Revealing the top stories of 2025

[Daniel Mollenkamp, EdSurge]

View in browser     |   No. 713  |   1/8/26   |   Subscribe to this newsletter This issue is sponsored by I’ve always loved an observation from James Baldwin that the line between a witness and an actor is thin but real. As we launch into 2026, taking stock, I’m sitting with that line. Through this newsletter and our reporting, we have tried to incisively track the seismic shifts in education that have occurred while keeping in mind that teaching students has always been a difficult job.    Personally, I find this time of year the most refreshing. In part, that’s because you can see what readers were most interested in, what the actors really valued in our witnessing.    Toward that end, our editor Becky Koenig published a walkthrough of our 10 most popular stories in K-12 education and reporter Lauren Coffey did the same for early childhood education.    When I peeked at the lists, I was struck by the impression that the early childhood stories painted a picture of a dire time — with cuts to childhood programming, deregulation and families struggling to meet basic needs — but also of creativity, with stories exploring the ideas of early childhood subs and apprenticeships.    In K-12, where I spend most of my time, the list reveals a system trying to navigate the headwinds of Trump executive orders that contradict research and promote AI, while heartfelt essays about teaching religion, generational splits and neurodivergence remain especially popular.    And what I really learned from this set of lists is that, sometimes, a year seems a lot longer than it looks on the calendar.    We’re grateful for your readership, and look forward to continuing the work. As always, feel free to write in and tell me any stories you think we missed, or that we should cover this year, at dan...@edsurge.com.   — Daniel Mollenkamp, EdSurge reporter 📣 TOP STORIES   K-12 COUNTDOWN: In 2025, the K-12 articles that proved most popular with you, our EdSurge readers, reflected the breadth of the big trends gaining momentum in school districts and classrooms: AI growth, aggressive federal action on education policy and changing youth culture among Gen Z and Gen Alpha students. Here’s a look at the top 10 of our most popular K-12 stories from last year.     TOP EARLY ED STORIES: Changes — and often, subsequent concern — largely defined the early childhood education sector in 2025. There was also plenty of innovation in the field. While we expect more of both in 2026, here we break down the top 10 most popular early childhood stories from 2025 here.   HIGH BAR: In Wisconsin, high school teachers who want to teach a college-level course must have a master’s degree and at least 18 graduate credits in the subject. It’s a tough standard that some say keeps too many districts from offering dual enrollment, despite increasing demand, as detailed in this report from Wisconsin Watch. The following is a message from our sponsor Find. Compare. Decide.   Since 2012, educators have trusted the EdTech Index to find the most complete, reliable, and up-to-date information available for learning technology products, including quality indicators from trusted sources. Explore the EdTech Index today. LEARN MORE!    edtechindex.org   📺 EYES AND EARS REMOTE TEACHING: Virtual schools are growing. So is the trend of teachers choosing them as a workplace. For educators burned out by traditional classrooms, teaching from home is becoming more than a temporary fix. Find out more in this new EdSurge video short. 🗞️ IN OTHER NEWS   CAN’T PUT IT DOWN: What if school felt as irresistible as TikTok? In this column, Mi Aniefuna unpacks the science of attention, dopamine, and surprise — and how teachers can design learning experiences with more FOMO than the latest dance trend.    MAP FOR THE FUTURE: In this compelling commentary, Demian Hommel of Oregon State University suggests that the study of geography may be the answer to our growing need to understand the tumult of cultures we encounter every day. Geography isn’t what you think it is, he writes: “It explores how systems of power, trade and technology shape our lives.”   🔗WHAT WE'RE READING   The vital survival skill for this year: learning to critically ignore low-quality information. (The Wall Street Journal)   Grandparents are playing an increasingly big role in child care. Here’s why. (Wbur)   Here’s what happened when a retirement home adopted an elementary school. (The Washington Post) 📈 STORY IN A STAT 67 percent The “unthinkable” increase in students checking out library books at Ballard High School in Kentucky following a cellphone ban, according to The Washington Post. Schools across the country are experimenting with phone bans, hoping to spur academic success. Some preliminary research suggests that the policies boost performance but may also lead to an increase in suspensions. The most rigorous initial research of more than 20,000 public school educators has shown that stricter cellphone policies make teachers happier, as EdSurge has reported.   Post a job | See all jobs   Deputy Chief of Schools | Noble Schools | Chicago, IL The Deputy Chief of Schools is responsible for managing and developing a portfolio of principals to ensure strong outcomes in school culture, staff engagement, and academics, driving continuous improvement across 5–6 campuses.   Customer Success Manager | CodeHS | Texas CodeHS is looking for a Customer Success Manager to help manage school implementations and onboarding. This position is specifically to support our Texas customers.   Events See all events and meetups   THANKS FOR READING   ➔ Got any feedback? We love hearing from readers. Shoot us a note, critiques, a joke—whatever you’ve got! ➔ Interested in reaching our readers? Sponsor this newsletter. EdSurge is an editorially independent project of ISTE+ASCD reporting on the powerful forces, fascinating people and innovative practices shaping teaching and learning. International Society for Technology in Education 2111 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia, 22201, United States To update your email preferences or unsubscribe, click here.