🎓 The SuperBriefDaily Education News for School Leaders | Good morning! It's Friday, January 23, 2026. Today's essential education news, curated for you. | 💡 Quote of the Day "Education is learning what you didn't even know you didn't know." — Daniel J. Boorstin | ⚡ Quick ReadsCongress Rejects Trump's 15% Education Budget Cuts, Maintains $79B Funding Congressional lawmakers released a fiscal 2026 budget proposal rejecting the Trump administration's call to cut Education Department funding by 15%. The proposal allocates $79 billion, up from $78.7 b... Read more → | Education Week Chicago Public Schools Cancels Classes Friday as Extreme Cold Grips Midwest Chicago Public Schools announced class cancellations for Friday, January 23rd as dangerous wind chills sweep across the Midwest. The extreme cold is testing aging school infrastructure across the regi... Read more → | K-12 Dive Portland Public Schools Proposes $50M in Cuts, 288 Positions at Risk Oregon's largest school district announced a proposal to slash $50 million from its budget, impacting 288 full-time positions. Half the cuts would come from administration, with the remainder affectin... Read more → | KATU News LAUSD Braces for Historic Layoffs as Teachers Union Plans Strike Vote Los Angeles Unified is preparing to announce several hundred layoffs in February—the largest workforce reduction since 2008. United Teachers of Los Angeles is conducting a strike vote this month that ... Read more → | EdSource Newsom Proposes Stripping Power from Elected State Superintendent Governor Newsom proposed shifting oversight of the 2,000-employee Department of Education from the elected superintendent to the State Board of Education. State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, who's ru... Read more → | CalMatters SF Teachers Vote 99% to Authorize Strike Amid Budget Crisis More than 99% of San Francisco teachers participating in a strike authorization vote said yes, as the district faces deep budget cuts and potential school closures in 2026. Read more → | The Frisc California Legislators Renew Push for Mandatory Kindergarten Making kindergarten mandatory has become a top legislative priority in California for 2026, with several lawmakers indicating they would sponsor a bill requiring attendance for the state's youngest le... Read more → | CalMatters |
| 📰 Today's Top Stories📰 Secretary McMahon Launches 'History Rocks!' Tour in New Orleans Education Secretary Linda McMahon visited Sophie B. Wright Charter School in New Orleans as part of the department's national 'History Rocks! Trail to Independence' tour promoting civics education. Read more → | U.S. Department of Education 🧑🏫 West Contra Costa District Faces 140 Layoffs After Teacher Strike After agreeing to significant pay raises following a four-day strike in December, West Contra Costa Unified is now preparing to lay off up to 10% of staff—about 140 educator positions—to cover $60 million in budget cuts over three years. Read more → | Richmond Side 📰 Former Uvalde Officer Acquitted on All Child Endangerment Charges Former Uvalde school officer Adrian Gonzalez was acquitted of all 29 child endangerment charges related to the 2022 shooting that killed 19 students and 2 teachers, sparking renewed debate over school safety accountability. Read more → | Education Week 💰 Proposals to Expand Missouri Private School Voucher Program Meet Tight Budget Missouri lawmakers are considering expanding the state’s private school voucher program with proposals to open eligibility and remove demands on private schools who accept voucher funds. But the program, which has spent a majority of the $50 million it received in state funding this fiscal year, ... Read more → | The 74 Million 💵 West Contra Costa Unified school board OKs labor deals amid funding worries The West Contra Costa Unified school board narrowly approved tentative labor agreements with its teachers and other employees, granting them an 8% pay increase and more generous health benefits, but without a clear plan for how to pay for them. Read more → | EdSource (California) 📰 Trump’s national school voucher program could mean a boom in Christian education LACONIA, N.H. — Three dozen 4- and 5-year-olds trooped out onto the stage of the ornate, century-old Colonial Theatre of Laconia in this central New Hampshire town. Dressed in plaid, red, green and sparkles, some were grinning and waving, some looked a bit shell-shocked; a tiny blonde girl sobbed... Read more → | The Hechinger Report 👨🎓 As student enrollment declines, a look at public school closures We’re tracking districts’ plans to shutter or consolidate schools amid enrollment pressure from falling birthrates and growing school choice. Read more → | K-12 Dive | 📊 Quick Poll What's your top priority for the spring semester? Reply to this email with your answer! | 🌐 What Educators Are Saying Online🔴 From Reddit "I am looking at the dark web leak right now. It's real. They leaked the SPED records. I feel sick. If your district hasn't patched their SIS this week, DO IT NOW." — u/u/TechDirector_OKView → 🐦 From Twitter/X "They think we don't pay attention. Cleveland stands with Nashville. If you come for one of us, you come for all of us. ✊🏽 #StudentPower #ClevelandWalkout" — @HaleyTorresCLEView → "The chaos in our schools today proves exactly why we need the Parental Bill of Rights. Parents must be in charge, not activists. The new portal is OPEN. Use it." — @@SecMcMahonView → | | 📅 Upcoming EventsTASA Midwinter Conference 2026 📍 Austin, TX • 🗓️ Jan 25-27, 2026 • TASA Learn More → • In 3 days AASA National Conference on Education 2026 📍 New Orleans, LA • 🗓️ Feb 19-21, 2026 • AASA, The School Superintendents Association Learn More → • In 28 days SXSW EDU 2026 📍 Austin, TX • 🗓️ Mar 02-05, 2026 • SXSW Learn More → ASCD Annual Conference 2026 📍 Atlanta, GA • 🗓️ Mar 20-23, 2026 • ASCD Learn More → CoSN Annual Conference 2026 📍 Denver, CO • 🗓️ Mar 29 - Apr 01, 2026 • Consortium for School Networking Learn More → Have an event to share? Email us | Someone you know needs to see this. Only you can send it. 📧 Forward to a Colleague | That's a wrap on today's education news. See you tomorrow for the next briefing! 💬 Feedback? Have a story, appointment, or trend your colleagues should know? Reply to this email. | 📬 You're reading The SuperBrief A daily executive digest crafted for superintendents, board chairs, and education leaders navigating K–12 at the speed of policy. © 2026 The SuperBrief. All rights reserved. |
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