Secretary of Education Linda McMahon testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 21. The Trump administration wants schools to sign a "compact" in exchange for priority access to federal grants. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
President Trump, accompanied by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, speaks on Sept. 19 after signing an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House. Trump signed two executive orders, establishing the "Trump Gold Card" and introducing a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images hide caption
A student raises their hand in a classroom at Tussahaw Elementary School in 2021 in McDonough, Ga. Brynn Anderson/AP Photo hide caption
A person walks past the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption
Kat Lloyd talks to the students during a presentation inside the Tenement Museum in New York City. Keren Carrion/NPR hide caption
Caleb Strickland, 4, has an artificial heart pump keeping him alive while he waits for a transplant. Nora Strickland, his mom, says she feels far away from the Trump administration's disputes with universities. Elissa Nadworny/NPR hide caption
Mychal Threets is hosting the new iteration of Reading Rainbow, which starts Saturday. Buffalo Toronto Public Media/Embassy Row hide caption
These books top PEN America's list of the books most often challenged and banned from school classrooms in the U.S. during the 2024-2025 school year. PEN America hide caption
Ramona Klein poses for a photo in a classroom at the former Fort Totten Indian Industrial School in North Dakota. Klein attended the boarding school from 1954 to 1958. Dan Koeck for The Washington Post/via Getty Images hide caption
Avani Yaltho, the 2025 high school winner of NPR's Student Podcast Challenge, poses for a portrait with her recording setup in her room in Houston. Joseph Bui/for NPR hide caption
Ameya Desai poses with Linda Horikawa, an 85-year-old grandmother who is the subject of this year's winning middle school entry in NPR's Student Podcast Challenge. Talia Herman/for NPR hide caption
Students walk past Royce Hall at the UCLA campus in Los Angeles on Aug. 15, 2024. Damian Dovarganes/AP hide caption
Nora Strickland and her son Caleb at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Caleb has a congenital heart defect and is among many children waiting for research on pediatric ventricular assist devices to resume, after the Trump administration cut funding to this research in the spring. Elissa Nadworny for NPR hide caption
A still image from the famous 1967 film by Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin, said to be of Bigfoot. Roger Patterson & Robert Gimlin hide caption
People walk by Sather Tower on the UC Berkeley campus on March 14, 2022 in Berkeley, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images North America hide caption