decision timeline: https://www.newsradiokkob.com/2026/10/22/aps-meetings/

- New Mexico Secretary of State, election advisory on extreme weather (October 26, 2026), via Los Alamos Reporter: https://losalamosreporter.com/2026/10/26/new-mexico-secretary-of-states-office-issues-election-advisory-in-light-of-recent-extreme-weather-events/

AI Generated

North Dakota guarantees every student a lunch, but a new investigation shows unpaid meal debt can still lead to debt collections and a withheld transcript, while the fall 2026 survey counts more than 250 unfilled teaching jobs from just 27 percent of districts reporting and Grand Forks' city council president apologizes for comments about students with disabilities.

Sources:

- North Dakota Monitor, Oct. 27, 2026, North Dakota families can face debt collections if they can't afford school lunch: https://northdakotamonitor.com/2026/10/27/north-dakota-families-can-face-debt-collections-if-they-cant-afford-school-lunch/

- North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, Oct. 26, 2026, Elementary and special education lead critical teacher shortage areas in North Dakota: https://www.nd.gov/dpi/news/critical-teacher-shortage-areas

- KFGO-KNOX via Froggy Web, Oct. 27, 2026, Grand Forks City Council President apologizes for comments about Special Education students: https://froggyweb.com/2026/10/27/grand-forks-city-council-president-for-comments-about-special-education-students-in-grand-forks-schools/

- North Dakota State Auditor's Office, Oct. 27, 2026, Audit Shows Mayville State University Needs Stronger Controls for Waivers: https://www.nd.gov/auditor/news/audit-shows-mayville-state-university-needs-stronger-controls-waivers

AI Generated

Two State Board rulemakings on one comment clock: twelve weeks of paid parental leave for every eligible school employee is already law, and three new categories of student absence must now be excused.

Sources

- NC Department of Public Instruction, Rulemaking Information (proposed amendments to 16 NCAC 06C .0408 Parental Leave and 16 NCAC 06E .0102 Attendance Requirements; comments until January 4, 2027; anticipated effective date March 3, 2027): https://www.dpi.nc.gov/about-dpi/state-board-education/rulemaking-information

- EdNC, NC teachers now qualify for 12 weeks of paid parental leave (October 1, 2026): https://www.ednc.org/10-1-2026-nc-teachers-now-qualify-for-12-weeks-of-paid-parental-leave/

- NC Office of State Human Resources, Paid Parental Leave (eligibility, 100 percent pay, October 1, 2026 qualifying-event split): https://oshr.nc.gov/state-employee-resources/benefits/work-life-balance/paid-parental-leave

- NC Health News, Parental leave increases for public NC workers (October 1, 2026): https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2026/10/01/parental-leave-bereavement-leave-nc-workforce-law/

AI Generated

One week before Election Day, voters in Neptune City, Branchburg, Flemington-Raritan, Holland, the Delaware Valley towns, Waretown, and thirteen Hunterdon municipalities decide school bond referendums and a regional-district membership question — several of them scaled-down second tries where state aid exists only on the yes side of the ballot.

Sources

- Asbury Park Press (app.com), 'Neptune City voters to consider nearly $7 million for school upgrades,' October 26, 2026: https://www.app.com/story/news/education/2026/10/26/neptune-city-voters-to-consider-nearly-7-million-for-school-upgrades/92397408007/

- Asbury Park Press (app.com), 'Waretown voters asked to approve $12.7M for school improvements,' October 17, 2026: https://www.app.com/story/news/education/2026/10/17/waretown-voters-asked-to-approve-spending-plan-for-school-repairs/92267622007/

- MyCentralJersey.com, 'NJ election 2026: Somerset, Hunterdon ballot questions,' October 26, 2026 (Branchburg, Flemington-Raritan, Holland, Delaware Valley, and Bloomsbury questions): https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/10/26/somerset-hunterdon-nj-election-2026-ballot-questions/92363824007/

AI Generated

A plain-English, section-by-section walkthrough of Arizona Administrative Code R7-2-401, the special education standards every Arizona public education agency works under, from child find screening and evaluation timelines to IEPs, consent, preschool minimums, and state monitoring.

Sources

- Arizona Administrative Code, Title 7, Chapter 2, Article 4, R7-2-401 (official text via Arizona Secretary of State, Title 7 PDF: https://apps.azsos.gov/public_services/Title_07/7-02.pdf ; browsable mirror: https://regulations.justia.com/states/arizona/title-7/chapter-2/article-4/r7-2-401/)

- R7-2-401 as adopted by the State Board of Education October 23, 2017 (engrossed November 15, 2017), Arizona Department of Education: https://cms.azed.gov/sites/default/files/2017/11/R7-2-401%20As%20Adopted%20by%20the%20Board_Engrossed.pdf

- Arizona Department of Education, AZ FIND guidance for Public Education Agencies: https://www.azed.gov/specialeducation/az-find and Child Find FAQs: https://www.azed.gov/specialeducation/child-find

- Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services, Programmatic Monitoring Manual 2025-26: https://cms.azed.gov/sites/default/files/2025/08/Programmatic%20Monitoring%20Manual%202025-26.pdf

- IDEA regulations, 34 CFR 300.111 (child find) and 34 CFR 300.301 (initial evaluations): verify at ecfr.gov by searching Title 34, Part 300, or at sites.ed.gov/idea by searching the section number.

- OSEP Memorandum 11-07 (response to intervention may not delay or deny evaluation): verify at the U.S. Department of Education OSEP policy letters page by searching "Memo 11-07".

To verify any provision without a stable URL: search the Arizona Secretary of State Administrative Code site for "Title 7 Chapter 2 R7-2-401", or search azed.gov for "Exceptional Student Services" plus the topic (child find, monitoring, prior written notice).

AI Generated

One week before Election Day, Rhode Island's November third ballot carries five statewide bond questions totaling about six hundred million dollars — led by a two hundred seventy-five million dollar higher education bond — plus two local school construction bonds in Chariho and Portsmouth, and this episode works through what each one builds, what each one really costs with interest, and what bond money cannot pay for.

Sources:

- Ocean State Media, "$600 million on the ballot: Breaking down Rhode Island's proposed bonds" (published October 27, 2026): https://www.oceanstatemedia.org/elections/2026-10-27/600-million-on-the-ballot-breaking-down-rhode-islands-proposed-bonds

- The Providence Focal (Providence Journal / Focal News), "Rhode Island Question 1 would direct $275 million to three public colleges" (October 26, 2026): https://focalnews.org/providence-ri/politics/rhode-island-question-1-would-direct-275-million-to-three-public-colleges

- Rhode Island College, "Question 1 to Support Healthcare, Workforce Training in Rhode Island's High-Demand Fields" (October 5, 2026): https://our.ric.edu/news-events/news/question-1-support-healthcare-workforce-training-rhode-islands-high-demand-fields

- Rhode Island Current voter guide calculation of Question 1 total cost (five percent, twenty years, about $441.3 million), as cited in the Ocean State Media article above; to locate it directly, search rhodeislandcurrent.com for the 2026 voter guide bond questions explainer.

- Town of Richmond official ballot notice, Chariho Regional School District local Question 6 ($116 million elementary school bonds, state housing aid at least sixty-one percent): https://www.richmondri.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4674/Chariho-Public-Notice-1022026

- Town of Portsmouth official local ballot questions explanation, November 3, 2026 (Question 6 school construction bonds up to $41 million, RIDE Stage II program; Question 7 nonpartisan elections): https://www.portsmouthri.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7981/Portsmouth-Local-Ballot-Question-Explanation-2026?bidId=

- Rhode Island Board of Elections, Upcoming Elections (general election November 3, 2026; early voting begins October 14, 2026): https://elections.ri.gov/elections/upcoming-elections

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