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Absenteeism costs California billions; support can boost student and community outcomes.
New York makes school meals free for all students.
New fund revives school civil rights work post-Trump.
Research & Practice
University of California, Los Angeles and University of Pennsylvania: The Ten Billion Dollar Deficit: The Economic Burdens of Inequities Across California Schools
The University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Benefit-Cost Studies released a report detailing the economic impact of chronic absenteeism in California schools. For each chronically absent student, defined as missing 10% or more of school in a year, there is a $5,630 economic burden to the community. The report highlights that the chronic absenteeism rate tripled after the pandemic, from 10% in 2019-20 to 30% in 2021-22. Now, absentee rates are still above pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, researchers measured societal financial gains for students graduating from high school or enrolling in college, totalling $478,440 and $681,930, respectively. The data is calculated from estimations of decreased medical costs, lower chances of criminal activity, and higher salaries from educational degrees. As California schools begin to implement the Multi-Tiered System of Support model, the research emphasizes the vital need to provide supports for students, which in turn will create economic benefits to communities.
See also: How Much Does Chronic Absenteeism Cost Communities?; Kindergarten’s Overlooked Absenteeism Problem
Northwest Evaluation Association: Boys Regain the Advantage in Middle School STEM Skills: Post-COVID Trends in Gender Achievement Gaps
Historically in the United States, boys outperformed girls in math and science achievement assessments. In 2019, the gender achievement gap disappeared. Now, new data collected by NWEA suggests the gap has reemerged, with girls’ math and science performance declining as a result of the pandemic. The research brief states that boys are more likely to be at the highest and lowest percentiles for math and science ability, while girls hover mostly below the middle of the distribution. Slightly more girls were enrolled in eighth grade algebra in 2019. In 2022, enrollment rates dropped for both boys and girls, with girls’ enrollment decreasing at more than double the rate of the boys’. Researchers are unsure why this decline occurred and why it is only for math and science scores. They suggest that schools should work to address girls’ worsening mental health as a result of the pandemic, which may impact their academic performance, and develop strategies to support both girls and boys in the classroom.
See also: The Gender Gap in Math is Back. The Pandemic Isn’t the Only Reason.
British Journal of Sports Medicine: Impact of Physical Activity on the Incidence of Psychiatric Conditions During Childhood: A Longitudinal Swedish Birth Cohort
A new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests a link between physical activity and mental health. The study used longitudinal data from 17,000 parent surveys on children’s physical activity, time outside, participation in organized sports, and psychiatric conditions. As children age from five to 11, physical activity decreases by almost two hours per day. Researchers found that each hour of physical activity at age 11 is associated with a 12% decreased risk of being diagnosed with a mental health disorder before the age of 18. This association is much stronger for boys than girls; increased physical activity is linked to lower rates of many psychiatric diseases for boys, but only linked to depression for girls. Weekly engagement in organized sports teams is associated with protective effects on children’s risk of depression, anxiety, and addiction. The research indicates how policymakers, medical professionals, and school officials can increase physical activity rates to improve mental health for children.
Policy
EdWeek: Education Department Adds $60 Million in Grants for Charter Schools
The U.S. Department of Education approved $60 million to fund the Charter School Programs grant, now totaling $500 million. The grant will fund new charter schools, maintenance for existing schools, and other related initiatives. Charter schools with a focus on civics, STEM education, vocational programs, and classical education, a movement that focuses on liberal arts pedagogy, are prioritized in this grant. This change in funding originally appeared in President Trump’s 2026 budget. After Congress passed a continuing resolution to keep the government funded through September, the budget allowed the department to shift funding to this new initiative. Currently, charter schools are the only K-12 educational program that will have a budget increase in the next fiscal year. This decision comes amidst growing interest in and funding for charter schools and 37 lawsuits against the administration for education-related decisions.
LoCalYSR.com: Free School Meals Coming to All New York Schools this Fall
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation to make free breakfast and lunch available to students across the state, regardless of income level. This year, the budget increased by 89%, totaling $340 million, which will now benefit all 2.7 million New York students. Universal school meals are known to improve student health, strengthen academic performance, reduce stigma for low-income families, and eliminate school meal debt. Families are expected to save $165 per child on food costs monthly. Some parents, however, express skepticism and want to see how the free school program works for their students. With one in five New York children living in poverty, the legislation aims to ensure that all students receive quality and consistent meals regardless of socioeconomic status.
Around the Nation
CalMatters: Can Middle Schoolers Handle College? This San Jose School is Finding Out
A middle school in East San Jose is one of the first in California to offer a college-level course. More than 20 eighth graders are taking an entry-level class on career planning, taught by a middle school teacher. The chancellor for the San Jose Evergreen Community College District wants all middle schoolers to take three college classes before leaving middle school, and for high schoolers to have twenty college credits before graduating from high school, equivalent to an associate’s degree. The school district believes that offering these classes to the predominantly Latino student population will increase community college enrollment. While research indicates that taking college classes in high school increases students’ likelihood of attending and graduating from college, there is little research on its impact on middle schoolers. Academics are concerned about the developmentally appropriate nature and quality of the classes, as well as finding qualified educators who are willing to teach them.
Arkansas Advocate: Nonprofit Wants to Take on Civil Rights Cases Trump’s Ed Department Left Behind
The National Center for Youth Law is launching the Public Education Defense Fund to advocate for educational and youth equity issues in Fall 2025. With the Trump administration’s mission to shift education decisions to the states, the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) was mostly dismantled. Nearly 250 OCR employees were laid off, and more than half of the offices were shut down. The attorneys focused on civil rights and discrimination cases in schools, especially those impacting marginalized students. The Trump administration claimed that OCR perpetuated discrimination against non-minority students and women. The Public Education Defense Fund will take on several initiatives, furthering the work of OCR. They will research why OCR complaints have declined over the years, which they believe is due to fewer investigations, rather than less discrimination in schools. Additionally, they will create a fellowship to provide stipends for lawyers who will represent students pro bono, with a priority in hiring OCR lawyers who were laid off by the administration.
New York Times: A High School Festival Keeps Duke Ellington Very Much Alive
Essentially Ellington, an annual high school festival in honor of Duke Ellington, celebrated its 30th anniversary at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater. Students have the opportunity to perform, jam with other schools, and attend workshops from professional musicians. The festival also runs a training program for band directors and sends out Ellington’s sheet music from the Smithsonian archives to schools for free. 27 bands were chosen as finalists from the United States, Australia, Japan, and Spain. This year, Memphis Central High School won first place, a public high school with fewer resources compared to schools that have won in previous years. In addition to being a vibrant and empowering high school program, a theme of the event is to indicate how jazz and Ellington’s music is not a thing of the past; jazz is an art form that is alive today and thrives with every student’s interpretation of its music.
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