U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos used the PIRLS results to make the case that American education needs a shake-up. Meanwhile, her reaction to the increase in graduation rates was more muted, especially compared to the Obama administration's.

Among those saying the Minnesota Democrat should step down in light of sexual harassment allegations is Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the ranking member of the Senate education committee.

Democrats on the Senate education committee had some tough questions for President Donald Trump's picks to head up civil rights and special education policy at the U.S. Department of Education.

On Dec. 1, we spoke with the island's Secretary of Education Julia Keleher about the state of K-12 there, and she gave us an update.

The Senate's passage of a tax overhaul bill featured some late-night, dramatic moments concerning school choice, religious instruction, and a private college linked to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

The Senate's version of a tax overhaul package contains potential changes for how teachers do their taxes, for state and local education funding, and other issues related to schools.

A House bill contains significant changes to how high school students apply for federal aid for college, as well as the information about colleges provided by the federal government to prospective students and their families.

"We are being outpaced and outperformed by countries like China, Germany, Vietnam, and the U.K." DeVos said in a speech to Jeb Bush's education foundation. "We are a nation still at risk. We are a nation at greater risk."

Several amendments to expand school choice in various ways have yet to gain traction as part of the Senate's bid to overhaul the tax code.

If lawmakers don't take some kind of action by Dec. 8, major parts of the government—including the U.S. Department of Education—will grind to a halt.