Kids still aren’t showing up to school

Plus: Afghan women turn to online learning

View this email online March 5, 2023 This week, why attendance still isn’t back to pre-COVID levels, Afghan women turn to online learning and the Supreme Court considers student loan cancellation. Plus:  Rallying for an inclusive playground.  A Louisville, Kentucky classroom sits empty in January 2022, during a COVID surge driven by the omicron variant. Students lost the routine of going to school during the pandemic, and now many are struggling to get back in the habit. Jon Cherry/Getty Images Hello there,  Education Desk intern Abē Levine here with a story from All Things Considered Producer Jonaki Mehta, who you heard from last week:  In many places, students aren’t showing up to class. That’s what Jonaki learned after weeks of reporting on the state of chronic absenteeism. Before the pandemic, about 8 million U.S. students were considered chronically absent, Jonaki writes. That's when a student misses 10% or more of the school year. By spring 2022, that number had doubled to around 16 million.  One district told Jonaki it can’t find enough bus drivers to guarantee transportation for all students; another said homelessness was making it difficult for kids to go to school. And then there’s the intangible reasons that have made it difficult for kids to keep a routine around going to school: health concerns, the loss of loved ones to COVID-19 and broken connections to peers. Jonaki talks with educators who are looking at data, hiring more counselors and making home visits in an effort to get students back. — Abe Levine, Intern, NPR Ed Read More Newsletter continues after sponsor message Now, here's more of this week's news …  Online Education for Afghan women  Women in Afghanistan are defying college education bans imposed by the Taliban by taking online courses. In the U.S., some institutions  of higher learning are expanding access for Afghan students by offering scholarships.   Conservative-liberal split at Supreme Court over Biden student loan plan Last week, Supreme Court justices heard arguments in two lawsuits challenging President Biden’s student loan cancellation plan, which would grant up to $20,000 in debt relief for borrowers. The justices are considering whether the president has the right to carry out his plan without Congressional approval, and whether the plaintiffs have legal standing to sue. Michigan State University adds safety measures following campus attack Michigan State University is adding locks to classrooms and making active violent intruder training mandatory after a gunman claimed the lives of three students in February. Rallying to make an inclusive playground A group of students and teachers in Minnesota raised over $300,00 to make their playground wheelchair accessible. Glen Lake Elementary students and teachers – including Betsy Julien, whose son uses a wheelchair –  applied for grants, knocked on doors, handed out flyers and cold-called local businesses all to cross their fundraising finish line.  Fifth- and sixth-graders from Glen Lake Elementary look at sample playground designs. Caroline Yang for NPR And for a little joy, teens share thoughts on self-love…  Teens in Detroit wanted to open a conversation about youth mental health. So they surveyed their peers across the state about how they practice self-love and care for their emotional wellbeing.  Torrance Johnson, a junior in Livonia, talked about finding comfort in music: “I’d glide my fingers across key by key, letting the anxiety flow from me into the piano, and what came to exist was beauty and freedom.” Chalkbeat Detroit featured more of the survey responses here.  🎼 Until next time, stay open to the music, y’all.🎶     Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WMFE (edit station). What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: npred@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Code Switch and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Education emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy