On September 24, 2024, after a monthslong investigation, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a pair of scathing reports that found the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) failed to properly oversee vendors, follow its own procedures, and properly communicate with students and colleges as they rolled out the new Free Application…
As schools consider limiting student cellphone and device use at school, disability rights advocates are warning administrators to consider the civil rights of students with disabilities who require assistive technology to access learning. In a statement earlier this month, the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, a nonprofit that works…
New research published in the Journal of Child and Family Studies has found a correlation between the number of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) faced by rising kindergartners and the severity of disruptive behaviors, anxiety and depression found in this population. Yet the correlation doesn’t hold for academic and social readiness, with…
On September 19, 2024, NPR reported that, according to a study conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Black girls face more discipline and more severe punishments in public schools than girls from other racial backgrounds. The report, shared exclusively with NPR, took nearly a year-and-a-half to complete. The findings…
A nationally representative August study by the University of Southern California has found that lower-income families are less likely to report the availability of mental health services in their schools compared to their White and higher-income counterparts. The study also found “striking patterns” relating chronic absenteeism and academic outcomes to…
A Rand and CRPE analysis found that approximately one in 10 school districts had chronic absenteeism levels of 30% or more during the 2023-24 school year. Two in 10 school districts reported 20% to 30% chronic absenteeism rates. Students who are chronically absent are generally those missing at least 10%…
On August 21, 2024, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory warning that America's mental health crisis is weighing heavily on parents who are struggling with economic and societal concerns as they try to raise children. Barriers parents are facing include stressors like gun violence, loneliness, a lack of support…
According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, school shootings have reached record highs over the past three consecutive years, with 349 school shootings recorded by the K-12 School Shooting Database in 2023. This year, including the recent Apalachee, GA shooting, there have already been 219 shootings recorded by the database,…
More parents are facing liability in connection with mass shootings committed by their children. Most recently, Colin Gray, the father of a 14-year-old Georgia high school shooter, was arrested and charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children in connection to the…
According to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data released on September 4, 2024, 17.9% of households with children faced food insecurity in 2023. Thus, the data shows an increase from the previous year data, which was 17.3 %. The data also saw the proportion of children who were food insecure…
