A record 1 in 8 students in NYC were homeless last year: Report
The number of homeless students in New York City has hit a record high. Data from the Advocates for Children of New York revealed more than 146,000 public school students were homeless during the 2023-2024 school year.
This means 1 in 8 students across the district were either in shelters or living temporarily with friends or family. That’s a 23% increase from the more than 119,000 homeless students the year prior.
The surge of kids living in transitional housing is being attributed in part to the city’s affordability crisis.
According to a 2022 report by New York’s Office of Budget Policy and Analysis, 20% of New York households were paying 50% of their income for housing.
An increase in migrant families also pushed the number of homeless students higher. The city doesn’t track student immigration status, but a city analysis says there were roughly 50,000 migrant families with children in New York City shelters over the summer.
Advocates for homeless children said the city should take steps like ensuring families are placed in shelters near their children’s schools, and getting rid of 60-day shelter limits imposed by Mayor Eric Adams, D, last year.
The new report also pointed out the serious issues homelessness can cause pertaining to a student’s success in school. Half of all students in temporary housing and 67% of students in shelters were chronically absent.
Students living in shelters also dropped out of high school at triple the rate of their peers. New York state is currently looking into the Foundation Aid Formula, which determines how much funding school districts receive.
Advocates for Children of New York said it hasn’t been updated in over 15 years.
Abbott orders Texas public universities not to raise tuition through 2027
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, R, is taking steps to keep tuition rates from rising at the state’s public universities. Abbott sent letters to all public universities in Texas, speaking with each school’s board of regents, and reached an agreement that tuition will remain frozen through the 2026-2027 school year.
In the letter, Abbott cited the financial pressures many families in Texas are facing due to inflation and rising costs, stressing that public universities must help ease those burdens.
In 2023, Abbott signed a law freezing tuition rates through the 2024-2025 school year. Now, with that freeze set to expire, the governor made it clear he will not support any tuition increases in the upcoming legislative cycle.
He also pointed to the state’s commitment to higher education, noting Texas allocated $700 million to public universities in the most recent state budget. University leaders had requested the funding to help keep tuition rates flat in 2023.
The average annual cost of attendance for in-state students at a public university in Texas is nearly $29,000, with tuition and fees alone totaling just over $10,000.
Abbott emphasized that making higher education affordable remains a top priority for the state, believing it will help Texans earn better wages and improve their quality of life.
Arrests made in connection with $1M teacher cheating scheme in Texas
Texas authorities revealed that they have uncovered a massive teacher certification cheating ring. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced on Monday, Oct. 28, the arrests of several individuals in connection with an approximately $1 million alleged scheme involving hundreds of people taking false exams, and at least 200 teachers instructing students across the state with fraudulent credentials.
Ogg said on Monday, “Today, five people have been charged with two counts each of engaging in organized criminal activity, and all face first or third-degree felony charges that can carry sentences ranging from two years to life imprisonment.”
Three of the people charged with the alleged scheme worked at Houston Independent School District, including two assistant principals and a high school basketball coach.
Investigators said that the basketball coach was the ringleader and made around a million dollars, charging $2,500 for each certificate, and sometimes more.
Ogg revealed how the alleged crime took place during her press conference Monday, saying, “They are accused of running a fraudulent teacher certification testing scheme right here in Houston that utilized a test-taking proxy or teacher impersonator to take the test along with a corrupt testing proctor to allow the switch between the applicant and the proxy test-taker.”
She said alleged sexual predators even used their wrongfully gained employment within schools to commit crimes against children. Ogg revealed that at least two of the people who allegedly paid to have fake certifications were charged with indecency and online solicitation of a child.
Houston Independent School District said it was unaware of the scheme until shortly before the arrests and all employees implicated in the charges were placed on leave. The district added that it working in cooperation with the investigation, and that if any teachers working in the district are discovered to be part of the alleged scheme that they will be fired.
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.
Judge weighs Louisiana law requiring Ten Commandments in schools
A federal judge will hear arguments Monday, Oct. 21, over Louisiana’s new law requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public schools statewide by Jan. 1. Lawyers for parents seeking to block the law will argue it violates the United States Constitution by infringing on students’ religious freedom.
State lawyers argue the lawsuit should be thrown out – not only because the posters haven’t even gone up yet, but because they say the Ten Commandments have historical significance and influence on American law.
The Louisiana law applies to all public K-12 schools and state-funded university classrooms and requires the Ten Commandments to be displayed on a poster or framed document at least 11 inches by 14 inches where the text is the central focus and “printed in a large, easily readable font.”
Each poster must also be paired with a four-paragraph context statement that says the Ten Commandments “were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries,” among other things.
School systems will not have to use public money for the posters. Instead, the displays will be paid for by donations or the posters themselves will be donated by groups or organizations. Meanwhile, questions still linger about how the requirement will be enforced if a teacher refuses to hang up the Ten Commandments and what happens if there are not enough donations to satisfy the mandate.
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.
Want to graduate at UC San Diego? Take a climate change course first
As reported on Tuesday, Oct. 15, the University of California San Diego has a new requirement to graduate, as students must now take a climate change course in order to get their degree. This semester, the university implemented the first-of-its-kind mandate for the class of 2028.
UC San Diego officials say that the program is designed to intertwine approved climate courses with general education and “major-specific requirements,” according to a press release on Sept. 26. School officials maintain that it will not increase students’ overall workload.
There are now more than 40 courses fulfilling the requirement for the 2024-25 academic school year, covering a range of topics including politics, anthropology, visual arts, global health and more.
UC San Diego says it wants students to better understand climate change and its solutions, as well as prepare for its possible impacts on the future job market.
Incoming first-year transfer students are exempt from the requirement. However, the school does encourage them to enroll in a climate change course.
The new rule is called the “Jane Teranes Climate Change Education Requirement,” in honor of the late Jane Teranes, who was a professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and an activist for climate change education at the University of California San Diego.
Changes made to bid request for Bibles in Oklahoma classrooms
The Oklahoma Department of Education changed the requirements for vendors bidding to put 55,000 Bibles in public schools. The original request matched a version of the “Trump Bible.”
The amended bid request, announced Monday, Oct. 7, no longer requires Bibles to include U.S. historical documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Those requirements mirror the “God Bless the USA Bible” Donald Trump endorsed this year.
The historical documents may now be included together or separately.
Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters has been working to get Bibles in public school classrooms, which some of the state’s largest school districts have resisted.
Walters said in a video posted to X that the Bible belongs in classrooms because of its historical significance. He also blamed what he called “the fake news media” for lies about the program.
“The left-wing media hates Donald Trump so much, and they hate the Bible so much, they will lie and go to any means necessary to stop this initiative from happening,” Walters said.
A spokesperson for Walters said in a statement that the changes to the bid requirements were suggested by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES). He said Walters agreed to the changes.
A spokesperson for OMES said the revisions were an attempt to save taxpayers money.
The “God Bless the USA bible” sells for $59.99, which would cost the state $3.3 million.
Oklahoma charter school board seeks SCOTUS review of religious school case
The Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board is asking the Supreme Court to review a state court ruling that denied public funding for the nation’s first Catholic charter school. St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Charter School Inc. was founded by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa in 2022 and was set to open for the 2024 school year this fall.
The state board approved the school’s charter application in June 2023, despite its religious affiliation. Oklahoma Attorney General Drummond sued in 2023 to prevent the school’s authorization and to prohibit using public money for religious institutions.
In June, Oklahoma’s Supreme Court ruled that the creation of a public religious school is unconstitutional, citing that it violates the Oklahoma State Constitution and the First Amendment’s establishment clause.
Supporters of the Catholic charter school argue that approval would expand educational choices for Oklahoma families and reinforce religious freedom.
Critics, including Attorney General Drummond, warn that approval could lead to public funding requests from various religious groups, potentially including controversial ideologies.
Each year, the U.S. Supreme Court is asked to review thousands of cases and typically only considers 100 to 150 cases.
A new survey revealed the impact the migrant surge in the United States has had on schools. Reuters polled 75 school districts across 23 states. A third of districts said the increase in migrant children had a significant impact leading to budget issues and language barriers.
Additionally, 42 districts said they had to hire more instructors to teach students how to speak English. Another 15 districts said they had difficulties communicating with parents without proper help from interpreters.
When it came to budgets, 17 districts said they requested additional state funds to help immigrant students.
According to immigration court records, more than half a million school-age migrant children have arrived in the U.S. since 2022.
Denver has seen a major increase in migrants enrolled at its schools. During the 2022 to 2023 school year, Denver Public Schools had 1,532 migrant students. In the 2023 to 2024 school year, there were 3,935 migrant students enrolled in classes.
Survey respondents were asked whether they feel they are trained to meet the needs of migrant students. A majority said they were either well trained or partially trained.
The survey results also revealed 11 respondents said the newcomers had enriched the school community and brought new perspectives that could help other students learn.
All children in the U.S., regardless of their immigration status, have a right to free public education. But, the federal government does not cover the educational services entirely.
