Welcome back to The Weekly Wrap, our Friday roundup of stories that explain the problems oppressing people in cities and elevate the solutions that bring us closer to economic, environmental and social justice. If you enjoy this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague and tell them to subscribe.

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Trump Orders Plan To Dismantle Education Department

On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order to begin dismantling the Department of Education and transfer the agency’s authorities to state governments, the Associated Press reports.

The Department of Education’s responsibities include overseeing funding for public schools, administering federal student loans, civil rights enforcement in schools, and aid for low-income and disabled students. Contrary to popular belief, it does not control school curriculums, and it supplies just 14% of public school budgets.

Oversight of the $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio could transfer to the Treasury or Commerce Department. Trump said that federal Pell grants, Title I funding, and funding for disabled children would be preserved but would be redistributed to other agencies as well.

Democracy Forward is among the organization preparing legal challenges to the new order. Already, the American Federation of Teachers has sued the department for shutting down student loan repayment plans; more than 20 states attorneys general have jointly filed a federal lawsuit over widespread terminations at the agency; and a group of parents have filed a separate federal suit over the collapse of the agency’s Office for Civil Rights.

Court Strikes Down NYC Law To Allow Noncitizen Voting

Despite a progressive majority, New York state’s top court voted 6-1 to block a law which would have made documented noncitizens eligible to vote in New York City elections, Politico reports.

The law would have enabled more than 800,000 people — individuals who have green cards or work permits and have lived in the city for at least a month — to cast ballots in mayoral and other municipal elections. Approved under Mayor Bill de Blasio, the measure became law in early 2022 but was blocked by two lower courts.

L.A. Urban Trees Capture ‘Significantly’ More CO2 Than Expected

L.A.’s urban tree canopy is surprisingly good at absorbing carbon dioxide, according to a new study published by USC researchers in the journal “Environmental Science & Technology.”

Researchers tracked CO2 emissions for 18 months using a network of sensors in central L.A. and found that trees in the area were capturing up to 60% of emissions on average during daylight hours, or about 30% in a 24-hour day. As the study’s lead scientist told the L.A. Times: “L.A. trees are kicking ass.”

El Paso Breaks Ground on First Direct-to-Distribution Water Recycling Facility

El Paso’s water utility has broken ground on a $295 million water purification plant that will treat wastewater to drinkable standards and route the water back into the city’s drinking water system, El Paso Matters reports.

El Paso Water says it’s the first facility of its kind in the United States. Set to be completed in 2028, the plant will produce up to 10 million gallons of potable water per day, about 9% of the city’s daily demand for water.

Ohio Is Lifting Old Driver’s License Suspensions for Unpaid Fines

Two years ago, an investigation by The Marshall Project and WEWS News 5 found the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles issued nearly 200,000 new license suspensions in 2022 over unpaid pay court fines, missed child support payments and other debts.

Beginning April 9, a new state law will cancel driver’s license suspensions and vehicle registration blocks for people with unpaid court fines and fees. Courts will no longer be able to immediately suspect licenses when drivers fail to pay a court fine or fee.

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MORE NEWS

• Cities are suing the Trump administration for revoking access to congressionally-appropriated funds. New Haven Independent

• NYC settles lawsuit with thousands of cab drivers for $140 million, biggest payout of its kind. Gothamist

• Struggling refugee resettlement agencies cut staff and turn to the public for help. KC Beacon

• “Only the beginning”: Israel shatters ceasefire with airstrikes that killed more than 400 Palestinians. Associated Press

• Report: Small single-stairway apartment buildings have strong safety record. Pew Trusts

• New desalination technology could lower costs of tapping seawater. L.A. Times

• A tree-planting nonprofit in Chicago is suing the Trump administration. Grist

• Siletz Tribe regains full fishing rights, 45 years after being forced to give them up. KGW

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

• The Community Design Collaborative is running its inaugural Accessory Dwelling Unit Design Competition. Submit registration and eligibility forms by March 26.

• The USC Annenberg Innovation Lab is looking for artists, creators, innovators, organizers, strategists and others working at the intersections of media, technology and culture for its Civic Media Fellowship. Apply by March 28.

• Smart Growth America has launched a free technical assistance program for community organizations interested in advancing equitable zoning and land use decisions to help decrease health inequities. Apply by March 31.

• The Rx Foundation has launched a new funding cycle for its Building Capacity for Health Advocacy grants. Submit a letter of interest by March 31.

• Fulbright New Zealand’s Ian Axford Fellowships in Public Policy program is accepting applications to help increase mutual understanding between America and New Zealand. Apply by April 22.

• The Livable Communities Initiative, Arnold Ventures and partners have launched a National Single-Stair Competition. Submit your design by June 30.

• Check out Next City’s jobs board for new opportunities.

EVENTS

• March 25 at 1 p.m. Eastern: Next City is hosting a conversation between former NEA chair Maria Rosario Jackson and Jason Schupbach, dean of Drexel University’s college of media arts and design. They’ll discuss how the arts can and should shape urban policy and planning.

• March 27 at 1 p.m. Eastern: Liberation Ventures and The Bridgespan group are hosting a webinar on philanthropy for a multiracial democracy.

• April 3 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern: The Harvard Graduate School of Design is hosting U.K. social housing architect Peter Barber for its annual John T. Dunlop Lecture. Attend in-person and virtually.

This post was originally published on Next City.