The push for universal kindergarten

[Daniel Mollenkamp]

View in browser     |   No. 722  |   3/12/26   |   Subscribe to this newsletter This issue is sponsored by   In rural Pennsylvania, in Mifflinburg Area School District, costs have pushed the district to reconsider how much tech they use.    Costs for the district’s tech shot up, in some cases, 30 percent over the last year, according to the district’s director of technology.   They are not alone.   During the pandemic and after, many schools rushed to bring screens and other technology into the classroom. But these days, some families and researchers are wary of the effects of screens on their children, and some lawmakers are even considering a digital device ban. It’s also more costly. Some companies discounted tech during the pandemic, when federal relief money was also available. But that’s changed, driving up district expenses and forcing schools to “ruthlessly reevaluate” edtech purchases, as I’ve previously covered.   But Mifflinburg points toward another, tech-related concern for schools: data centers. The steep spike in tech prices stemmed from AI data centers, which are causing shortages in computer components and hardware, according to the district's director of technology.    The Trump administration has encouraged “rapid expansion” of data centers, as part of its plan to win the “AI race.” Across the country, it’s led to the proliferation of squat buildings dedicated to processing AI data, including near schools.   But these centers eat energy, emit carbon and require lots of potable water, threatening to empty local reservoirs, as Lauren Coffey reported for EdSurge last year.    — Daniel Mollenkamp, EdSurge reporter   📣 TOP STORIES   MANDATORY KINDERGARTEN: Even casual observers of the early childhood space likely noticed the massive push for expanding access to care and education programs over the last year, most notably with universal preschool options. But a less splashy effort has been quietly underway for years: making kindergarten mandatory. Could it get an unintended boost from universal pre-K efforts?   BABIES’ BRAINS ON SCREENS: Mi Aniefuna recounts the first screen his newborn daughter ever saw during a FaceTime call from the NICU. The story becomes a window into the American Academy of Pediatrics’ updated guidance on children’s screen use. He explains how researchers are shifting attention toward the digital environments children experience and the role adults play in shaping them.   Sponsored by BetterUp SUPPORTING THE SYSTEM: The work of central office staff often happens far from classrooms but directly affects how schools operate. In New York City Public Schools, leaders introduced coaching for these employees to support leadership growth, strengthen collaboration and help staff navigate the complex demands of running the nation’s largest school system. 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   🗞️ IN OTHER NEWS   AUTOMATING ASSESSMENT? As AI tools spread across classrooms, grading may seem like an obvious task to automate. But a lawyer-teacher-AI ethicist argues that when teachers read and respond to student work, they gain crucial insight into how students think and learn. That understanding shapes instruction, relationships and feedback in ways automated systems cannot replicate, raising important questions about AI’s role in assessment.   CHANGING JOB REQUIREMENTS: As public education faces unprecedented political threats, Sofia Gonzalez believes teachers can no longer afford to stay on the sidelines. Drawing from her experience advocating alongside students at the Illinois Capitol, Gonzalez argues that “teaching and revolution aren’t separate lanes. They run parallel. They feed each other, and sometimes they collide.” 🔗 WHAT WE'RE READING   What the screen time battle looks like in the classroom. (The New York Times)   A key bill with safety provisions for kids online is advancing, though Democrats believe it contains an escape clause for “Big Tech.” (K-12 Dive) Reporting from Arkansas spells out how steep child care costs are keeping mothers from full-time jobs. (The Arkansas Advocate) 📈 STORY IN A STAT 1 in 3 About a third of schools have recovered in math or reading, according to a recent report from assessment company NWEA. Fewer schools — about one in seven — recovered in both subjects, the report notes. But schools with many high-poverty families and from historically disadvantaged groups have made the biggest improvements, though they are still less likely to have caught up to where they’d be without the pandemic, according to the report.   Post a job | See all jobs   NGSS Physical Science Assessment Writer Grades 6-12 | InnerOrbit | Remote Join our amazing team of top-tier writers as a Physical Science NGSS Assessment writer for InnerOrbit's NGSS Assessment Platform!.   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.   Curriculum Alignment Specialist | IXL Learning | Raleigh, NC IXL Learning, developer of personalized learning products used by millions of people globally, is seeking a Curriculum Alignment Specialist to join our curriculum development team.   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.