🛝 Addictive Learning Backfires, ICE Disrupts 70% of Schools, AI Ends Homework

Welcome to Playground Post, a bi-weekly newsletter that keeps education innovators ahead of what's next.

This week's reality check: While EdTech companies chase TikTok-style engagement, neuroscience reveals why addictive learning might be the wrong goal. Meanwhile, immigration enforcement is creating operational chaos in schools, and homework is quietly losing relevance in the age of AI.

💎 Data Gem

The U.S. Department of Education just launched a $15 million challenge to create state-wide "Talent Marketplaces" that validate skills and match learners to jobs, bypassing traditional degree signals if necessary.

Got a Bold Idea to Transform Learning?

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Can Learning Be as Addictive as TikTok? Probably Not, and That's a Good Thing

Researcher Mi Aniefuna traced the evolution from MySpace customization to TikTok addiction. 

The question seems obvious: if kids spend hours scrolling, why not make learning that sticky?

The science here is interesting. Dopamine hits from variable rewards keep us scrolling through infinite feeds. Each "better than expected" video triggers a small boost, while boring ones give us nothing. No natural stopping point means we never get a cue to quit.

Recent neuroscience studies show high TikTok usage activates brain regions tied to impulse and habit formation. EEG tests link frequent short video consumption to reduced attention control, higher stress, and learning fatigue.

But here's the problem: engagement doesn't equal learning.

Aniefuna explains that real learning requires "effortful processing, retrieval, and opportunities to apply ideas in new situations." 

TikTok-style education could deliver frequent "aha" moments while removing the productive friction of problem-solving that makes learning stick.

When the system does all the cognitive heavy lifting, students get "edu-tainment." They feel informed and interested, but haven't built the durable mental models needed to explain, use, or remember ideas later.

You can make learning addictive by optimizing for attention and dopamine, but that might produce the illusion of learning rather than the real thing.

For educators and innovators, the research suggests a different path: design experiences where attention is channeled into thinking and problem-solving, not just passive consumption. The goal isn't competing with TikTok on stickiness, but creating the kind of productive struggle that builds lasting knowledge.

70% of High School Principals Say Immigration Enforcement Is Taking a Toll

Seven in 10 public high school principals say increased immigration enforcement has impacted student and family well-being, according to UCLA's Institute for Democracy, Education and Access.

The data: 64% of principals reported declines in attendance and student learning. Another 58% said many parents and guardians had left the community entirely.

More than a third of principals (36%) said students from immigrant families have been bullied or harassed by peers, being told to "go back home" or asked to show papers.

According to Pew Research data from 2024, about 4.4 million U.S.-born minors live with an immigrant parent not authorized to live in the country. Another 850,000 children under 18 were unauthorized immigrants themselves in 2022.

Schools are responding with operational measures: 78% of principals have a plan for federal agents showing up, 47% have plans if a parent gets deported, and 57% partner with community organizations for support.

But support often comes informally through GoFundMe campaigns and networking for legal services. The UCLA report, based on responses from 606 principals collected between June and August 2025, notes that principals "feel a professional and moral obligation to meet the needs of the moment."

The operational reality includes students not eating properly because families are sheltering at home instead of shopping, kids feeling compelled to carry IDs during daily activities, and staff taking on roles supporting families through crisis.

For education space, this points to a need for tools that help schools manage enrollment volatility, provide mental health support at scale, and coordinate community resources during periods of community disruption.

Homework Is Quietly Losing Ground in the Age of AI

In an informal Education Week poll, 42% of respondents said they believe homework is necessary for student learning. 

But when they asked teachers what works and doesn't work in today's homework assignments, most responses fell in the "doesn't work" camp.

Research shows homework can benefit middle and high school students, but only within limits: 1.5 to 2.5 hours per night maximum for high school, less than an hour for middle school, according to the Center for Public Education.

The informal "10 minutes per grade level" rule suggests 20 minutes in 2nd grade, 30 minutes in 3rd grade, and so on.

But technology is changing the equation. 

One teacher noted: "What is predictable (sadly) is that if it's for points, there's an extremely high chance they just copied it from a friend or used the internet/AI. Giving points for copying seems silly."

Another educator observed that their middle schooler only brought homework home 2-3 times in the last year and a half. Instead, class time is used for assignments, which means less time learning new material.

The pandemic highlighted inequalities students face outside school like access to technology, internet, or parent help. These disparities make homework even more problematic as an assessment tool.

One teacher's approach: "I just give ungraded practice during class and to take home. Then I only grade their assessments. Now, they do the work because they need to learn instead of doing it for points."

For education innovators, this shift suggests needs in three areas: tools that verify authentic student work versus AI-generated content, platforms that enable productive practice without relying on take-home assignments, and systems that help teachers use class time more effectively when homework isn't a viable option.

⚡️More Quick Hits

This week in education:

• FTC requires Illuminate Education to improve security - Federal Trade Commission mandates security improvements following 2021 data breach affecting student information

• Superintendents identify growth priorities - District leaders outline top five areas where they seek professional development and skill building

• EdTech outcomes remain elusive - Analysis questions what schools have gained from using 2,739 education technology tools

• Students want organizing skills, not worksheets - Argument that schools should teach students how to organize for collective action and civic engagement

• Florida voucher audit finds accountability gaps - State "loses" track of 30,000 voucher students and $270 million in program spending

🔎 Worth Checking Out

Monthly roundup of resources you might like:

• State of Computer Science 2025 — State-by-state tracking showing 32 states now require high schools to offer CS courses and 12 mandate CS for graduation.

• K-12 Lens 2025 — Report showing teacher shortages declining to 66% of districts (down from 81%), but persistent gaps remain in special education and substitute roles

• Universal Connectivity Imperative — Data on the "homework gap": 84% of students have school devices in class, but many districts no longer allow take-home access

• National AI in K-12 Survey — Full survey data showing declining public support for AI tools across multiple use cases.

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