The Education Department will redirect federal grant money toward charter schools, civic education, HBCUs and tribal colleges, including $160 million for the American History and Civics Education program. Supporters say the move strengthens civic instruction, while critics say it politicizes history and diverts resources from other essential education programs.

Legislation that could undergo a House vote this week seeks to end the District of Columbia's Judicial Nomination Commission and instead give the president full authority for making nominations to the D.C. Superior Court and the D.C. Court of Appeals. Meanwhile, the Senate altered its rules to allow votes on non-cabinet-level nominees in groups of unlimited numbers, rather than individually, with a vote on a group of 48 nominees expected this week.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the implementation of new social studies standards advocated by State Superintendent Ryan Walters that include more material from the Bible and Judeo-Christian teachings. The court decision came after 33 teachers, parents and faith leaders filed a challenge arguing the standards violate the First Amendment's separation of church and state, and the court's order prevents the State Department of Education from spending money to enforce the standards while the case is considered.

Three Pittsburgh-area school districts are enhancing news literacy education amid the rise of AI and misinformation as national fellows of the News Literacy Project, receiving $30,000 each over three years to develop news literacy tools. One district will use the funding to integrate news literacy throughout its curriculum, while another aims to teach students to critically evaluate media and a third district, named to the fellowship in 2023, has already created a collection of news literacy resources for teachers.

OpenAI plans to launch parental controls for ChatGPT in October, aiming to address concerns over teens' reliance on chatbots for companionship and advice. Surveys indicate most parents turn to schools for help with digital safety, and schools can educate families about setting up and using parental controls, provide training sessions and guide students on safe AI use.

Some educators are expressing reservations about the use of AI in the classroom, citing concerns about its impact on critical-thinking skills and the lack of thorough analysis of its potential drawbacks. Dylan Kane, a middle-school math teacher in Colorado, says that while AI can be useful, it often requires too much prompting to be effective and could hinder teachers' professional growth, and Elizabeth Bacon, a computer science teacher in California, says she prefers creating her own lesson plans to better meet students' needs.

Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., spent a day at Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls, S.D., teaching economics and government classes. Johnson discussed the importance of the Constitution, economic systems and the national debt, engaging students in interactive lessons.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs plans to revive the 'Aha 'Opio mock legislature program next summer to enhance civic education among high-school students. The program, which ran from 1988 to 2004, was instrumental in promoting political engagement and activism among Native Hawaiians, and the revised version will involve 50 rising high-school seniors in an intensive weeklong session on lawmaking and civics.

This Wednesday, September 17, is Constitution Day, a time to celebrate and reflect on the foundation of our democracy. For 60 years, the Center for Civic Education has provided free, high-quality instructional materials for K-12 classrooms and professional learning opportunities for educators. On our Constitution Day homepage, you will find grade-specific We the People lessons, videos and engaging classroom resources, and a link to the Civics Renewal Network's Constitution Day Hub. We invite you to explore and share these resources to help students across the country gain a deeper appreciation of the Constitution and the democratic values it upholds. Explore our Constitution Day homepage at and our free professional learning webinars.

Join us tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET for a free, interactive webinar honor