Universities and state education policies dominated in 2024 with a tumultuous year that saw massive protests over the Israel-Hamas war and lawsuits over the separation of church and state in public schools.
The federal level wasn’t completely left out with its own fiasco over the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and failures in implementing some student debt relief options.
Here are the top five education stories from 2024.
Campus protests
Universities had an overwhelming spring as thousands of students set up encampments at dozens of schools around the country to protest the Israel-Hamas war.
Protesters pitched tents and demanded their colleges divest from companies that had any involvement with Israel.
The demonstrations led to the cancellation of some commencements, and more than 2,000 individuals were arrested.
At Columbia University, former President Minouche Shafik…