
01
School Librarians Hesitant to Discuss Books Amid Texas Battles to Restrict Titles
The gist: Texas educators say a push to remove nearly 2,200 books is making them afraid to recommend or buy titles, even widely taught classics.
Big pictureThe dispute is part of a broader Texas effort to control what students can read and to bring more conservative and Christian perspectives into schools. Librarians say the pressure can shrink access to books about race, identity, history and difficult life experiences.
Explain like I'm 5Imagine someone putting a warning sticker on almost every book shelf, so the librarian becomes nervous about handing children anything. Teachers say this makes it harder for students to discover stories they love.
Why it matters nowLt. Gov. Dan Patrick recently urged schools to remove books from a list assembled by Recover America, while districts are putting new book-review rules under Senate Bill 13 into practice. Some districts have paused purchases, including Lubbock ISD, which reported no book orders from August 2025 through February 2026.
Three things to know01The list mixes very different books
It includes classroom staples such as Hatchet, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Night alongside controversial adult titles like Lolita and Fifty Shades of Grey.
02Complaints add new work
Senate Bill 13 gives school boards authority to approve or remove books after challenges, forcing librarians to spend more time cataloging, reviewing and defending materials.
03Some districts stop buying
Lubbock ISD said its purchasing pause was caused by implementing the new law, showing how uncertainty can limit new acquisitions even before individual books are formally removed.
Trusted source
The 74 ↗

02
As more colleges close, advocates are calling for them to be turned into housing
The gist: Abandoned college campuses could help ease the housing shortage, but turning them into homes is slowed by debt, zoning fights and costly repairs.
Big pictureThe country needs millions more homes while a growing number of colleges are closing because they cannot pay their bills. Reusing campuses could connect these two problems, but communities must agree on plans and find enough money to make them work.
Explain like I'm 5When a college closes, its buildings can sit empty like a big unused toy set. People want to use that space for homes, but fixing and changing the buildings can be hard and expensive.
Why it matters nowA new estimate says 442 private, nonprofit colleges could close or merge within the next 10 years. In Quincy, the city council recently rejected a proposal to buy the former Eastern Nazarene campus, leaving its future unsettled.
Three things to know01The housing gap is large
Freddie Mac estimates the United States needs about 3.7 million additional homes, while Quincy alone is short roughly 4,400.
02Old campuses need major changes
Many former colleges are not zoned for housing, and their aging dorms may have shared bathrooms, cramped layouts and accessibility problems.
03Some towns are preparing early
Cazenovia, New York, changed zoning and attracted local investors who are converting parts of its former college into housing and other town-square uses.
Trusted source
Hechinger Report ↗

03
Nearly a Year In, Universal Childcare Is Reshaping Work for Moms in New Mexico
The gist: New Mexico’s universal childcare program is linked to sharply more work among low-income mothers while giving higher-income mothers more freedom to work less, study, or stay home.
Big pictureNew Mexico is the first U.S. state to offer this kind of universal childcare, giving researchers a rare chance to study its effects in America. The policy could affect family finances, parents’ choices and children’s long-term outcomes, though those child-related effects will take years to measure.
Explain like I'm 5Childcare used to cost too much for some parents to take jobs. Now that care is free, families can choose how to use their time—like being given more doors to walk through.
Why it matters nowA new study examining the program’s first months found an immediate increase in work among low-income mothers, while higher-income mothers reduced their work on average.
Three things to know01Low-income work rose sharply
Labor-force participation and employment increased by 18%, full-time work by 23%, and weekly hours by 15% among low-income mothers.
02Higher-income choices shifted
Higher-income mothers’ labor-force participation fell 8%, full-time work fell 17%, and weekly hours fell 10%, possibly because some chose school or more time at home.
03Demand grew quickly
The number of children enrolled in the program had risen 39% by April, with more than 30,000 families participating.
Trusted source
The 74 ↗