PFAS Research Push: The National Science Foundation awarded $7.9M to create Vermont’s PFAS Environmental Research Network, pairing colleges and students—including Landmark College—with state partners to track “forever chemicals” in groundwater and soil. Student Exchange: The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan opened applications for the Kennedy-Lugar YES Program for spring 2027, offering eligible Pakistani high school students a fully funded U.S. semester with host families and leadership-focused activities. Space Academy Race: Florida lawmakers and stakeholders are lobbying to host a new federal U.S. Space Academy created by an executive order, aiming to educate future astronauts, scientists, and engineers. College Assessment Fight: University of Michigan plans to hide first-semester letter grades for incoming LSA freshmen starting fall 2027, shifting them to pass/no credit to ease a “mental health crisis,” drawing student pushback. School Food Pressure: A new opinion piece argues America’s school lunch program is failing kids and calls for stronger, better-funded nutrition education. Higher-Ed Integrity: Federal prosecutors allege a Phoenix man and a former Ohio superintendent used fake invoices to divert more than $8M from a community school, including luxury spending. 9/11 Teaching Debate: A report says some school districts are using a curriculum that downplays the attacks and reframes them through later anti-Muslim themes, sparking controversy over how students learn the anniversary.