If you’ve been in public education long enough to remember grant binders thick with acronyms and hope, then you know the ripple that follows when D.C. rewrites its priorities.
This week, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon rolled out her first set of supplemental grant priorities and if the buzzwords feel familiar, it’s because we’ve danced this dance before.
Here’s what’s on the docket:
- Reading, the Old-Fashioned Way (But With Science)
McMahon’s lead priority is all about literacy but not just any literacy. We’re talking about “evidence-based reading instruction,” the kind that favors phonics, fluency drills, and explicit comprehension strategies. It’s a clear nod to the science of reading, which has gained ground in recent years. For classroom teachers, this might mean more training, more structured curriculum mandates, and fewer “balanced literacy” approaches. If your district hasn’t pivoted yet, now’s the time to dust off your decodables. - Choice Is the New Buzzword (Again)
Another major focus? Expanding educational options. Think charters, magnet models, dual enrollment, online academies, apprenticeships, and, yes, school vouchers and education savings accounts. The language is broad, but the direction is clear: give families more ways to exit traditional public schools. For some districts, that might mean innovation grants; for others, it might mean watching enrollment and funding walk out the door. - Let the States Take the Wheel
Finally, McMahon’s third priority tips the scale toward state control. The Department is proposing to favor grant applicants who keep things local. The pitch? States know their own needs best. The subtext? Less federal micromanagement. Depending on where you stand, that could be a win for flexibility or a loss of federal guardrails.
The Department is asking for public comment over the next 30 days, but if history is any guide, these priorities will likely shape future funding opportunities. If you’re an administrator chasing grant dollars or a classroom teacher wondering what professional development will look like next year, consider this your early warning.
Because in education, federal priorities might not change the weather… but they sure do shift the wind.
