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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Mon Aug 25 2025

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

Good morning!🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert . Welcome to a special Daily Briefing Back to School Edition. 🎒

But first: Monday's news to know right now

•	Chinese Taipei continued its Little League World Series tradition of being the country with the second most titles (18), which only trails the United States, after its win against Nevada, 7-0.
•	Twice as many Americans say they strongly disapprove of President Donald Trump's second term than those who strongly approve, a new poll shows. When broken down along party lines, most Democrats say they disapprove of Trump, and most Republicans approve of him.
•	Ghislaine Maxwell questioned if Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide, but she waived away conspiracy theories suggesting he was blackmailing powerful men who participated in a sex-trafficking ring. Five takeways from the Justice Department's interviews.

As kids head back to school, lots of changes may await

Students across America may be strapping on backpacks for the first time in months on Monday as a new school year commences. But many students may return to a changed academic landscape: Uncertainty over the future of federal grants made it harder for superintendents and school boards to budget. Students and teachers were deported, or faced threats of removal from the country. And the spectacle of government investigations loomed large, as the Trump administration crack down on schools with LGBTQ-inclusive policies and diversity programs. As millions of kids head back to the classroom this month, here are four key issues to keep an eye on, from nutrition to vaccines to DEI mandates.

•	The recent deportation of a 6-year-old student sparked uproar in New York City schools over ICE tactics.

How did these students become school shooters?

School shootings are in focus after two events last week: A hoax shooter incident at Villanova University and reports of a shooting at University of Tennessee's campus in Chattanooga. Villanova parents told USA TODAY the uneasy feeling of leaving their children behind after the scare.

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But how do some shooters come to be in the first place? Investigators at the Anti-Defamation League found striking similarities between the two young killers and the paths they took that shattered families and communities, according to an Aug. 21 study provided to USA TODAY. The ADL said that the pair went down the path of murder because of the online communities they participated in that glorified and encouraged violence.

Education stories to read right now

•	Education Department delays are putting parenting college students in a bind.
•	An Indiana school banned a mom for trying to protect her child. Was she right to sue?
•	In Oklahoma, some teachers must prove they're "America first."
•	Does your student use AI? Make sure they know the facts about their ChatGPT history.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

The school year brings book removals, religion and revisions to these states

"They (the standards) don't have words like 'analyze' or 'compare and contrast.' So they're just telling you what to think and then you're going to be tested on what they're telling you to think."

~ said Sandra Valentine, a mother of five and educator in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As some states battle over what teachers should teach and what materials should be removed from classrooms, students and parents like Valentine starting a new school year may be caught in the middle.

The economic pinch of back-to-school

Back-to-school shoppers are worried about the economy and tariffs and starting their shopping early. According to the National Retrail Foundation, the average K-12 shopper is budgeting $858 this year on average per student. Some are so anxious they started shopping weeks before classes started (while summer camp hasn't even been paid off for some families). Many families are pulling back on new-for-school stuff altogether, but some shoppers may be able to save some money on their back-to-school shopping if their state has a sales-tax holiday. Seventeen states have designated times in July and August when certain items can be purchased tax-free. See if yours is one.

•	USA TODAY's Labor Day 2025 shopping guide has the best end-of-summer deals.
•	Paris Hilton and Olivia Munn love pediatrician-approved Ten Little shoes for their kids.
•	Save up to 30% on adidas shoes, shorts and jackets for the new school year.

Recess!

•	Not so fast ... the Presidential Fitness Test is back this year.
•	Vaccine skepticism crisis spills over as students return to school.
•	What parents and kids can learn from the Little League World Series.
•	How to prevent oversharing your kids' information online.

It's game on for the 2025-2026 season

Perhaps one of the most anticipated elements of back-to-school: The resumption of sports for students across the country. From high school to college, U.S. athletic departments are preparing for competition. USA TODAY Sports is covering what faces student athletes right now, from the challenges already facing the NCAA's new pay-for-play rules to how transgender athletes in college sports are rare, despite outsized political attention. And we're keeping an eye on the commercialization of youth sports, reporting how families and players wanting to excel are extorted by corporate interests.

•	Sign up for Path to Playoff, USA TODAY's new college football newsletter.
•	Follow USA TODAY Studio IX, a hub for women's sports.

Photo of the day: College football week zero

Conference championships aren't won or lost in Week 0. The games still count the same, though. No. 21 Iowa State's 24-21 win against No. 20 Kansas State in Ireland was the headliner of a five-game Week 0 slate that served as the amuse-bouche to the main course of the regular season, set to begin in earnest Thursday.

Ncaa Football Aer Lingus Classic Iowa State At Kansas State

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht holds up the trophy after defeating Kansas State during the Aer Lingus Classic between Iowa State and Kansas State at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.

Laszlo Geczo, INPHO via Imagn Images

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here . Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.