PreK-12 schools

As children savor the last few weeks of summer, teachers are in a rush to transform their classrooms into a fun, welcoming environment as cost-effectively as possible.

The list is the district’s effort to comply with a new law that bans teaching about LBGTQ topics through sixth grade and requires schools to remove books with sexual content.

Advocates and educators discuss book bans and challenges in Iowa and beyond and how these laws are already changing Iowa’s classrooms. And a recent high school graduate shares how seeing himself represented in a book changed his life.

In its first year, Iowa’s program to pay private school tuition drew twice as many applicants as estimated.

Host Ben Kieffer discusses some of the week's headlines, including new funding for renewable energy in rural areas, the closure of Iowa Wesleyan University and more.

The next leader of the Iowa’s largest school district is a superintendent from Pennsylvania who has a background working on school improvement and equity in education.

Funding for higher ed would increase for community colleges, but not in general state funding for public universities. Lawmakers also want to know about their diversity initiatives.

Rep. Zach Nunn is co-sponsoring federal legislation aimed at preventing school cyberattacks like the one that canceled classes for Des Moines students earlier this year.

Gun control advocates gathered in the Iowa Capitol for a student-led protest against a bill that would expand gun owners’ rights to carry weapons onto school property.

Iowa House lawmakers are sending legislation to Gov. Kim Reynolds that bans instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in elementary schools.