Carolyn Thompson

As school starts, many parents face the decision of letting their children stay home alone after school. With after-school care often expensive and hard to find, parents aim for independence. But experts say age isn’t the only factor; readiness depends on skills and emotional maturity. Children should know emergency contacts, basic safety, and how to handle emergencies. Emotional readiness is also crucial, and communication within the family about expectations and rules is also key. Experts sugg

New York’s attorney general has proposed rules for social media companies as the state moves to implement a law shielding children from addictive feeds. The SAFE for Kids Act was passed last year. It prohibits algorithm-driven feeds for users under 18 without parental consent. The law also restricts notifications between midnight and 6 a.m. The proposed rules include standards for verifying a user’s age and obtaining parental consent. Supporters say addictive feeds contribute to a youth mental h

America’s rural high school students are less likely to go to college than their urban and suburban peers. Students in the most sparsely populated regions often face obstacles to attending college, including having to travel far to get to campus, a lack of public transportation, and inconsistent broadband access that limits access to online courses and financial aid. Family dynamics also often factor in, including a lack of exposure to college because parents didn’t attend and an underlying doub

Students are struggling to stay engaged in class at a time of poor mental health, shortened attention spans, reduced attendance and worsening grades. At the crux of these challenges? Addiction to cellphones. Cellphone bans are gaining traction around the country, but many say they’re not enough. They argue for alternative forms of stimulation: steering students into the outdoors or toward extracurricular activities to fill up time they might otherwise spend alone on their phones. And students ne

The total solar eclipse expected on April 8 already is inspiring school lessons in science, literacy and culture. Some schools in or near the path of totality also are organizing group viewings for students to experience the awe of daytime darkness and learn about the astronomy behind it together. Dennis Schatz, a former president of the National Science Teaching Association, encourages educators to use the eclipse as “a teachable moment.” But the timing of the eclipse, around dismissal time for

The COVID-19 pandemic upended learning across the United States. And now that students are back together in class, some are much more behind than others. In Richard Evans' classroom in Niagara Falls, New York, the approach is one that mirrors a best practice for the nation. He is tailoring his instruction depending on individual students' needs. And after a year of doing this and tracking the results meticulously, he says it appears to be working. Using assessments to identify students’ individu

Students and administrators in one New York school district are wrestling with how to respond to the state’s newly approved ban on the use of Native American-themed logos and names. Salamanca public schools, along with the rest of the city, are located on Seneca Nation of Indians territory south of Buffalo. About 38% of the district’s students are Native American and the school’s logo showing the likeness of a Seneca man was designed by a Native artist. The state’s prohibition on schools’ use of

Tensions over the Israel-Hamas war have spilled into K-12 schools around the U.S., with advocates reporting a rise in antisemitism since the 2023 surprise attack on Israel. While some argue school leaders have failed to take the threat seriously, others warn criticism of Israel and the military campaign in Gaza are interpreted too often as hate speech. The Trump administration has not punished school systems the way it has hit colleges accused of tolerating antisemitism, but schools are still fa

The Trump administration says three major public school districts could lose $24 million in funding because of their policies supporting transgender students. The U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights had given New York City, Chicago, and Fairfax County, Virginia, schools until Tuesday to agree to changes. Among them were rescinding policies allowing students access to restrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identity. The department says the rules violate Title IX, which p

New York City schools have sued federal education officials over the U.S. Education Department's decision to discontinue grants worth millions of dollars because of school policies supporting transgender students. City officials said Thursday that the Education Department, led by Secretary Linda McMahon, acted without the required notice or hearing. The department claims policies allowing transgender students to play sports and use facilities matching their gender identity violate Title IX. New

Columbia University has reached a deal with the Trump administration to pay more than $220 million to the federal government. The agreement was made to restore federal research money that was canceled in the name of combating antisemitism on campus. The Ivy League school announced the agreement Wednesday. It will pay a $200 million settlement over three years to the federal government. The White House says it will also pay $21 million to resolve alleged civil rights violations against Jewish emp

Some colleges are canceling graduation ceremonies that recognize individual cultures or groups. The affinity commencement events are the latest casualties of state and federal policy rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Arizona’s Maricopa County Community College District and the University of Kentucky are among those canceling celebrations that, in the past, have recognized Indigenous, Black, LGBTQ+ or first-generation students. The Arizona administrators cite a “Dear Colleag

As colleges and universities respond to Trump administration directives to change how they operate, educators worry that fewer international students will want to study in the U.S.. Experts say that efforts to limit funding, halt diversity programs and deport students over political views are having a chilling effect on foreign students thinking about attending a U.S. college. They’re worried about their ability to get visas, travel freely, pursue research, even express an opinion. At stake, aut

The coronavirus pandemic ushered in what may be the most rapid rise in homeschooling the U.S. has ever seen. Now, even with schools back open and vaccines available, many homeschooling families are sticking with it. Data obtained by The Associated Press found homeschooling numbers this year dipped from last year’s all-time high, but are still significantly above pre-pandemic levels. Families may have turned to homeschooling as an alternative to hastily assembled remote learning plans. But they s

A lawsuit filed by a pair of Massachusetts families is adding to the backlash against an approach to reading instruction that some schools still use despite evidence that it’s not the most effective. In the so-called reading wars, states around the country have been overhauling reading curricula in favor of research-based strategies known as the “science of reading,” including an emphasis on sounding out words. Families of Massachusetts students who have struggled to read filed the lawsuit this

Public officials in 16 states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration to restore access to federal pandemic relief funding for schools. A coalition led by New York Attorney General Letitia James says the Education Department’s decision to abruptly halt hundreds of millions of dollars of promised aid will force cuts to vital services. The lawsuit was filed Thursday in federal court in Manhattan by 16 Democratic attorneys general and the governor of Pennsylvania. It claims

A new report from Columbia University’s antisemitism task force describes a hostile climate for Jewish and Israeli students at the New York City institution during the last school year. The report released Friday also recommends university-wide training and better reporting measures. The report comes days before the start of a new school year, and in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests that shook the Ivy League school in the spring. The task force heard from Jewish students who described being

New York lawmakers say they are finalizing legislation aimed at giving parents more control over what their kids see on social media. The bill would allow parents to block their children from getting social media posts curated by a platform’s algorithm, a move to rein in feeds that critics argue keep young users glued to their screens. But opponents warn that it could make things worse for children, by leading internet companies to collect more information about users. With the legislative sessi

Police have arrested more than 2,100 people during pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses across the United States in recent weeks. They have sometimes used riot gear, tactical vehicles and flash-bang devices to clear tent encampments and occupied buildings. At Columbia University, one officer accidentally discharged his gun inside an administration building while clearing out protesters camped inside. That's according to the NYPD. No one was injured by the officer's actions. A tally by Th

Partnerships between two- and four-year colleges and universities could help more community college students go on to earn bachelor’s degrees, according to data released Thursday by U.S. Education Department. Only 13% of federal financial aid recipients who enrolled in community college in 2014 went on to receive a bachelor’s degree within eight years, the data found. Hundreds of thousands of those who enroll annually at the more affordable two-year schools plan to transfer to a four-year progra