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Hello from Erica on Chalkbeat’s national desk. Our big story this week looks at an effort in one blue state to up the political pressure around the federal tax-credit scholarship. Are Republican-leaning rural and suburban voters the right ones to sway a Democratic governor?

Keep reading for more on kindergarten readiness, a literacy initiative in Michigan, students facing consequences for walkouts in Indiana, teachers strikes in California, and more.

School choice backers in one Democratic state are trying an unusual method of swaying their governor to opt into the federal tax-credit scholarship. They’ve placed more than two dozen non-binding referendums on the ballot at the county and township level.

The target of this campaign is Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. Republican governors have quickly opted into the program. Democratic governors like Pritzker are taking a more cautious approach — with the notable exception of Colorado Gov. Jared Polis.

“Asking voters to weigh in would send a signal to other counties, to state lawmakers, and, most importantly, Gov. Pritzker that Illinois families deserve these funds,” said Dylan Sharkey of the libertarian Illinois Policy Institute, which is coordinating the initiative.

Most of the ballot language is clear that these are non-binding advisory measures, but in one county, the ballot language seems to suggest that voters can opt just their county into the program, which is not the case. 

Illinois had a state tax-credit scholarship program as recently as 2023. Organizations that raise money for scholarships and private schools that serve a lot of low-income students are eager for Illinois to opt into the federal program so that donors have more incentive to give. 

In contrast, this county-based campaign has highlighted ways the program might also benefit public school students, including suggesting that scholarships might cover Advanced Placement exam fees or ACT prep courses. But the rules are still being written, and it’s not entirely clear how the federal program will work or what will be covered. 

Democrats who support the tax-credit scholarship include former Chicago schools chief and Obama-era Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post with Democrats for Education Reform CEO Jorge Elorza arguing that participation could help Democrats regain the moral high ground on education. 

But many public education advocates fear the program ultimately will hurt public schools and the students they serve.

Voters in Chicago — a Democratic stronghold with lots of low-income families — aren’t being asked to weigh in. Most counties with the advisory question are suburban or rural areas that Donald Trump won in last year’s presidential election.

Read the full story here.

Minnesota superintendents suing to keep ICE away from schools hope to succeed where a previous lawsuit failed. One of the superintendents leading the charge said her district has seen severe learning disruptions and egregious behavior from agents. Another said that just the fear of increased enforcement has forced him to divert staff time and resources to planning and reassuring families. Congress could also act to restore protections for sensitive locations, but it’s not clear how much of a priority it is for lawmakers.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s “History Rocks!” tour has drawn protests and cancellations. The days leading up to a recent visit to a Chicago private school were “filled with discussions, sometimes arguments” about how the Trump administration’s policies have been harmful to many in the school community. “While that challenge exists, can we host people from different political backgrounds, with different political interests, with different political agendas?” the principal wondered.

Whether a child is ready for kindergarten may depend on their zip code. New data from a federal survey shows low-income parents are less likely than wealthy parents to report their children as ready for kindergarten. That may be because low-income families have less access to opportunities, such as high-quality early childhood programs. Assessing whether a child is ready for kindergarten isn’t straightforward, but is often measured through age, behavior, and whether they have the skills to get through the school day.

Wealthy students still dominate enrollment at elite institutions despite universities touting record enrollment of students from low- and middle-income families. The progress to economic diversity on the campuses of the country’s most selective schools is incremental, according to data analyses. While the proportion of students from lower-income neighborhoods has increased from 13.2% in 2019 to 13.4% in 2025, the majority of students still come from affluent areas. For low-income students, the stakes are high: Attending an elite institution can mean a higher income later in life, with more career opportunities unlocked.

A teachers strike in San Francisco is now in its third day. Teachers in San Diego plan to strike later this month. Teachers in Los Angeles authorized a strike amid ongoing negotiations. 

If it feels like all of a sudden California school districts are experiencing a lot of labor unrest, it’s not your imagination.

As Politico reports, the California Teachers Association coordinated with local affiliates so that contracts would expire at roughly the same time in districts across the state. Teachers unions have used that leverage to secure concessions. Many teachers want higher pay, but they’re also bargaining for smaller class sizes, better special education staffing, and other changes. In other words, these negotiations aren’t just about benefits for teachers — they are also about how well schools serve students.

Superintendents, in turn, are lobbying the state for more money to meet these demands and expand services for students. California has increased education spending in recent years, but districts say it’s not enough. They’re facing declining enrollment and low attendance that eat into their budgets at the same time teachers are asking for higher wages.

Independent analyses published in The 74 found that school districts — and not just in California —  have continued to add staff even as the student population has declined. This raises questions about how sustainable staffing levels and pay increases are, even if states increase school funding.

Meanwhile, without referencing any specific news event, Education Secretary Linda McMahon posted a video on X this week reminding teachers that paying union dues is optional. 

That’s how many hours of special education support public school students in Pittsburgh missed during the pandemic, NPR reports. And the district has still only made up for about a tenth of those hours in efforts to catch up. Nationally, other districts are facing similar challenges to make up for lost time.

That’s Rima Bahradine-Bell, a student from South Bend, Indiana, who testified in front of Indiana lawmakers this week in support of legislation that would limit the access minors in the state have to social media platforms. 

Another fight over what children see on social media is playing out in a Los Angeles courtroom this week as Google and Instagram parent company Meta face claims that their platforms are deliberately designed to hook children into an unhealthy addiction to social media, according to the Associated Press.

Thumbnail photo credit Eric Gay / Associated Press

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