Research and Practice

K-12 Dive: Nearly 3 in 4 Families Lack After-School Program Access
According to a new report from The Afterschool Alliance, 23 million families lack access to after-school programming. The organization surveyed over 30,000 parents with school-aged children, and it is the first study to measure after-school initiatives since the COVID-19 pandemic. Low and middle-income families are the most likely to miss out on activities, often due to the high cost of programs and transportation issues. High-income families spend nine times more on out-of-school activities compared to low-income families. Additionally, federal funding has not grown to meet the rising demand for out-of-school activities. Research indicates that after-school programs impact children’s social-emotional outcomes and school engagement, while also reducing the likelihood of committing a crime or substance use. After-school activities also help parents to increase their productivity, keep their jobs, and reduce stress. Funding for public after-school programs is largely bipartisan, and parents surveyed reported a 95% satisfaction rate for their children’s after-school programs. 

Development and Psychopathology: Positive Childhood Experiences and Adult Mental Health Symptoms: A Meta-Analysis 
The current study examines the relationship between positive childhood experiences (PCEs) and adult mental health symptoms through a meta-analysis of 41 studies. Results indicate that higher levels of PCEs are linked to lower anxiety, depression, PTSD, and overall mental health symptoms. The relationship between PCEs and adult mental health symptoms is the strongest in early adulthood and gradually weakens as participants get older. The number of adverse childhood experiences also acts as a moderator for the relationship between PCEs and mental health symptoms, specifically for depression, PTSD, and anxiety symptoms. The study is the first to understand the impact of PCEs on adult mental health symptoms and variables that moderate the relationship. The research indicates the importance of experiences in childhood and points to creating opportunities for PCEs and reducing exposure to ACEs in order to improve mental health across the lifespan. 

Frontiers in Psychology: The Impact of Touchscreen Digital Exposure on Children’s Social Development and Communication: A Systematic Review 
Recent research has found that children under eight years old spend an average of 2.5 hours per day on screens, and most of their technology usage is influenced by their parents and teachers. The systematic review analyzed 81 studies to understand children’s device usage and its impact on social and communication skills. Of the studies examined, children mostly used tablets, smartphones, and interactive whiteboards and tabletops. Touchscreen devices improved children’s collaborative learning, peer interaction, social play, and creative expression. Screens increased interactions between friends and family, multilingual language usage, and confidence online. However, excessive screen time impacted children’s ability to engage face-to-face with friends and reduced the time spent by parents engaging with their children. The study suggests several research-based initiatives for families and schools to implement, including training teachers on educational apps, promoting screen-free family time, and creating more after-school programs for children to spend time outside.

Policy

AP News: WIC Food Program Receives $300M to Keep Running During Government Shutdown
The Trump administration provided $300 million in funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The program provides funding for 6 million low-income parents to purchase nutritious ingredients and infant formula for their families. Due to the government shutdown, WIC did not receive its annual appropriation. Instead, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is using $300 million of unspent tariff revenue from the last year. The law allows tariff revenue to fund many USDA programs, and allows for allocated funds to be transferred to keep WIC funded. Alaska and Washington State have reopened their programs; Washington was unable to pay for WIC with state funds due to a budget shortfall, and Alaska only had funds to operate through October 11. Without the stopgap funding, states would have had to fund SNAP and WIC for children and families and later ask for reimbursement from the federal government once it reopened. 

The New York Times: California Will Ban Certain Ultraprocessed Foods in Schools
The state of California has banned ultra-processed foods in schools through “The Real Foods, Healthy Kids Act.” Ultra-processed foods make up 62% of the calories children in the United States consume, and they are linked to health risks such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The law has created the first science-based legal definition of ultra-processed foods in the United States: foods containing one or more of certain additives and high amounts of saturated fats, sodium, added sugar, or artificial sweeteners. This law will impact several products sold by food companies to schools, including certain cereals, yogurts, and muffins. Now that a definition has been created for ultra-processed foods in school cafeterias, it is likely that other states will adopt similar policies. Scientists at the California Department of Public Health have until June 2028 to determine which foods should be eliminated, and these foods will be banned by July 2035.

Around the Nation

Chalkbeat: Students at This Detroit School Got Free Bikes. Here’s How They Say It Helped Attendance
At Davis Aerospace Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan, the principal gave every student a bike as an attempt to reduce chronic absenteeism in her school. Forty-two percent of students missed more than 10% of classes in the 2024-2025 school year, a 14% decrease from the previous school year. Many students shared that the bicycles helped them save time walking to and from school and gave them a sense of independence to travel around the city and get exercise. The principal noticed increases in attendance during nice weather in the fall and spring. The school has employed other methods to increase attendance, including rewarding students who missed less than one day of school per month, and offering free clothing and hygiene products to ensure students are ready to learn. Other high schools in the district may soon follow suit and collect bikes for their students to increase attendance.

The Washington Post: School Offers Hikes Instead of Detention. Teachers Are Seeing Results.
A high school counselor in Bath, Maine, takes students on nearby hikes for detention instead of spending time in a classroom. During the three-mile hikes, students immerse themselves in nature, chat with each other, and listen to a poem that aims to encourage them to start anew. About 20 hikes were run last year, with some parents opting out of the alternative detention option because they felt it was not a harsh enough punishment. Many students were at first reluctant to leave the classroom and opted for a more traditional detention, but over time, they enjoyed spending time outside. Students shared that the hikes gave them a different perspective on their actions. In the 2024-2025 school year, fewer students have gotten detention in school. However, now even students who do not have detention have discovered a love for hiking and join the trips.

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