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Here is what our monitoring surfaced across 358 districts between Nov 2, 2026 and Nov 9, 2026.
The Week in Brief
This week, we saw school boards attempt to hide major policy changes from parents by burying them on consent agendas or keeping them secret until the vote. Several districts are spending heavily on social-emotional programs that replace academics with social engineering, while others are proposing alarming policies to conduct ‘wellness checks’ inside students’ homes. Parents are pushing back and winning, with key victories protecting their right to be informed about their child’s gender identity at school.
Patterns This Week
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12 districts
Replacing Academics with Social Engineering
Districts are spending taxpayer dollars on programs that teach social skills and emotional responses instead of core subjects.
Fallbrook Union Elementary · Central Valley School District · Waukesha School District · Elmbrook School District · Lawndale Elementary · Vernon School District · Johnston Comm School District · Sweetwater County School District #1 and others
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17 districts
Hiding Actions from Parents
Boards are voting on undisclosed policies, hiding controversial items on consent agendas, and limiting public review before making decisions.
Menomonee Falls School District · Broken Arrow · West Des Moines Comm School District · Clover Park School District · South Pasadena Unified · Templeton Unified · Grayslake CCSD 46 · Princeton City and others
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5 districts
Schools Entering Your Home
New policies allow school staff to conduct ‘wellness checks’ at home for virtual students, blurring the line between school and family.
Morrisville Borough SD · Centennial SD · Conestoga Valley SD · Lancaster SD · Bensalem Township SD
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✓ Wins
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Major Win (Level 10)
WIN: District Adopts Policy Protecting Parental Rights on Gender Identity
Hughes-Elizabeth Lakes Union Elementary · Los Angeles County, CA · Nov 5, 2026
In a major victory for parental rights, the board is voting on policy updates (Item IX.D.1) that incorporate the recent ‘Mirabelli v. Bonta’ court decision. These changes explicitly prohibit district staff from hiding a student’s gender identity at school from their parents or from using different names/pronouns against a parent’s wishes.
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Major Win (Level 10)
District Adopts Policy to Stop Secret Social Transitions
La Mesa-Spring Valley · San Diego County, CA · Nov 10, 2026
The board is updating Policy 5022 to align with the Mirabelli v. Bonta court decision. This new language prohibits district employees from hiding a student’s gender identity (pronouns, names) from parents or socially transitioning a child at school against a parent’s wishes.
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Major Win (Level 9)
HUGE WIN: District Codifies Parent Opt-Out for Religious Objections
Greenfield School District · Milwaukee County, WI · Nov 9, 2026
The proposed changes to Policies 2510 and 2521 are a huge victory for parental rights, requiring the district to notify parents in advance about textbooks and supplemental materials that could conflict with their sincerely held religious beliefs. The policies also establish a formal process for parents to request an exemption and receive an alternative assignment for their child.
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Major Win (Level 9)
WIN: District Creates and Protects Advanced Math Track
Cuyahoga Heights Local · Cuyahoga County, OH · Nov 9, 2026
The new ‘Advanced Mathematics’ policy (po2675) establishes a formal accelerated math pathway for qualifying students. Starting in 6th grade, students will be placed on a track to take Algebra I in 8th grade, protecting advanced learning opportunities from the ‘de-tracking’ trend.
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Major Win (Level 9)
District Adopts Strong Protections Against Political Activism
Willoughby-Eastlake City · Lake County, OH · Nov 9, 2026
The Board is adopting several new policies (2265, 6100, and others) that protect students and staff from compelled political speech and prohibit using taxpayer money, school property, or staff time to campaign for or against political candidates, levies, or bonds. This is a huge win for keeping classrooms focused on academics and ensuring district resources are not used for political activism.
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Watch List
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HIGH CONCERN (Level 10)
New Policy Blocks Parents from Recording to Protect Their Kids
Willoughby-Eastlake City · Lake County, OH · Nov 9, 2026
The district is introducing a sweeping new policy (7540.10) on recording devices and AI. This policy creates a ‘default’ of denying parents’ requests to place a recording device on their child, a critical safety tool for parents of non-verbal or special needs students. It also prohibits parents from video recording IEP and 504 meetings, limiting their ability to advocate effectively.
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HIGH CONCERN (Level 10)
District Pays $46,600 for Recess-Based Social-Emotional Learning
Waukesha School District · Waukesha County, WI · Nov 9, 2026
A payment of $46,600 to ‘Playworks Education Energized’ is buried in the consent agenda under Item B.2, Approval of Vouchers. This organization uses recess to teach social-emotional skills like empathy and conflict resolution, replacing unstructured play with structured social engineering.
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HIGH CONCERN (Level 10)
Major ‘Gender Identity’ Policy Change Hidden on Consent Agenda
Menomonee Falls School District · Waukesha County, WI · Nov 9, 2026
The board is set to approve a bundle of ‘Nondiscrimination’ policy updates on the consent agenda, which is reserved for non-controversial items. Buried in the policy provider’s notes is an option for the district to remove ‘gender identity’ and ‘sexual orientation’ from the definition of ‘sex,’ a significant change that requires a full public hearing, not a rubber stamp.
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HIGH CONCERN (Level 10)
New Policy Allows In-Home ‘Wellness Checks’ for Virtual Students
Morrisville Borough SD · Bucks County, PA · Nov 9, 2026
The district is introducing a new policy, 204.1, that requires weekly ‘wellness checks’ for all full-time virtual students. If a student fails to be ‘visibly seen’ by a district employee, it can trigger a process that ends with an in-person wellness check at the student’s home within 24 hours, including on weekends. This policy allows the school to intrude into your home to check on your child’s ‘well-being’ under the guise of taking attendance.
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HIGH CONCERN (Level 10)
District Accepts $16M+ in Grants with SEL/DEI Strings Attached
Central Valley School District · Spokane County, WA · Nov 9, 2026
On the consent agenda, Item 14.06 bundles the acceptance of over $16 million in federal and state grants. Many of these grants, including the Learning Assistance Program, Title I, and the Inclusionary Practices grant, explicitly require the district to fund and implement social-emotional learning (SEL), ‘Whole Child’ supports, and DEI-focused ‘inclusionary practices.’
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Week at a Glance
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1140
Concerns
+455 vs prior
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| Ideological |
313 |
+97 vs prior |
| Financial |
298 |
+157 vs prior |
| Governance |
294 |
+115 vs prior |
| Parental Rights |
198 |
+61 vs prior |
| External Legislation |
37 |
+25 vs prior |
Most Active Counties
| Los Angeles County, CA |
168 |
| San Diego County, CA |
58 |
| Kern County, CA |
47 |
| Waukesha County, WI |
42 |
| Bucks County, PA |
41 |
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