Blog

By Bobby Allyn, National Public Radio, August 27, 2019 The College Board is dropping its plan to give SAT-takers a single score that captures a student's economic hardship. The change comes after blowback from university officials and parents of those taking the college admissions exam. Announced in May, the "adversity score" was intended to assess the kind of neighborhood the student came from, including factors such as the portion of students receiving free or reduced lunch, the level of...

By Aspen Institute, August 28, 2019 The recent introduction of the REAL Act suggests a renewed interest in the postsecondary success of all members of society. As a part of our Postsecondary Success for Student Parents and Father Factor initiatives, Ascend at the Aspen Institute is committed to reframing the narrative of deserving families and connecting them with opportunities for family prosperity. Join us and colleagues from College and Community Fellowship, Vera Institute of Justice, and...

By Pulitzer Center Education, August 27, 2019 The 1619 Project, inaugurated with a special issue of The New York Times Magazine, challenges us to reframe U.S. history by marking the year when the first enslaved Africans arrived on Virginia soil as our nation's foundational date. Here you will find reading guides, activities, and other resources to bring The 1619 Project into your classroom. Wondering where to start? Dive into our Reading Guide. [ Please click here to read more .]

By Robert Pearl, MD, Forbes, August 26, 2019 Healthcare remains the nation’s top voting issue ahead of the 2020 elections, just as it was during the 2018 midterms. Surveys show voters remain frustrated with high drug prices, growing out-of-pocket expenses and skimpy health-insurance benefits. The leading candidates have publicly promised to fix these problems but all are omitting certain details about their healthcare plans. To help voters make informed decisions next November, this article...

By UC Davis Health, August 26, 2019 Spikes in handgun purchases in 2012 after Sandy Hook and the re-election of President Barack Obama have been linked to a 4% increase in firearm injury in California, a UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program (VPRP) study has found. The UC Davis School of Medicine study, published August 25 in Injury Epidemiology, assessed the sharp rise in handgun purchasing across 499 California cities and estimated whether the additional handguns increased fatal...

By Marie T. Johnson, Detroit Lakes Tribune, August 27, 2019 An expansive new effort is underway to tackle some of the Detroit Lakes area’s toughest issues and strengthen the social fabric of the community. Under the apt name The HOPE Project, a group of local nonprofit agencies, faith and service organizations, volunteers, and health care, school and government officials are working together to try and bring a ray of hope into the lives of people struggling with substance abuse, childhood...

By Medical Express, August 27, 2019 Traumatic childhood experiences among the poor and uninsured are associated with higher cardiovascular risk, according to new research. Experts have long known difficult childhoods are linked with a wide range of health risks later in life, including obesity, substance abuse and cardiovascular disease. They're also alarmingly common: More than half of the U.S. population say they experienced at least one adverse experience as a child or adolescent. [...

By Science Daily, August 26, 2019 Two new studies from MIT suggest that mindfulness -- the practice of focusing one's awareness on the present moment -- can enhance academic performance and mental health in middle schoolers. The researchers found that more mindfulness correlates with better academic performance, fewer suspensions from school, and less stress. "By definition, mindfulness is the ability to focus attention on the present moment, as opposed to being distracted by external things...

By Angela Hart, Politico, August 26, 2019 California will lead a multistate lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging a proposed federal regulation that would lift court-granted protections for young migrant detainees, allowing immigration authorities to detain children indefinitely — in quarters they see fit. The lawsuit, to be filed Monday in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, challenges the Trump administration rule seeking to invalidate the 1997 Flores...

By Kathleen Carroll, EdSurge, August 26, 2019 At Harvest Collegiate High School in Manhattan, students know what to do when they face a mysterious math problem. Take a breath, recognize a “maze moment,” and retrace their steps to find an alternative to their temporary dead end. It’s a simple idea: learning as navigation, choosing among concepts and strategies that either pave a path forward or trap you in the puzzle at hand. But these “maze moments” at Harvest, along with a half-dozen other...

Spending time in nature is sorely lacking in our hyperconnected world, especially for our children. Nature heals and soothes the spirit as well as the body. This week's guest blog is about two amazing nurses who are using the healing qualities of nature to nurture those who join them. Meet Susan and Clif otherwise known as the Nature Nurse and the Nurse Farmer! They have joined forces to develop Healthy Green Thumbs, an innovative campaign designed to educate and inspire young people to...

Over the last six months, I started going to therapy again. I have over two years sober, yet I have yet to fully deal with the emotional trauma I experienced as a child. I remember being in treatment and being warned that If I didn't start to identify and cope with my emotions, it would come back to haunt me later in sobriety. Once again, the professionals were right. Three months before celebrating my second year sober, I started experiencing these intense depressive episodes . Although...