Incorporating movement into math lessons -- perhaps with a floor number line, physical activities involving counting or problem-solving, or multisensory tasks like forming angles with bodies -- makes math concepts more tangible, deepens understanding and prompts more interest, writes brain researcher Judy Willis, who has classroom teaching experience. "Low-risk opportunities" like estimation minimize the fear of mistakes and help normalize predicting and revising, Willis says.

A report from the Florida Chamber of Commerce Foundation shows 94% of state business leaders believe students are "ill-prepared" for the real world -- not just STEM careers -- because so many graduates lack proficiency in basic workforce math such as budgeting, data analysis and critical thinking. The report calls for aligning K-12 math curricula with real-world applications, stronger collaborations with schools, guest lectures and real-world business applications for students.

Easterseals' "Think Outside the Backpack" initiative, supported by a grant from the General Motors Foundation, is providing youths with disabilities backpacks filled with STEM supplies, such as an FM radio kit and a marble logic game. Easterseals also plans to open a makerspace, and Taras Fossett of Easterseals says both projects will increase students' math and science knowledge and reinforce that disabilities do not limit the ability to learn and excel in STEM fields.

In the 2024–25 school year, six in 10 public school teachers used AI tools like ChatGPT to generate lesson plans, grade assignments and manage administrative work, according to a Gallup and Walton Family Foundation survey of over 2,000 educators. Teachers reported saving about six hours per week, while experts and state guidelines emphasized limiting AI use to routine tasks and preserving teacher oversight for complex evaluations.

Community partnerships are proving invaluable to schools, providing hands-on experiences and resources beyond traditional textbooks. At Gallatin High School in Montana, Principal Erica Schnee collaborated with local partners to develop a construction course, while Illinois Valley High School in Oregon worked with nonprofits to support a fire science class.

The Education Department has reversed a decision that canceled spending extensions for federal K-12 pandemic relief, allowing all states to request reimbursements for preapproved funds under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program. The change follows a preliminary injunction that permitted 16 states and Washington, D.C., to continue accessing funds.

Educators are reconsidering how to approach inclusive content after the Supreme Court's decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, which allows religious parents to opt out of LGBTQ+ inclusive instruction. Some teachers may avoid LGBTQ+ topics, while others will find ways to maintain inclusivity without additional work.