National Archives wants volunteers with ‘superpower’ to read cursive
Cursive seems to be a lost art, but there’s an opportunity for history enthusiasts, who also still value the traditional handwriting style. The National Archives is looking for volunteers to transcribe more than 200 years’ worth of documents written in cursive.
It’s for a collaboration with the National Park Service to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday.
The materials include Revolutionary War pension records, immigration documents from the 1890s and Japanese evacuation records.
Cursive writing is traced back to ancient Roman scribes, which eventually evolved into the modern forms of cursive used today.
But since the rise of computers, phones and tablets, handwriting has become less common.
“Reading cursive is a superpower,” the community manager with the National Archives catalog, Suzanne Isaacs told USA Today.
Many states are still teaching cursive to kids. California and New Hampshire were the most recent states to pass legislation making it mandatory.
According to Education Week, 24 states in total require cursive writing to be taught in schools for students K-12.
That’s fewer than half of what was required 25 to 30 years ago.
Meanwhile, some states like Maine and Montana leave it up to the individual school districts to decide whether to require students to learn cursive.
For those interested in helping the National Archives, people can register for a free account online with the National Archives and click on “citizen archivist.”
Then those registered can begin reading available documents that are ready to be cataloged.
Americans students falling behind international peers in math and science
American students are falling behind their international peers in math and science, according to a recently released government study. The National Center for Education Statistics conducted the study back in 2023.
Every four years, the group releases the results of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which looks at fourth and eighth graders worldwide. The study was the first to be published since the COVID-19 pandemic, showing mixed outcomes across the globe.
The United States was among the countries that saw a decline. While American students still score above the international average, 4th graders’ math scores fell 18 points since 2019, and 8th graders’ scores went down 27 points. Researchers said this is the biggest drop the U.S. has seen since participating in 1995.
When it comes to science, American students’ scores weren’t measurably different between 2019 and 2023, but 4th graders’ scores have dropped since the TIMSS was first administered.
Overall, the gaps between the highest- and lowest-performing students are widening internationally. While there’s no consensus as to what’s causing the decline for American students, many educators say the rise of smartphones, changes in standards and pandemic-related school closures likely played a role.
GOP senator introduces bill to dismantle Department of Education
A bill introduced by Senate Republicans could be the first step in fulfilling one of President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promises: dismantling the Department of Education. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., introduced the Returning Education to Our States Act, a bill that would eliminate the Education Department, redistribute its responsibilities to other federal agencies and send federal funds directly to states.
The bill gives the Department of Treasury the authority to withhold federal grants if states misuse the funding.
Rounds criticized the Education Department while speaking about the bill.
“The federal Department of Education has never educated a single student, and it’s long past time to end this bureaucratic department that causes more harm than good,” Rounds said. “We all know local control is best when it comes to education. Local school boards and state Departments of Education know best what their students need, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.”
The push to dismantle the Education Department gained momentum after Trump included it in his re-election campaign.
“We spend more money per pupil than any other country by far, and yet we’re at the bottom of the list out of 40,” Trump said during a rally. “We’re ranked about number 40, and I’m going to close the Department of Education and move education back to the states, and we’re going to do it fast.”
The idea to end the federal government’s role in education has been discussed since the department was created in 1979. Former President Ronald Reagan and former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole both called for its elimination.
However, efforts to dismantle the department face significant challenges due to slim Republican majorities in the incoming Congress. The Senate typically requires 60 votes for a bill to pass, meaning it would need support from some Democrats. This seems unlikely, given the strong opposition from Democrats, who view the Department of Education as crucial for ensuring equal access to education across the country.
“I am staunchly opposed to President-elect Trump’s education agenda, which seeks to abolish the Department of Education, eliminate funding for low-income and rural K-12 schools, scrap the expansion of school meals, and make it more difficult for student borrowers to repay their loans,” Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., the ranking Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee, said in a statement.
Rounds acknowledged that the department houses important programs and identified 25 that would be redirected to other federal agencies. While Rounds is pushing the bill in the Senate, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said he plans to introduce similar legislation in the House within the first few weeks of the next Congressional session.
Ed. Secretary nominee Linda McMahon facing prior abuse coverup allegations
Linda McMahon, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of education, is under scrutiny for her handling of alleged child sex abuse when she was CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). A decades-old allegation against a WWE employee has recently been revisited in a lawsuit by plaintiffs who claim they were abused while working for the company.
McMahon has become a close political ally to Trump since leaving WWE 15 years ago. She served as the head of the White House Small Business Administration in Trump’s first term and is currently a co-chair of Trump’s 2024 transition team.
As secretary of education, McMahon would have power over how the federal government enforces rules surrounding sexual harassment and abuse in schools.
In October, five plaintiffs named Linda McMahon and Vince McMahon, her husband and longtime business partner, in a lawsuit. It alleged the McMahons covered up for an employee sexually abusing other, young employees.
In the 1980s, the company hired “ring boys,” teenagers who would build and take down the set for WWE’s traveling performances.
They allege a ring announcer named Mel Phillips would find children like them, hire them and then sexually abuse them at work and during work travel.
According to the complaint, both Vince and Linda McMahon knew Phillips was abusing children. The plaintiffs allege the McMahons fired Phillips when the abuse allegations became public knowledge in 1988.
However, they say the McMahons hired Phillips back six weeks later. Phillips later died in 2012.
Reporting at the time lines up with their complaint. In 1992, New York Post columnist Phil Mushnick wrote an article about Vince McMahon, including a phone interview with the WWE chairman.
Mushnick wrote that “McMahon said he rehired Phillips with the caveat that he steer clear from kids.”
In an article from The Washington Post published Tuesday, Nov. 19, Linda McMahon’s attorney Laura Brevetti said the lawsuit was, “baseless” and noted that Linda and Vince McMahon are currently separated.
While Trump has said he wants to abolish the Department of Education, McMahon would still run the agency if the Senate votes to confirm her.
The department would stay in operation unless Congress approves its formal shutdown.
Oklahoma school district failed to protect students from discrimination: Report
A public school district in Oklahoma must review and potentially revise its anti-discrimination policies after a federal investigation found that it failed to protect students from discrimination and harassment. The probe came about after the death of LGBTQ+ student, 16-year-old Nex Benedict, in February.
Benedict was as student at Owasso High School and identified as gender expansive, which means one whose gender identity expands beyond traditional norms.
The teen died of an overdose after the teen’s family says Benedict was bullied at school. The student used the pronouns he, him, they and them. The case garnered national attention and outraged LGBTQ+ activists.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights settled the complaint against Owasso Public Schools this week. The assistant secretary said Owasso students and their families did not receive the fair and equitable review process guaranteed to them under Title IX.
In addition, the federal agency identified repeated instances, over a three year period, when staff at Owasso Public Schools were told of possible sexual harassment against children, but did not respond adequately. The lack of action rose to the level of deliberate indifference.
A school district spokesperson said the district fully cooperated with the federal investigation and is committed to making the recommended changes to enhance safety and inclusivity in its schools.
Harris, Trump look for votes in battlegrounds with 2 weeks to go
With exactly two weeks to go until Election Day, both candidates for president are blitzing the battleground states. And we’ve learned how long student loan repayments for about eight million Americans will remain on hold. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024.
Harris, Trump look for more votes in battlegrounds with 2 weeks to go
With two weeks to go until Election Day, the presidential candidates are crisscrossing the country trying to pick up any undecided voters that remain.
.@Liz_Cheney: Vice President Harris is going to defend our Constitution. We're not always gonna agree, but I know Vice President Harris will always do what she believes is right for this country. She has a sincere heart, and that's why I'm honored to support her pic.twitter.com/lcFD6MGDSF
“So, I think that we are facing a choice in this election; it’s not about party, it’s about right and wrong,” Cheney said. “And I certainly have many Republicans who will say to me, ‘I can’t be public.’ They do worry about a whole range of things including violence, but they’ll do the right thing.”
In Wisconsin, Harris described her opponent former President Donald Trump as “unstable,” referencing comments made by former Trump cabinet members.
“I think it’s very important that we acknowledge — and I have said publicly that Donald Trump is an unserious man,” Harris said, “and the consequences of him ever being President of United States again are brutally serious. Brutally serious.”
Former President Trump visited North Carolina on Monday where he surveyed the damage created by Hurricane Helene and continued his criticism of the Biden administration’s relief efforts.
“The power of nature, nothing you can do about it, but you got to get a little bit better crew and to do a better job than has been done by the White House,” Trump said. “It’s been not good. Not good. I’m here today in western North Carolina to express a simple message to the incredible people of the state: I’m with you and the American people are with you all the way. We’re going to continue to be with you. We’ll see what happens with the election. And we’re, on January 20th, you’re going to have, I think, a new crew coming in to do it properly and help you in a proper manner.”
Trump made two more stops while in North Carolina Monday, holding a rally and speaking at a faith leaders’ event.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, former President Trump will continue campaigning in North Carolina with a rally in Greensboro, and Vice President Harris will sit down for an interview with NBC News in Washington, D.C.
Blinken in Israel to revive Gaza cease-fire talks after Sinwar death
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel once again — his 11th visit to the region since war broke out between Israel and Hamas a little more than a year ago.
On my way to Israel and other stops in the Middle East for intensive discussions about the importance of ending the war in Gaza, returning the hostages to their families, and alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people. pic.twitter.com/lIaRUo7Ea2
This visit is the first stop on a wider tour of the Middle East in which Blinken is expected to revive talks for a cease-fire in Gaza in the wake of the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Blinken’s weeklong trip comes as the Middle East braces for Israel’s response to an Iranian missile attack on Tel Aviv earlier this month.
Teen arrested after 2 adults, 3 children killed in shooting at Washington home
Officials with the King County Sheriff’s Office said another teenager who had been injured went to a Seattle hospital. They said that teenager and the teen in custody both live at the home where the shooting happened, but did not know the relationships between those teens and the five people killed.
“I just don’t know the relationships, so I’m going to withhold confirming any relationships, but it does appear to be that this is a family incident,” Deputy Mike Mellis told reporters Monday. “Clearly, a domestic violence incident that involves not only a young man — who’s now in significant trouble — and it involves firearms. Young men and firearms.”
Reports say he has chronic myeloid leukemia, a form of bone marrow cancer, and he’s undergoing treatment at Rikers Island prison in New York where he’s serving a 16-year sentence.
This is just the latest health issue Weinstein has faced behind bars. Last month, he had emergency heart surgery to alleviate a significant amount of fluid in his lungs and heart, and he was hospitalized in July with COVID-19 and double pneumonia.
Student loan payments pause extended for 8 million SAVE plan borrowers
Eight million Americans will be able to continue holding off paying back their student loans for at least another six months, the Department of Education confirmed on Monday.
The Education Department said save enrollees will be placed in an interest-free general forbearance for at least six months pending the outcome of legal challenges to the plan.
Cheapest World Series tickets costing at least $1,000 on secondary market
The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees have each punched their ticket to the World Series and now if you want a ticket, you’ll need at least $1,000. According to SeatGeek, the cheapest single seat for the Game 1 in LA on Friday, Oct. 25, will cost $1,034.
For Game 2 on Saturday, Oct. 26, also at Dodger Stadium, the least expensive ticket is $1,209.
Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 28 and 29, head back to the East Coast, with the cheapest tickets for Yankees Stadium costing $1,385 and $1,110, respectively. A possible Game 5 is showing the same as Game 4.
And “if necessary,” Games 6 and 7 would be back in LA, with the cheapest tickets going for around $1,300 or more.
As for the good seats behind home plate at Dodger Stadium, those tickets are going for $1,500 or more.
1 in 4 college applicants avoid certain states over politics
More than one-quarter of college applicants have ruled out schools due to the political climate in the states where the institutions are located, according to a new poll from the Art & Science Group. The findings highlighted how state policies on issues like abortion, LGBTQ+ rights and crime are increasingly influencing students’ higher education choices.
The poll found that 28% of prospective students excluded certain schools based on the political, legal or policy environment in their respective states. Two-thirds of those students made these decisions early in the search process. The study revealed that while both liberal and conservative students are avoiding colleges in specific states, their reasons vary significantly.
For liberal students, the big issues are states with conservative policies on abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. Meanwhile, conservative students are avoiding schools in states they feel are too lenient on crime, social issues or identity politics.
AP Images
According to the poll, Texas and Florida top the list as the most frequently excluded state for college applications from liberal students. While conservative students are looking to stay out of California and New York, each ruled out by 15% or more of prospects.
This trend comes as states grapple with contentious political issues, especially in the wake of the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade and ongoing debates about transgender rights.
As the U.S. becomes increasingly polarized, political divisions are now influencing major life decisions, including where young adults choose to pursue higher education. Colleges and universities may face growing challenges in attracting students as state politics play a larger role in the decision-making process.
DOE extends application deadline for defaulted student loan borrowers
The Department of Education (DOE) extended its deadline for the Fresh Start program for defaulted student loan borrowers until the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 2. The deadline was supposed to be Monday, Sept. 30, but the department pushed it back because of an issue on one of its websites.
The Fresh Start program is open to only a limited number of student loan borrowers. It will put them back in good standing on their loans, avoiding the impacts of delinquency and default, like taking a hit on their credit report, wage garnishment and the potential for having their Social Security benefits withheld in the future.
The Education Department said as of 2022, there were about 7.5 million federal student loan borrowers in default.
⚠ Borrowers in default: The deadline to sign up for Fresh Start benefits has been extended. Borrowers should enroll by 2:59 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Apply online, on the phone, or by mail: https://t.co/jbS9cxGBHX If you experience issues signing up online or by… pic.twitter.com/xlsQJv5Ngs
However, the form came with numerous technical problems, many of which remain unresolved. The GAO report identified 55 specific defects, including serious issues for students whose parents or spouses don’t have Social Security numbers and for those born in 2000.
These glitches caused significant delays for families. Dependent students took an average of five days to complete the form.
Concerns remain, despite the department adding staff and committing to better pre-testing. Investigators and lawmakers question whether the department has fully addressed the oversight and testing issues from the initial rollout.
GAO investigators criticized the Department of Education during a congressional hearing Tuesday, Sept. 24, for rushing the testing process and failing to communicate with students, leaving many without the support they needed.
Ongoing technical problems and delays continue to raise doubts about the reliability of the next FAFSA cycle. Although the department has promised improvements, the new form is already delayed again, with an expected release by December 2025.
Americans lose confidence college is worth it, skilled trades on the rise
As more Americans lose confidence that a college degree is actually worth it, a new study points to some potentially good news for the post-secondary schools. The number of high school graduates who chose to enroll in college held steady from 2022 to 2023, and both years were a big improvement over enrollment numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
Still, four years after the pandemic began, there are 900,000 fewer undergraduate students enrolling in college. College costs continue to rise and not wanting to accrue student loan debt has many high schoolers looking at other plans for after they graduate.
A separate recent study found nearly half (49%) of high schoolers believe a high school diploma, trade program, two-year degree or other type of enrichment program is the highest level of education needed for their anticipated career path. And even those planning on going to college believe on-the-job training and experience is more beneficial than getting a higher education degree, with 56% of them saying so.
A third study found a majority of those with student loan debt said their degree wasn’t worth it. While more than half (53%) said knowing they’d have to take on debt has stopped them from pursuing more education.
The Department of Labor says in the decade from 2012 to 2121, the number of registered apprentices jumped 64%. Just between 2022 and 2023 enrollment in vocational programs spiked 16%.
The Department of Education also found those who go to trade schools are more likely to find a job after going to school than those who take the traditional college route and are more likely to actually work in their field of study.
It’s also worth noting more and more Americans think two-year post-secondary schools are a better bang for your buck. In a recent Gallup survey, more than half (55%) said a degree from a two-year school is worth it while 18% believed the same thing about four-year colleges.
