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Most states now restrict cellphones in schools, and educators report improved focus and engagement.

Federal government shutdown pauses education grants and investigations but spares most daily school operations.

California filmmaking program improves student academics, collaboration, and engagement.

Research and Practice

Science of Learning: Sleep Duration and Subject-Specific Academic Performance Among Adolescents in China
Previous literature has established that students sleep less than experts believe is necessary, which can impact their cognitive function, well-being, and physical health. The study measured the relationship between sleep duration and academic performance, utilizing data from 54,102 Chinese eighth-grade students. The majority of students slept for an average of seven hours on school nights. Girls, students living in urban areas, and students attending public schools had higher sleep duration compared to their peers. Across all subjects, sleep duration was significantly associated with increased academic achievement. However, too much sleep (over eight hours) and too little sleep (fewer than seven hours) were associated with lower academic scores. Excelling in certain subjects— like math, science, and Chinese—is linked with increased sleep. Several factors may contribute to decreased sleep and, therefore, lower academic performance, including excessive homework, high levels of screen time, and sleep-related health disorders. 

K-12 Dive: Most School Leaders Report Cellphone Restrictions, Widely Seen as Beneficial
Twenty-six states now require local K-12 school boards to ban or limit cellphones in the classroom, and the majority of policies have been enacted in the past year. Researchers have explored several trends and impacts of the phone policies on students and teachers. Students, teachers, and principals generally view cellphone restrictions as positive. However, students are happier when bans are more lenient, while teachers prefer a stricter approach. During bell-to-bell bans, students have increased focus, especially when their phones are not in their backpacks or pockets. High-poverty schools were more likely to have strict bans in the 2024-2025 school year compared to low- or medium-poverty neighborhoods. Younger grades were more likely to have stricter bans compared to high school students. While some parents continue to be resistant to the ban, typically because of safety concerns, adult approval of cellphone restrictions has increased. Compared to 68% last year, now almost three-quarters of adults support cell phone policies for middle and high school students. 

Policy

K-12 Dive: How the Federal Government Shutdown Affects K-12
On October 1st, the federal government shutdown began, impacting federal funding and operations for K-12 schools. Most day-to-day operations will not be affected as most funding is through state or local budgets, and schools can still use money from federal grants that were awarded over the summer. Approximately 330 of 2,447 employees at the U.S. Department of Education will remain on the job during the shutdown. The Office of Civil Rights investigations, grant-making opportunities, and technical assistance are paused during this time. Longer shutdowns would impact Head Start programming and school meal reimbursements. Impact Aid, which reimburses school districts for lost revenue and additional spending due to being on nontaxable Federal property,  is the only federal K-12 education program that receives funding after the start of the new school year, and its payment will be delayed. Education advocates and politicians across the political spectrum are concerned about the shutdown and its impact on children and families. 

Chalkbeat: Applying to College? Application Fees Waived for NY Students at Many Schools Across the State
New York State has continued to waive application fees for students applying to college this month. The initiative is in its third year and aims to help reduce financial barriers to college and boost applications, which decreased after the pandemic. 130 universities are participating in the program, including New York state and city schools, and private colleges. The program has seen noticeable effects on applications and enrollment. For example, the City University of New York’s (CUNY) enrollment decreased by 10% between fall 2021 and 2022, compared to 2% across the state. After starting the program, CUNY received 60,000 applications from freshmen, which was a 13% increase from the year prior, and students enrolled at higher rates. The increase in applications may be due to schools sending students personalized outreach that detailed the process for waived fees. By omitting fees, students may view college as more financially attainable and may be eager to apply during the fee-waived months.   

Around the Nation

The Hechinger Report: Fires, Floods and Other Disasters Are Multiplying. Schools Are Adding Training for Workers to Combat Them
High schools and community colleges are offering disaster preparedness opportunities due to a rise in natural disasters and student interest. Classes such as fire science and forest management prepare students for fires and floods that may happen close to home and future careers as first responders. In Santa Cruz, high school students take a hands-on fire science course, which teaches them about the responsibilities of firefighters and the path to becoming one. This class and other initiatives work to reduce the shortage of firefighters in California. Another class, “resiliency careers in forestry,” trains students as foresters, fire program managers, and log truck drivers, and now enrolls 700 students across five community colleges. When it started three years ago, it had only 37 students. The increase in interest in natural disaster-related classes may be because students are drawn towards fields that “visibly help” during natural disasters, such as paramedics, nursing, fire and rescue, and police officers. 

EdSurge: In the Land of Hollywood, Filmmaking Is a Natural Teaching Tool
Students in the Youth Cinema Project learn how to write, shoot, and edit a short film, then attend a premiere showcasing their work. 2,000 students from fifth through twelfth grade participate in the program, which is affiliated with the Latino Film Institute. The program follows an academic approach to filmmaking; students have to revise scripts like they would English papers. The program is a group project, with student directors and assistant directors leading. The Youth Cinema Project reports measurable impacts on students’ academics and social-emotional development. The director shared that students who participate in the program score between 10-30% higher on test scores because they participate more in class. Students’ social skills and well-being increase due to the collaborative nature of the project and close-knit relationships developed on set. The program also benefits English Language Learners, as well as students in a dual-immersion school, who participate in the project by creating a film in Spanish. 

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