Every year brings formidable challenges for educators, but the upcoming 2025-26 school year seems to portend an especially pivotal time for Long Island students, parents and teachers. Will artificial intelligence usurp learning? How will kids and schools handle the state cellphone ban? Can schools fix the chronic absenteeism plague? Will the federal Department of Education stop funding programs vital to low-wealth districts? And are kids prepared for college or a career the day they graduate?

FUNDING CUTS AHEAD?

Teaching kids costs money — a lot. New York spends more per pupil on K-12 education than any other state, but receives only 7.3% of total education spending from Washington. Nationwide, the federal government provides an average of 13.7% of public school funding.

Since New York

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