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Personalized attendance messages across six districts slightly reduced absenteeism at low cost, suggesting targeted communication can support attendance efforts.
Federal officials released $3.6 billion in delayed heating assistance funds, restoring support for low-income households facing winter energy costs.
Colleges are simplifying application processes and expanding direct admissions programs as they work to counter declining enrollment.
Research and Practice
K-12 Dive: Students Express Hope — and Fear — Over Classroom AI Use
Project Tomorrow, an education research nonprofit, surveyed sixth through twelfth graders on their opinions surrounding AI in the classroom. Conducted across the 2024-2025 school year, responses came from 65,000 students, school employees, and parents across 670 schools. Two-thirds of students shared that they believe AI will significantly improve their education and introduce them to new concepts. AI helps them access more resources to support learning in the classroom and to prepare them for college and careers. However, students are concerned that AI spreads misinformation and harms others, and that their teachers may falsely accuse them of cheating. The majority of students reported being unsure about what their school’s AI policy is, and the usage of AI is typically uneven across classes in the same school. Educators believe that creating clear instructions for AI in classrooms should be K-12 leaders’ top priority to support students.
See also: Heightened AI Use in Special Education Brings Elevated Risks
Peabody Journal of Education: The Role of Linguistic Course Concentration in Secondary English Learners’ Attainment: Intersections of School Context and Student Characteristics
Schools often concentrate English learners (ELs) in the same classes for logistical reasons or targeted language support. Concentration can happen at both the school and individual level; schools might be more likely to cluster students in certain classes, and a student’s language proficiency may impact their class placement. In the present study, researchers examined the frequency of concentrating ELs in the New York City Public Schools system and its impact on graduation rates, college enrollment, and retention. The concentration of ELs at the school and individual level was associated with a lower likelihood of graduating from high school and enrolling and staying in college. All students had worse outcomes in more concentrated classes compared to their EL peers at the same school. The research points to schools using alternative methods for placing ELs in classes to support their academic growth and life outcomes.
Policy
The Washington Post: Trump Administration Says It Is Paying Out Half of November’s SNAP Benefits
The Trump administration will release partial funding for food assistance benefits. After the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) lost funding on November 1 due to the government shutdown, the government will use contingency funding, which will cover half of all households’ current allotments. SNAP provides food assistance benefits to 42 million Americans and costs $9 billion a month for the federal government to run. Funding will also be allocated for food assistance programs in Puerto Rico and American Samoa. There will be no additional funding for new SNAP applicants or emergency assistance. Lawmakers have urged the president to tap into other food insecurity-related funds to support the full cost of SNAP; however, the Trump administration asserted that taking those funds would leave gaps in other initiatives. The federal government reports that the partial assistance will be delayed and could get to recipients anywhere from the next few weeks to months.
See also: Gov. Healey Launches SNAP Resource Hub, Announces $8M in Food Aid Amid Federal Benefit Freeze
The New York Times: WIC Food Aid Program for Families Gets Funding Stopgap
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) received an additional $450 million from the Trump administration to continue benefits into November. In mid-October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) used $300 million to continue funding the program through customs revenue that is typically used to fund child nutrition programs. WIC provides nutrition support, infant formula, and healthy produce for 6.7 million women and children and 41% of infants across the country. The program costs $150 million a week to run, and with the government shutdown, states have seen an increase in applications and recipients using their benefits at a faster rate. Due to disruptions to SNAP, administering services have also been impacted; clinics that deliver support have staffing shortages, delays in providing benefits, and interruptions to services. The USDA believes there are sufficient funds to support WIC services during the shutdown.
Around the Nation
Chalkbeat: NYC Pilots ‘Panic Button’ and Direct 911 Access for 51 Schools
New York City public schools are piloting an emergency alarm system to alert 911 in case of an active shooter. The devices, which come with a red button that can be affixed to the wall or worn as a lanyard, will initiate a 911 response in under 10 seconds. The devices will be tested at 51 public schools in 25 school buildings across the city. The pilot is the first of its kind in the United States and builds upon other safety measures already in place. The device informs schools that 911 has been alerted, and the call goes straight to dispatch rather than to a call center. The new technology will help schools receive a quicker response in emergencies. The number of school safety agents, New York Police Department employees stationed at schools, has decreased by 28% in the past six years. Across the United States, the highest number of school shootings and the number of victims in school shootings occurred in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Fox 13 Tampa Bay: Middle School Trades in Traditional Desks for Movement-Based Learning
Through an Action-Based Learning initiative, students in St. Petersburg, Florida, use furniture to promote movement-based learning. Instead of traditional desks, students in every classroom can use pedal desks, balance stations, boomerboards, and treadmills in class. The magnet school has a focus on health and wellness and partners with the YMCA to support these goals. Movement on the equipment is also built into their curriculum; for example, in math class, students might count or do exercises based on the answer to a word problem. Educators and students have reported that the alternative equipment helps students have structured movement and keeps them more engaged, especially for those who often fidget in class. Students are also performing better academically and have fewer behavioral difficulties. One student shared, “[The movement equipment is] more fun for me, because usually I sit and do work, and sometimes I fall asleep when I’m bored.”
