May 4, 2025

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Logan, 17 and a junior at Newton South High School, stands in his room in Newton, Mass. Logan was part of a program called Charting My Path, which helps students with disabilities prepare for life after high school. The Trump administration cancelled the program in February.
Cassandra Klos for NPR

Hello Dear Reader,

Cory Turner here. Before we get to matters of substance, I would like to take a moment to celebrate the humble doughnut. I am, at this moment, eating one (courtesy of my colleague, Elissa Nadworny). It’s made of chocolate cake, vanilla frosting, caramel drizzle and… unicorn dreams? I mean, wow.

Deep breath, sits up, [“focus, Cory, focus!”]

This week, I want to share a story that’s pretty common these days: the story of a government service/grant/research study that has been cut by the Trump administration – and one that’s also difficult to report because it’s so hard, especially in audio, to capture the sound of a thing ending.

I decided to deep-dive into one research study that was cut in February by the Department of Government Efficiency. The study provided transition services for high-schoolers with disabilities – services meant to help teens plan for college, a job and independent living.

The story brought me to Newton, Mass., one of 13 school districts that was piloting the study, known as Charting My Path for Future Success. There, I spent time with Jessie Damroth and her son, Logan, who was enrolled in the program.

Logan has autism, ADHD, anxiety and hypersomnia, which has made it difficult to attend school consistently. But not long into the program, Jessie told me, something began to change in Logan. He got more excited about school – and the future.

As you’ll read/hear, Charting My Path meant something to Logan. It mattered. Here’s my story.

One request: If you have time, please listen. I tend to write my stories twice, for radio and print, and they’re often quite different, since the two media play by different rules. But my heart belongs to radio because of the intimacy of the human voice.

So please, carve out a few minutes to spend with Jessie and Logan – just the three of you.

Maybe while enjoying a nice doughnut.

— Cory Turner, Correspondent, NPR Ed

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In other news …

1. The Education Department stops $1 billion in funding for school mental health. Turns out, I wrote two stories this week about things ending. This one, a fascinating read about a bipartisan congressional push to help schools hire 14,000 new school-based mental health workers – and the Trump administration discontinuing it because of concerns over DEI. Read the story here.

— Cory Turner, again!

2. Trump again threatens Harvard's tax-exempt status. "We are going to be taking away Harvard's Tax Exempt Status. It's what they deserve!" President Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Friday. His comments marked the latest volley in a battle between the Trump administration and the wealthiest college in the world. Read the story here.

— Elissa Nadworny, Correspondent, NPR Ed

3. Republicans plan to overhaul the federal student loan system. Here's what to know. Republicans on the House education committee publicly unveiled their plan Tuesday to remake the federal student loan system while also cutting more than $330 billion in federal spending to help offset the cost of extending President Trump's tax cuts. Read the story here.

— Cory Turner, yes, again, it’s been a busy week

And something to make you smile …

Car Seat Headrest.
Carlos Cruz/Matador Records

It's the weekend, and you need to pass the time until catching the latest (and apparently good!) Marvel movie. How about counterbalancing those monoculture tendencies with some great independent rock albums?

Julie Bee, host of Amplified on Marfa Public Radio joins NPR Music's Stephen Thompson to talk through Car Seat Headrest's return, the newest albums from Samantha Crain, PUP, Jenny Hval and more on our latest New Music Friday episode.

Listen to the show below and scroll down to see our long list of albums that came out on Friday.

As always, thank you for reading and listening!

— The NPR Education Team

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