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Todd Wallack

@twallack.bsky.social
2.4K followers 501 following 343 posts

Washington Post national education reporter. Signal: twallack.99 email: todd.wallack@washpost.com.

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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Most US students graduate college in 4 years or less, a new study finds. 8% complete a bachelor's in 3 years or less. Nearly 7K finished within a year in 2024-25. wapo.st/4AFdBSU (gift link)
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Carnegie Mellon just got the biggest donation ever made to a single college ($3 billion), largely to open a new campus in Miami. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
washingtonpost.com
Carnegie Mellon nets $3 billion gift, most ever given to a university
Entrepreneur Ken Griffin’s donation will launch a new campus in Miami and support the school’s Pittsburgh campus.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
There's been an effort in some red states to restrict tenure at public universities. Now the Trump administration is taking action at the US service academies. wapo.st/4hDFceJ
wapo.st
Hegseth bars military academies from hiring civilians as tenured professors
The move marks the latest effort by the Trump administration to exert more control over faculty at service academies.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
It's not just students using AI. A University of Chicago professor used AI to help produce over 200 papers so far this year. He's also written or co-written as many as 14 books, with more in the works. wapo.st/4xCaFUf (gift link) @washingtonpost.com
wapo.st
One professor’s AI-assisted output: 200 papers and 14 books this year
An online platform removed 257 papers written or co-written by the University of Chicago’s Nicholas Polson after other academics raised questions.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Many students are able to move quickly through the program, both because of the transfer policy and the structure of the classes.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
The accreditor, which oversees more than 200 universities, also plans to examine its broader policies around transfer credits and competency-based education (which lets students go at their own pace).
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
A college known for letting students graduate in as little as a few months is gaining attention...both from prospective students and its accreditor. @washingtonpost wapo.st/4yJ2wyk (gift link).
wapo.st
State college in Maine draws scrutiny from accreditor over fast online degrees
The University of Maine at Presque Isle is facing a review after a Washington Post article reported that some students completed degrees in just a few months.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
What great college papers do you think are missing from the list?
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Princeton Review says the list is based on surveys of students on campus, rather than expert opinions.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
What do you think of the Princeton Review's list of brst college newspapers?
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Really interesting look at students learning about 9/11 by my colleague @laurenmlumpkin wapo.st/3T0Sz0b (gift link)
wapo.st
These students weren’t alive on 9/11. They’re reading letters from teens who were.
In the months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York, history teacher John Buglione asked his students to write letters to the future. Now he uses those documents to teach his current...
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding student visas. A judge just blocked the latest changes. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
washingtonpost.com
Judge blocks DHS rule limiting foreign students to four-year stays
The court ruling came one day before the new regulation was set to take effect.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Washington Post is accepting applications for summer internships. Deadline is Oct. 9. intern.washpost.com
intern.washpost.com
Washington Post Newsroom Summer Internship Program
General information and FAQ for The Washington Post's newsroom summer internship program.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
New report is here: www.brown.edu/news/2026-08...
brown.edu
Brown releases Safety and Security Action Plan to further strengthen preparedness and response following Dec. 13 shooting
External review finds it “highly unlikely” Dec. 13 shooting at Brown could have been prevented; focuses on continuing to bolster safety and security for the future.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Brown just released a report finding it highly unlikely the school could have prevented the shooting.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
The report generally praises the city's response, but did find some challenges that slowed down the hunt for the shooter.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
A report on the Brown shooting in December leaves some unanswered questions. Could the shooter have been caught earlier? And did "John" the homeless tipster ever receive the $50K reward? wapo.st/4hZOSSC (gift link)
wapo.st
Report finds flaws in hunt for Brown University shooter who went on to kill again
The findings raise questions about whether the shooter could have been identified before he went on to kill an MIT professor.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
As you can see, state schools in Ohio are making cuts to other programs with low enrollment as well.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
A reader just told me we omitted a state college in Ohio, Kent State. This link also lists Wright State and Ohio University. ohiocapitaljournal.com/2026/04/16/o...
ohiocapitaljournal.com
Ohio's public universities are eliminating nearly 90 degree programs as a result of Senate Bill 1 • Ohio Capital Journal
Nearly 90 degree programs have been identified to be cut at Ohio’s public universities since Senate Bill 1 was signed into law a year ago.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Some people suspect politics is a factor. Schools cite low enrollment and limited funding.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
More than a dozen US colleges have made cuts in African American Studies and related fields since Jan 2025. I compiled a list. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
washingtonpost.com
Why colleges are cutting Black studies departments, majors and classes
More than a dozen schools have scaled back such programs, citing low enrollment, budget issues and state laws, a Washington Post review found.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Good reporting by @bostonglobe.com
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
More than a dozen US colleges have scaled back African American Studies and related programs since Jan 2025. I compiled a list. wapo.st/4y0rbhp
wapo.st
Why colleges are cutting Black studies departments, majors and classes
More than a dozen schools have scaled back such programs, citing low enrollment, budget issues and state laws, a Washington Post review found.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
This statue is in Franklin Square in DC. It does not depict Ben Franklin (or any Franklin).
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Some readers asked to me break it out by state, but there is no uniform way to measure absenteeism, as the 74 notes. www.the74million.org/article/abse...
the74million.org
Absenteeism Is a Major Problem. So Why Can’t Schools Agree on How to Measure It?
From state to state, and sometimes from district to district, schools use different metrics to decide what constitutes an absence.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Nearly 1 in 4 US K-12 students missed school regularly last school year. wapo.st/4c78oZF
washingtonpost.com
Chronic absenteeism remains high six years after pandemic began
Nearly a quarter of U.S. children did not show up for school regularly in 2025, a slight decline from the previous year but still up from about 15 percent before covid.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Link: www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
washingtonpost.com
University of Michigan plans to mask grades for new students
It's not the first school to try the tactic in an effort to ease stress for freshmen.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
I looked into the firestorm about @umich.edu's plans to mask grades for first-semester students. Turns out some other schools have had similar programs for decades.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has offered some form of pass/no credit for first-year students since 1968. And Swarthmore College stopped publishing letter grades for first-semester students on transcripts in the 1970s.

“It’s very surprising to me that it is controversial,” said Richard Wicentowski, provost and computer science professor at Swarthmore.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
A federally funded website features hundreds of scholarships aimed at women and students of color. That could change. wapo.st/4woCkHP (gift link).
wapo.st
Trump administration takes aim at website listing diversity scholarships
CareerOneStop, which is funded and overseen by the Labor Department, lists hundreds of scholarships for women, men and students of color.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Outside the National Museum of the American Indian today.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
My colleague @laurameckler uncovered details about civil rights investigations that have been frozen by the Trump administration, including ones in Arizona, Michigan and Massachusetts. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
washingtonpost.com
Inside school investigations frozen under Trump: Racial slurs, sexual harassment and more
The Education Department was in talks with dozens of districts at the end of the Biden administration. The cases have stalled since the president took office.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
It was made by the American Legion for the U.S. Bicentennial. home.nps.gov/places/000/a...
home.nps.gov
American Legion Freedom Bell (U.S. National Park Service)
American Legion Freedom Bell
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Washington, DC has a replica of the Liberty Bell without the famous crack.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
My latest: US school closures inched up for the 4th year in a row, driven by fewer kids and limited revenue. gift link: wapo.st/3RGhmWB
wapo.st
Shrinking student populations cause spike in public school closures across U.S.
Limited funds and low enrollment forced districts to close more than 1,000 schools in 2025-26.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
I guess you can bet on anything.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
A Brown University professor suspected AI cheating. He found a way to fight back.https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2026/07/15/even-elite-colleges-are-scrambling-root-out-ai-cheating/
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
A colleague wants to hear from parents who helped their children pay for college. How did you do it? www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
washingtonpost.com
Tell The Post: What advice would you give other parents who are paying for college?
The Washington Post wants to hear from parents who have paid for their child's education and have tips for other families.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Gift link: wapo.st/4aAQpdk
wapo.st
Diversity scholarships decline after legal complaints, Trump’s crackdown
Groups that help underrepresented students attend college are dropping race and gender criteria and instead using income or other eligibility requirements.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Diversity scholarships are gradually becoming harder to find.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Have any questions about paying for college? We'll try to answer some of them in future pieces. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
washingtonpost.com
Tell The Post: What questions do you have about paying for college?
The Washington Post wants to hear from parents and students who have specific questions about covering college expenses.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Are you a parent or student with questions about how to pay for college? My colleagues are going to try to answer some of them. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
washingtonpost.com
Tell The Post: What questions do you have about paying for college?
The Washington Post wants to hear from parents and students who have specific questions about covering college expenses.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Many scholarships are dropping requirements that students be of a specific race or gender to qualify amid pressure from the Trump administration and legal complaints from others. Gift link: wapo.st/4aAQpdk
wapo.st
Scholarships for racial minorities and women are disappearing
Groups that help underrepresented students attend college are dropping race and gender criteria and instead using income or other eligibility requirements.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Top research universities are enrolling fewer PhD students after cuts to research funding. From Susan Srvluga. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
washingtonpost.com
Admissions to top PhD programs down 15% amid federal funding cuts, uncertainty
U.S. universities have warned Trump policies will narrow the talent pipeline. Already global applications are down, though domestic applications are up slightly.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Clear skies before the storm earlier today. The view from Monticello on the 200th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson's death (July 4, 1826). John Adams died the same day.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Side note: People on both the left and right pushed for the rules, though some college leaders have concerns about the details.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
The rules are expected to hit Bible colleges, beauty schools, and some grad programs in the performing arts. It could cut off loans to thousands of programs starting in 2028.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
The Trump administration made some changes, but rejected proposals to completely exempt religious studies and make major changes to the earnings benchmarks programs must meet.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
The US Ed Dept has finalized rules that will cut off financial aid to college programs where graduates have meager earnings. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
washingtonpost.com
Financial aid shift to hit low-wage fields like religion, cosmetology and arts
The Education Department approved a proposal to cut financial aid to college programs if their graduates earn lower salaries than people with less education.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Unfortunately, the fair was temporarily closed due to the weather.
People waiting outside grounds.
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Todd Wallack @twallack.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Auto loans overtook student loans as the biggest source of US consumer debt, after student loan pause. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
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