The Weekly Connect 9/21/2026

Child Development: High School Coping Patterns and Emerging Adult Mental Health Across COVID-19: A Latent Profile Transition Analysis

Researchers from the United States examined how adolescents coped with stress before the COVID-19 pandemic and whether these coping mechanisms supported their mental health during the pandemic. Previous studies have shown that coping mechanisms change over time and, for adolescents, support psychological adjustment and mental health trajectories into emerging adulthood. In the present study, 940 adolescents filled out surveys on their depressive symptoms and coping strategies. The researchers found that the four coping patterns they identified changed in early adolescence and became stable in later years. Adolescents who used multiple types of coping strategies or had stronger emotional control in twelfth grade had fewer reported depressive symptoms and improved sooner than their peers during the pandemic. Conversely, adolescents who ruminated on their emotions or tried to cope independently had higher and more persistent symptoms as they aged. These findings indicate that adolescents have unique coping strategies that can support or impact them in times of crisis. 

Chalkbeat: Credit Recovery Enrollment Rose 13% Since 2017, Raising Questions About Graduation Rigor

An analysis from Chalkbeat found that more students are enrolling in credit recovery programs—classes that help students pass a course they previously failed online—compared to before the pandemic. Between the 2017-18 and 2023-24 school years, enrollment in credit recovery courses increased by 13%. This increase may be partly explained by students needing more support during the pandemic and during the transition back to in-person instruction. The data, self-reported by school districts, is compiled through the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. Researchers and advocates have mixed views on the advantages and disadvantages of credit recovery programs for high school students. Some assert that the programs help students graduate who would not otherwise be able to, which in turn lowers risks of violence in the area and provides financial benefits to society. On the other hand, research has also found that online credit recovery programs are linked to lower wages after high school. 

Washington Examiner: Head Start Programs Get $225 Million MAHA Boost From Trump Administration

The Trump administration announced a $225 million investment in new Head Start supplemental grants to support nutrition and service improvements. The new funds were redistributed from Head Start programs that did not meet enrollment requirements. Eighty-nine million dollars will go towards supplemental nutrition funding for more than 400 Head Start grant recipients to improve access to nutrient-dense foods, create farm-to-table and gardening initiatives, and provide nutrition education for children and families. Eighty-eight million dollars will go towards improvements to Head Start facilities and learning environments, and $47 million will go towards one-time operational needs. Head Start, which serves around 700,000 children under five years old, was established in the 1960s. Children in the program are more likely to graduate high school, have better emotional regulation and self-esteem, and are less likely to be incarcerated.

EdSurge News: New York and Los Angeles Ban Student-Facing AI (For Now). Should Other Schools Follow?

In the first weeks of the new school year, the two largest school districts—New York City and Los Angeles Unified—announced restrictions on students’ access to artificial intelligence at school. In New York City, the new policy prohibits student-facing generative AI content for children up to eighth grade. In Los Angeles, restrictions on generative AI tools were placed on all student-issued devices. These two policies contrast with the next three largest school districts: Chicago Public Schools, Illinois; Clark County School District, Nevada; and Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Florida. They all approve of the use of district-designated tools in the classroom. In light of these conversations, a teacher from a school in St. Louis, Missouri, recommends involving students in decision-making around AI usage as a learning opportunity and to explore in depth the positives and negatives of artificial intelligence.  

The 74: Evicted Students Miss Class and Fall Behind. Tulsa Schools Want to Change That

Since 2020, leaders in Tulsa, Oklahoma, have created strategies to support families who are at risk of eviction. The city has one of the worst eviction rates in the country, and last school year, landlords filed evictions affecting more than 600 children in Tulsa Public Schools. The majority of students whose families receive an eviction notice are chronically absent, and students with an eviction notice or judgment had lower proficiency rates in math and reading compared to their peers. To help prevent disruptions to children’s education, a nonprofit, ImpactTulsa, acts as “first responders” in a housing emergency. They connect parents with legal aid and rental assistance programs. One of the middle schools also serves as a place for parents to meet privately about their immediate needs with a family navigator. Other cities have started to adopt similar programs, including Dallas, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, though available resources continue to fall short of the demand. 

The Hechinger Report: When This Small Alaska Town Was Given $1 Million, Child Care Was the Top Priority

In rural communities, it can be difficult to find affordable childcare. Often, families are far from the few providers that exist, and the daycares that are accessible struggle with high costs of services. Many of these families experience poverty and food insecurity, which is linked to poor school performance and could be alleviated by access to high-quality child care. In Alaska, 96% of children live in a child care desert, defined as an area where there are at least three children for every licensed child care slot. After the town of Seward, Alaska, received a $1 million donation to support housing and child care, child care slots have increased by 150%. A nonprofit, Happy Youth Programs and Educational Resources, was chosen to lead the town’s new child care strategy. The program trains child care providers to launch their own centers, boosts salaries for providers, and helps families pay for child care through a subsidy program.