Feds resume collecting education civil rights data — with changes

[Daniel Mollenkamp, EdSurge]

View in browser     |   No. 704  |   10/16/25   |   Subscribe to this newsletter This issue is sponsored by For the Trump administration, the federal shutdown is an excuse to continue its attempts to dismantle the Education Department. The latest round of bone-deep cuts hit the civil rights offices, and people working on special education and funding for low-income students.    The precise details are not yet clear, but the cuts could have immense fallout for American students.   There’s been significant concern over the extent to which data collection on education will continue, with shredded contracts, purges of key staff and delays in report publications. With the looming threat of vanishing data, organizations like the Data Rescue Project have rushed to preserve data on educational outcomes, public and private schooling and safety in schools, lest they disappear forever.    In recent weeks, the administration has signaled that it will continue data collection in education in some ways — but not without changes.   To take one example: The administration recently announced it restarted the Civil Rights Data Collection, the key source of information regarding students’ experiences of school based on race, gender and disability, as a recent story from EdSurge reporter Nadia Tamez-Robledo explores.   However, researchers noticed that the newest version of the project scrapped the recently added nonbinary gender category, which will make it harder to track bullying and other forms of discrimination there. The administration has also said it will wind down collection of state-level data that shows how students with disabilities and students of color are unfairly treated.    — Daniel Mollenkamp, EdSurge reporter 📣 TOP STORIES   PHONES AWAY: A massive experiment has been underway in recent years, as an increasing number of schools and states have changed their device policies to reflect a growing concern around how cellphones interfere with student focus and learning. Now, preliminary findings from a national survey of more than 20,000 public school educators offer insights into the effect of these guardrails. Here’s the skinny on the study.   DATA DELAY: Following months of uncertainty, education researchers were relieved when the Department of Education moved forward this summer with the preparations to gather civil rights data from the 2025-26 and 2027-28 school years. A previous version of the survey was shelved for revisions to the student gender categories it included.   The following is a message from our sponsor  Empower your students to think deeply, create boldly, and rise fully.   Introducing Magnetic Literacy, a fully integrated core program for Grades K–6 from the creators of i-Ready that nurtures independent thinkers — equipped and eager to engage with the world.   Discover how your students can rise.  📺 EYES AND EARS MAKE IT ADD UP: Why aren't AI math tutors taking off like ChatGPT did for essays? Find out in this EdSurge video.   Sponsored by ISTE+ASCD AI MADE PRACTICAL: From challenges to breakthroughs, discover how educators are harnessing AI to transform teaching and learning. Don't miss “Uncovering Practical Solutions for AI Implementation” — a GenerationAI webinar featuring real-world stories of innovation, on Thursday, October 16, from 12 to 1 p.m. PT / 3 to 4 p.m. ET. Register now to join live.   🗞️ IN OTHER NEWS   LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: As national reading scores cause dismay among educators, schools in California have found a creative way to boost their students’ writing and communication skills. Dozens of Title 1 campuses are part of a Latino Film Institute program that teaches filmmaking to students from fifth through 12th grade, starting with a script and ending with a short film.    MISSING THE POINT: Letter grades often hinder true learning, fostering labels instead of growth. In this essay, Voices of Change fellow Nikita Khetan explores how mastery-based systems shift the focus from chasing points to building skills. By emphasizing feedback and the chance to try again, schools can move beyond outdated grading practices and support students in developing confidence and a genuine love of learning.   🔗WHAT WE'RE READING   Between back-to-office requirements and rising child care costs, young mothers are being squeezed out of the workforce. (Fortune)   Long-term analysis of Future Forward, a literacy tutoring program for schools serving low-income families, found that it’s promising for boosting reading skills. (The Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy)   The author most likely to be banned in American schools? Stephen King. (AP News)   📈 STORY IN A STAT 66 minutes The average time during school that adolescent students spend on cellphones, according to a RAND report that also claims to be the first on the national prevalence of public school cellphone bans. Out of nearly 1,000 schools, 96.68 percent had a cellphone policy. Elementary schools were less likely to allow students to bring cellphones to class. Other research has found that strict cell phone policies lead to happier teachers, as a recent EdSurge article explained.   Post a job | See all jobs   Customer Success, Texas Based | GoalBook | Multiple Locations, TX Goalbook is growing and we are hiring for Customer Success roles. You’ll lead our renewal process and implementations, working closely with instructional leaders across the country.   Account Manager | CodeHS | Chicago, IL CodeHS is looking for an Account Manager to help manage and renew customer accounts. You will get a chance to work closely with educators and schools to facilitate teaching coding to students all over the world.   Events See all events and meetups   Elevating Innovation: Thinking in an AI World | November 4 | Online Elevating Innovation: Thinking in an AI World, presented by Digital Promise and Verizon Innovative Learning, is a free virtual event for educators exploring how AI and technology can amplify powerful learning and reimagine the future of education.   ISTE+ASCD Instructional Leaders' Summit | January 16-19, 2026 | San Diego, CA Join a cohort of top educational leaders at the ISTE+ASCD Instructional Leaders’ Summit 2026 in San Diego, January 16–19. More than 2 days of Problem of Practice workshops, collaboration in focused tracks for school and system leaders, and valuable networking opportunities with a personalized peer advisory board to fuel your professional growth throughout the year.   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.