Kendra Howard-Horn dropped out of high school in the late 1990s but always knew she wanted a diploma.  The 42-year-old Fort Worth resident tried different paths over the years, including GED classes, but they never fit her learning style, she said. She needed accountability. She needed structure.  Now Howard-Horn is one of hundreds of adult learners at New Heights High School, a Fort Worth-based charter that’s the first in the state to offer adults a pathway to earn a diploma. Soon, New Heights will expand, moving into a former school building owned by Fort Worth ISD.   The charter’s new home will be at the former Rosemont Sixth Grade — and Applied Learning Academy — campus on McCart Avenue. The school plans to open Oct. 20, doubling its capacity across two sites.  view article

An investigation by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found more than 60 instances of nepotism, self-dealing and conflicts of interest among 27 private schools that likely would have violated state laws had the schools been public. view article

Former Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn has withdrawn her nomination to serve in the No. 2 spot in the Trump Education Department after cultural conservatives mounted a campaign opposing her.  The U.S. Department of Education announced Thursday that Schwinn would serve instead as a senior adviser and chief strategist, roles that do not require Senate confirmation.  Schwinn enjoyed a good reputation among national conservative education advocates for her work in Tennessee to boost reading proficiency and target pandemic relief dollars toward academic recovery. Schwinn was the second name President Donald Trump announced to lead his Education Department, after Secretary Linda McMahon, even before he was sworn into office. view article

Many families are scrambling to find solutions after a charter school shut down just five days before the first day of the school year. Bexar County Academy announced Wednesday it would not reopen for the 2025–2026 academic year. Classes were supposed to begin Monday. The decision caught parents like Regina Vogelsberg off guard, who has been preparing for her daughter to return to school. view article

Arizona, with a marketplace of school options, offers a window into the GOP vision for K-12 education  The party at John R. Davis Elementary School was in full swing, but at the snow cone station, the school’s librarian was in tears.  In the cafeteria, alumni marveled at old photographs on display and shook their heads. On a wall of the library, visitors posted sticky notes to describe their feelings: “Angry,” read a purple square. “Anxious,” said a pink one. “Annoyed.” “Heart broken.” “Bummed.” And more than any other word: “Sad.” view article