Archive for February 2026

On February 23, the U.S. Department of Education announced two additional Interagency Agreements (IAAs). Of particular relevance to superintendents, school safety grant activities at the Department which aimed to increase the number of school mental health personnel and to support schools following particularly violent or traumatic events will be transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The U.S. Department of Education has issued two new Dear Colleague letters addressing Title I funding flexibility and guidance on prayer and religious expression in schools, outlining key federal priorities and considerations for educators and ESAs.

On February 3, Congress passed a bipartisan, bicameral Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education funding package, along with 4 other bills and a two-week stopgap for Department of Homeland Security to allow Congress more time to negotiate reforms for immigration enforcement.