The Weekly Connect 09/29/2025

K-12 Dive:  The K12-to-College Pipeline is Rockier for High-Poverty Students
Data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s High School Benchmarks report measures college enrollment and performance for students who attended high or low-poverty high schools. The study used data from 2 million students with high school graduation years between 2018 and 2024. Schools were labeled as high-poverty when 75% or more of the student population is eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to low-poverty schools where 25% or less of students are eligible. Results indicated that 74.2% of students who attended low-poverty schools enrolled in college immediately after graduation, compared to 51.4% of students who attended high-poverty schools. Students from low-poverty high schools were over twice as likely to graduate from college within six years compared to their peers. Additionally, students who attended low-poverty schools were almost three times as likely to complete a degree in a STEM-related field compared to students from high-poverty high schools.

Development and Psychopathology: Screen Time, Problematic Media Use, and Clinical Concerns in the ABCD Study: Differences by Sex and Race/Ethnicity
Researchers from the University of Minnesota examined the relationship between screen time, media use behaviors, and mental health concerns. The study used data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study (ABCD Study), which captures information from over 10,000 children. Parents filled out surveys on their children’s overall screen media activity, as well as problematic media use. This measure included prompts like “My child’s screen media use causes problems for the family.” Screen time for educational usage was omitted. Results indicate that while both forms of screen media use are related to youth mental health concerns, problematic media use is more strongly related to suicidal ideations and non-suicidal self-injury. These findings are consistent across child sex and the majority of races and ethnicities surveyed. Results suggest that in order to reduce the negative impact of media on children’s well-being, a larger focus should be on targeting specific technology-related behaviors rather than limiting all electronic usage.

The Wall Street Journal: Trump Administration Cancels Annual Hunger Survey
The Trump administration is ending the annual Household Food Security reports, which analyze data to inform government officials on food-assistance programs. The 2024 report will still be released in October, but the 2025 survey has been discontinued. The survey asks participants to respond to  statements, including “We worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more.” Around 40,000 households are surveyed each year. The results of the survey highlight causes and consequences of food insecurity and how it relates to disability status and health issues. In 2023, the report estimated that 13.8 million children lived in households that struggled to get food. The administration cancelled the survey due to it being “overly politicized” and an unnecessary initiative of the USDA. The termination of the program coincides with other changes to food insecurity programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is used by many families with children, and an increase in food bank usage by families. 

KSST Radio: Governor Abbott Signs Laws To Expand Texas’ Career Training Programs
Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 20 and House Bill 120 to expand career and technical education (CTE) programs. In the past two years, the state has invested over $7 billion into career training initiatives for students. House Bill 20 created the Applied Sciences Pathway Program, which provides high school juniors and seniors with the opportunity to earn diplomas while also completing certificates. House Bill 120 expanded CTE programs to support military training opportunities and provide college counseling in a more data-informed way. These state initiatives aim to provide students with alternative pathways to completing a traditional four-year college degree. The programs also align with plans to adapt to the quickly changing workforce to ensure that Texas is “making career and technical education bigger and better than ever before.” The bills build upon other initiatives prioritized by Texas officials, including the Rural Pathway Excellence Partnership, which increases access to pathways post-graduation for rural students.

The 74: Credential Chaos: Career Certificates Boom in High School, But Not All Have Value
More students have graduated from high school with career credentials, but many have trouble finding jobs. The majority of credentials that students are earning are not appealing to employers. Schools typically offer workplace readiness classes, rather than technical certificates that may be more useful for certain industries. Some states have taken steps to gather information to better curate class offerings. In a recent report, 34 states asked employers what credentials they recommend school districts offer. Eight states began tracking student employment and the impact of credentials on their salaries after graduation. In Ohio, each credential a student can earn is given a “value,” which goes towards their diploma. They also designate credentials of “extra value,” which leads to schools gaining extra funding through the Innovative Workforce Incentive Program. However, even when students are given recommendations by the state on which courses to take, they are more likely to complete certificates that are less valuable to future employers. 

AP News: Hurricane Helene Hit North Carolina a Year Ago. Some Students Never Returned to School
After Hurricane Helene’s destructive floods and winds impacted North Carolina in September 2024, over 2,500 students became homeless. The hurricane damaged over 73,000 homes and left residents without electricity and water for weeks or months. The harm to infrastructure, in addition to school closures from snow, led to some students missing over two months of school. Some families enrolled their children in other schools, and others never returned to class. Many districts received federal funding under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act to support homeless students. However, some schools did not receive funding and have to wait until the next application cycle to request funds. The storm’s impact led to increased difficulties for low-income families in the area who struggle with housing and food insecurity. Educators have developed resources to help students process trauma and feel supported in school, as it is anticipated that natural disasters will continue to impact students and school communities. 

Newsweek: Students Turn Back to Books as More School Districts Implement Phone Bans
Due to recent phone bans, students in Kentucky are checking out books at the library at high rates. Jefferson County Public Schools is the largest school district in the state. At one school, the schedule allows teachers to bring their students to the library at least twice a week. The librarian uses book displays and popular titles to encourage students to read. Students borrowed 67% more books in August and 39% more books in September so far this year, compared to the same months in 2024. In another high school, students have borrowed 1,200 books during the first 17 days of school, which is close to half of all borrowed books from the entire last school year. In addition to reading more, teachers have witnessed other positive benefits from the phone ban in classrooms, such as increased student engagement.

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