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Police racial profiling people (mostly Hispanics and blacks) based on race and physical appearances in America, which leads to more violent behaviors from Police.

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Dorothy Lowe wept as she stood outside the Huntington Park Police Department on Monday, struggling at times to speak before a bank of television cameras.

It had been four days since police officers fatally shot her son, Anthony, a 36-year-old double amputee who was trying to run away on what remained of his legs.

"I just want the truth," Dorothy Lowe said. "Nothing but the truth and justice for my son. My son was murdered."

At the news conference Monday, family members and friends of Anthony Lowe, along with community advocates, demanded that the Huntington Park police officers who killed him be prosecuted.

"Anthony was brutally executed by Huntington Park police officers last Thursday in an attack that was vicious and cowardly," said Cliff Smith, an organizer with the Coalition for Community Control Over the Police.

Smith said community advocates and Lowe's family "don't have confidence in" the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which is investigating the shooting along with the L.A. County district attorney's office. He said he hoped state prosecutors also got involved.

"You could see that Anthony was loved," he said. "Anthony has a strong family, and we're here to stand with his family to fight for justice."

Huntington Park police officers shot and killed Lowe on Thursday. A grainy cellphone video, posted to Twitter on Saturday, shows Lowe - who appears to have just dismounted from a nearby wheelchair - attempting to run from officers while holding a long-bladed knife.

The 23-second video ended after two police vehicles pulled into frame. No footage of Lowe being shot has been released.

Lowe's older sister, Yatoya Toy, said Anthony's legs were amputated last year after an altercation with law enforcement in Texas. The family, she said, also has questions about that incident.

Lowe, a Black man, was killed at a time of increased scrutiny of police brutality and violence after a string of high-profile incidents, including the beating death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols, another Black man, by Memphis police this month.

"It's sad, really sad how the police are getting away with killing our African American people," said Ellakenyada Gorum, Lowe's cousin. "He was in a wheelchair. What more could he do?"

At the news conference Monday, Lowe's son and daughter, both teenagers, stood with their heads bowed, covering their faces with photographs of their father.

Ebonique Simon, the mother of Anthony's son, said, "I just want justice and the truth for my son."

Family members described Anthony as his mother's "baby" and the "favorite" of his nieces, nephews and cousins. He lived in South Los Angeles but loved visiting Huntington Park, his "comfort zone," largely because of his many Latino friends, his mother said.

"Anthony was a good person," Dorothy Lowe said. "He was always there for his family. He's our protector."

She said her grandchildren were distraught: "They miss their daddy."

She said she worried video of her son's killing would go viral and lead to destructive protests.

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

"I don't want our city to be torn down," she said.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's homicide unit is investigating Lowe's shooting, as is typical for shootings involving Huntington Park Police Department officers, according to the unit's Lt. Hugo Reynaga.

Reynaga said Sunday that the Sheriff's Department had obtained video of Lowe's shooting from a nearby business but that it did not intend to release the recording. Huntington Park police officers, he said, do not wear body cameras.

The shooting took place Thursday in the 1900 block of Slauson Avenue, according to the Sheriff's Department. Reynaga said two officers fired at Lowe "around 10 times."

Reynaga said the names of the two officers who shot at Lowe would be released in the coming days. The officers, he said, are on leave "for a few days" while they undergo a psychiatric evaluation, and they will be assigned administrative duties until the command staff approves them to go back to fieldwork.

Asked why it was necessary to shoot Lowe, Reynaga noted that officers repeatedly used a Taser "to no effect" before opening fire.

"He tried to run away, and every time he turned around and did the motion like he was gonna throw the knife at him, they Tased him," he said. "They were trying to give this guy the less-lethal taser shock. And because it was ineffective, they had to go to something that was more effective."

In a statement Monday, the Huntington Park Police Department said officers responded at 3:40 p.m. Thursday to a call about a stabbing in the 2400 block of Slauson Avenue.

Officers found a man "who suffered a life-threatening stab wound resulting in a collapsed lung and internal bleeding," according to the statement. The victim, whose name has not been released, told officers he was stabbed by a man in a wheelchair.

"The suspect dismounted the wheelchair, ran to the victim without provocation, and stabbed him in the side of the chest with a ... butcher knife," the statement reads. "The suspect then ran back to the wheelchair and fled the scene in the wheelchair."

The stabbing victim was in critical condition, according to the statement.

The Sheriff's Department identified the man in the wheelchair as Lowe.

Huntington Park police said that, after the stabbing, Lowe ignored officers' verbal commands and "threatened to advance or throw the knife at the officers."

Officers used two Tasers before Lowe was shot, the Police Department said.

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Family of amputee killed by police has a message for officers: 'Anthony was loved'

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Dorothy Lowe wept as she stood outside the Huntington Park Police Department on Monday, struggling at times to speak before a bank of television cameras. It had been four days since police officers fatally shot her son, Anthony, a 36-year-old double amputee who was trying to run away on what remained of his legs.

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Greenhouse gases causing global warming through the deterioration of our ozone layer is directly harming our health and environment. It is trapped within Earth's atmosphere, causing heat to rapidly change much needed cold habitats for wildlife. This is directly related to America because the U.S. is a leading source of carbon dioxide production. Annually the U.S. produces 4.9 billion metric tons of CO2.

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By trapping heat from the sun, greenhouse gases have kept Earth's climate habitable for humans and millions of other species. But those gases are now out of balance and threaten to change drastically which living things can survive on this planet-and where.

Atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide-the most dangerous and prevalent greenhouse gas-are at the highest levels ever recorded. Greenhouse gas levels are so high primarily because humans have released them into the air by burning fossil fuels. The gases absorb solar energy and keep heat close to Earth's surface, rather than letting it escape into space. That trapping of heat is known as the greenhouse effect.

The roots of the greenhouse effect concept lie in the 19th century, when French mathematician Joseph Fourier calculated in 1824 that the Earth would be much colder if it had no atmosphere. In 1896, Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius was the first to link a rise in carbon dioxide gas from burning fossil fuels with a warming effect. Nearly a century later, American climate scientist James E. Hansen testified to Congress that "The greenhouse effect has been detected and is changing our climate now."

Today, climate change is the term scientists use to describe the complex shifts, driven by greenhouse gas concentrations, that are now affecting our planet's weather and climate systems. Climate change encompasses not only the rising average temperatures we refer to as global warming but also extreme weather events, shifting wildlife populations and and habitats, rising seas, and a range of other impacts.

Governments and organizations around the world such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations body that tracks the latest climate change science, are measuring greenhouse gases, tracking their impacts, and implementing solutions.

Major greenhouse gases and sources

Carbon dioxide (CO₂): Carbon dioxide is the primary greenhouse gas, responsible for about three-quarters of emissions. It can linger in the atmosphere for thousands of years. In 2018, carbon dioxide levels reached 411 parts per million at Hawaii's Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory, the highest monthly average ever recorded. Carbon dioxide emissions mainly come from burning organic materials: coal, oil, gas, wood, and solid waste.

Methane (CH₄): The main component of natural gas, methane is released from landfills, natural gas and petroleum industries, and agriculture (especially from the digestive systems of grazing animals). A molecule of methane doesn't stay in the atmosphere as long as a molecule of carbon dioxide-about 12 years-but it is at least 84 times more potent over two decades. It accounts for about 16 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions.

Nitrous Oxide (N₂O): Nitrous oxide occupies a relatively small share of global greenhouse gas emissions-about six percent-but it is 264 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over 20 years, and its lifetime in the atmosphere exceeds a century, according to the IPCC. Agriculture and livestock, including fertilizer, manure, and burning of agricultural residues, along with burning fuel, are the biggest sources of nitrous oxide emissions.

Industrial gases: Fluorinated gases such as hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride (SF ₆), and nitrogen trifluoride (NF ₃) have heat-trapping potential thousands of times greater than CO ₂ and stay in the atmosphere for hundreds to thousands of years. Accounting for about 2 percent of all emissions, they're used as refrigerants, solvents, and in manufacturing, sometimes occurring as byproducts.

Other greenhouse gases include water vapor and ozone (O ₃). Water vapor is actually the world's most abundant greenhouse gas, but it is not tracked the same way as other greenhouse gases because it is not directly emitted by human activity and its effects are not well understood. Similarly, ground-level or tropospheric ozone (not to be confused with the protective stratospheric ozone layer higher up) is not emitted directly but emerges from complex reactions among pollutants in the air.

Effects of greenhouse gases

Greenhouse gases have far-ranging environmental and health effects. They cause climate change by trapping heat, and they also contribute to respiratory disease from smog and air pollution. Extreme weather, food supply disruptions, and increased wildfires are other effects of climate change caused by greenhouse gases. The typical weather patterns we've grown to expect will change; some species will disappear; others will migrate or grow. ( Read more about greenhouse gas effects via climate change here.)

How to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Virtually every sector of the global economy, from manufacturing to agriculture to transportation to power production, contributes greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, so all of them must evolve away from fossil fuels if we are to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Countries around the world acknowledged this reality with the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015. The changes will be most important among the biggest emitters: Twenty countries are responsible for at least three-quarters of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, with China, the United States, and India leading the way.

The technologies for ramping down greenhouse gas emissions already exist, for the most part. They include swapping fossil fuels for renewable sources, boosting energy efficiency, and discouraging carbon emissions by putting a price on them. ( Read more about such solutions here.)

The world technically has only one-fifth of its "carbon budget"-the total is 2.8 trillion metric tons-remaining in order to avoid warming the Earth more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Halting the trends in motion will require more than just phasing out fossil fuels. In fact, the paths to halting global temperature increases of 1.5 or 2 degrees C, the two goals outlined by the IPCC, rely in some way on adopting methods of sucking CO2 from the sky. Those include planting trees, conserving existing forests and grasslands, and capturing CO ₂ from power plants and factories.

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Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is at a record high. Here's what you need to know.

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By trapping heat from the sun, greenhouse gases have kept Earth's climate habitable for humans and millions of other species. But those gases are now out of balance and threaten to change drastically which living things can survive on this planet-and where.

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America needs to broaden their school systems by changing based on their students interests or plans in the future. Schools should allow students to focus on specific fields/majors to really pin point their career paths rather than taking a class to complete credits

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The American education system offers a rich field of choices for international students. There is such an array of schools, programs and locations that the choices may overwhelm students, even those from the U.S. As you begin your school search, it's important to familiarize yourself with the American education system. Understanding the system will help you narrow your choices and develop your education plan.

The Educational Structure

Primary and Secondary School

Prior to higher education, American students attend primary and secondary school for a combined total of 12 years. These years are referred to as the first through twelfth grades.

Around age six, U.S. children begin primary school, which is most commonly called "elementary school." They attend five or six years and then go onto secondary school.

Secondary school consists of two programs: the first is "middle school" or "junior high school" and the second program is "high school." A diploma or certificate is awarded upon graduation from high school. After graduating high school (12th grade), U.S. students may go on to college or university. College or university study is known as "higher education."

Grading System

Just like American students, you will have to submit your academic transcripts as part of your application for admission to university or college. Academic transcripts are official copies of your academic work. In the U.S. this includes your "grades" and "grade point average" (GPA), which are measurements of your academic achievement. Courses are commonly graded using percentages, which are converted into letter grades.

The grading system and GPA in the U.S. can be confusing, especially for international students. The interpretation of grades has a lot of variation. For example, two students who attended different schools both submit their transcripts to the same university. They both have 3.5 GPAs, but one student attended an average high school, while the other attended a prestigious school that was academically challenging. The university might interpret their GPAs differently because the two schools have dramatically different standards.
Therefore, there are some crucial things to keep in mind:

You should find out the U.S. equivalent of the last level of education you completed in your home country.

Pay close attention to the admission requirements of each university and college, as well as individual degree programs, which may have different requirements than the university.

Regularly meet with an educational advisor or guidance counselor to make sure you are meeting the requirements.

Your educational advisor or guidance counselor will be able to advise you on whether or not you must spend an extra year or two preparing for U.S. university admission. If an international student entered a U.S. university or college prior to being eligible to attend university in their own country, some countries' governments and employers may not recognize the students' U.S. education.

Academic Year

The school calendar usually begins in August or September and continues through May or June. The majority of new students begin in autumn, so it is a good idea for international students to also begin their U.S. university studies at this time. There is a lot of excitement at the beginning of the school year and students form many great friendships during this time, as they are all adjusting to a new phase of academic life. Additionally, many courses are designed for students to take them in sequence, starting in autumn and continuing through the year.

The academic year at many schools is composed of two terms called "semesters." (Some schools use a three-term calendar known as the "trimester" system.) Still, others further divide the year into the quarter system of four terms, including an optional summer session. Basically, if you exclude the summer session, the academic year is either comprised of two semesters or three quarter terms.

The U.S. Higher Education System: Levels of Study

A student who is attending a college or university and has not earned a bachelor's degree, is studying at the undergraduate level. It typically takes about four years to earn a bachelor's degree. You can either begin your studies in pursuit of a bachelor's degree at a community college or a four-year university or college.

Your first two years of study you will generally be required to take a wide variety of classes in different subjects, commonly known as prerequisite courses: literature, science, the social sciences, the arts, history, and so forth. This is so you achieve a general knowledge, a foundation, of a variety of subjects prior to focusing on a specific field of study.

Many students choose to study at a community college in order to complete the first two years of prerequisite courses. They will earn an Associate of Arts (AA) transfer degree and then transfer to a four-year university or college.

A "major" is the specific field of study in which your degree is focused. For example, if someone's major is journalism, they will earn a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. You will be required to take a certain number of courses in this field in order to meet the degree requirements of your major. You must choose your major at the beginning of your third year of school.

A very unique characteristic of the American higher education system is that you can change your major multiple times if you choose. It is extremely common for American students to switch majors at some point in their undergraduate studies. Often, students discover a different field that they excel in or enjoy. The American education system is very flexible. Keep in mind though that switching majors may result in more courses, which means more time and money.

Second Level: Graduate in Pursuit of a Master's Degree

Presently, a college or university graduate with a bachelor's degree may want to seriously think about graduate study in order to enter certain professions or advance their career. This degree is usually mandatory for higher-level positions in library science, engineering, behavioral health and education.

Furthermore, international students from some countries are only permitted to study abroad at a graduate level. You should inquire about the credentials needed to get a job in your country before you apply to a postgraduate university in the USA.

A graduate program is usually a division of a university or college. To gain admission, you will need to take the GRE (graduate record examination). Certain master's programs require specific tests, such as the LSAT for law school, the GRE or GMAT for business school, and the MCAT for medical school.

Graduate programs in pursuit of a master's degree typically take one to two years to complete. For example, the MBA (master of business administration) is an extremely popular degree program that takes about two years. Other master's programs, such as journalism, only take one year.

The majority of a master's program is spent in classroom study and a graduate student must prepare a long research paper called a "master's thesis" or complete a "master's project."

Third Level: Graduate in Pursuit of a Doctorate Degree

Many graduate schools consider the attainment of a master's degree the first step towards earning a PhD (doctorate). But at other schools, students may prepare directly for a doctorate without also earning a master's degree. It may take three years or more to earn a PhD degree. For international students, it may take as long as five or six years.

For the first two years of the program most doctoral candidates enroll in classes and seminars. At least another year is spent conducting firsthand research and writing a thesis or dissertation. This paper must contain views, designs, or research that have not been previously published.

A doctoral dissertation is a discussion and summary of the current scholarship on a given topic. Most U.S. universities awarding doctorates also require their candidates to have a reading knowledge of two foreign languages, to spend a required length of time "in residence," to pass a qualifying examination that officially admits candidates to the PhD program, and to pass an oral examination on the same topic as the dissertation.

Characteristics of the U.S. Higher Education System
Classroom Environment
Classes range from large lectures with several hundred students to smaller classes and seminars (discussion classes) with only a few students. The American university classroom atmosphere is very dynamic. You will be expected to share your opinion, argue your point, participate in class discussions and give presentations. International students find this one of the most surprising aspects of the American education system.

Each week professors usually assign textbook and other readings. You will be expected to keep up-to-date with the required readings and homework so you can participate in class discussions and understand the lectures. Certain degree programs also require students to spend time in the laboratory.
Professors issue grades for each student enrolled in the course. Grades are usually based upon:

Each professor will have a unique set of class participation requirements, but students are expected to participate in class discussions, especially in seminar classes. This is often a very important factor in determining a student's grade.

A midterm examination is usually given during class time.

One or more research or term papers, or laboratory reports must be submitted for evaluation.

Possible short exams or quizzes are given. Sometimes professors will give an unannounced "pop quiz." This doesn't count heavily toward the grade, but is intended to inspire students to keep up with their assignments and attendance.

A final examination will be held after the final class meeting.

Credits
Each course is worth a certain number of credits or credit hours. This number is roughly the same as the number of hours a student spends in class for that course each week. A course is typically worth three to five credits.

A full-time program at most schools is 12 or 15 credit hours (four or five courses per term) and a certain number of credits must be fulfilled in order to graduate. International students are expected to enroll in a full-time program during each term.
Transfers
If a student enrolls at a new university before finishing a degree, generally most credits earned at the first school can be used to complete a degree at the new university. This means a student can transfer to another university and still graduate within a reasonable time.

Types of U.S. higher education

1. State College or University

A state school is supported and run by a state or local government. Each of the 50 U.S. states operates at least one state university and possibly several state colleges. Many of these public universities schools have the name of the state, or the actual word "State" in their names: for example, Washington State University and the University of Michigan.

2. Private College or University

These schools are privately run as opposed to being run by a branch of the government. Tuition will usually be higher than state schools. Often, private U.S. universities and colleges are smaller in size than state schools.

Religiously affiliated universities and colleges are private schools. Nearly all these schools welcome students of all religions and beliefs. Yet, there are a percentage of schools that prefer to admit students who hold similar religious beliefs as those in which the school was founded.

3. Community College

Community colleges are two-year colleges that award an associate's degrees (transferable), as well as certifications. There are many types of associate degrees, but the most important distinguishing factor is whether or not the degree is transferable. Usually, there will be two primary degree tracks: one for academic transfer and the other prepares students to enter the workforce straightaway. University transfer degrees are generally associate of arts or associate of science. Not likely to be transferrable are the associate of applied science degrees and certificates of completion.

Community college graduates most commonly transfer to four-year colleges or universities to complete their degree. Because they can transfer the credits they earned while attending community college, they can complete their bachelor's degree program in two or more additional years. Many also offer ESL or intensive English language programs, which will prepare students for university-level courses.

If you do not plan to earn a higher degree than the associate's, you should find out if an associate's degree will qualify you for a job in your home country.

4. Institute of Technology

An institute of technology is a school that provides at least four years of study in science and technology. Some have graduate programs, while others offer short-term courses.

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Understanding the American Education System

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The American education system offers a rich field of choices for international students. There is such an array of schools, programs and locations that the choices may overwhelm students, even those from the U.S. As you begin your school search, it's important to familiarize yourself with the American education system.

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The cost of living in Los Angeles is 54% higher than the national average. Throughout the cities and valleys that make up LA County, housing is extremely expensive, making it hard for younger people to move out of their homes and start their adult lives. This high cost of housing can be caused by inflation and demand for property in LA.

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Cost of Living in Los Angeles, CA | PayScale

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Los Angeles, California’s cost of living is 54% higher than the national average. Compare cost of living in Los Angeles with factors like salaries, housing expenses, groceries, utilities and more.

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The healthcare system is almost impossible to pay off. In California, the cost of health insurance is about $481 per person. If one does not have health insurance then a $850 penalty per adult and $425 per child while occur when you file your state tax income.

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Starting in 2020, California residents must either: have qualifying health insurance coverage, or pay a penalty when filing a state tax return, or get an exemption from the requirement to have coverage.

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In health care there is issues with health insurance and it causing services to be over priced to those without insurance. There is also issues with the health care system not dealing with trying to fight the underlying cause of the issue. Instead they bandage the problem.

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Health plan price transparency helps consumers know the cost of a covered item or service before receiving care. Beginning July 1, 2022, most group health plans and issuers of group or individual health insurance will begin posting pricing information for covered items and services. This pricing information can be used by third parties, such as researchers and app developers to help consumers better understand the costs associated with their health care. More requirements will go into effect starting on January 1, 2023, and January 1, 2024 which will provide additional access to pricing information and enhance consumers' ability to shop for the health care that best meet their needs.

Plans and issuers

The Transparency in Coverage rules go into effect in stages, with enforcement beginning on July 1, 2022. Are you prepared to be compliant?

Consumers

Ready to know what the potential cost for care will be? Find out what transparency in coverage could mean for you.

Contact Us

Have a question about Transparency in Coverage? Email us to submit a question or request for technical assistance. Can't find your plan or issuer's transparency information online? We want to know.

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Health plan price transparency helps consumers know the cost of a covered item or service before receiving care. Beginning July 1, 2022, most group health plans and issuers of group or individual health insurance will begin posting pricing information for covered items and services.

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How covid has negatively impacted education and what schools are doing to aid this learning gap along with kids' emotional well-being.

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(Laura Olivas/Getty Images)

Recent findings from the National Assessment of Educational Progress add to mounting evidence that the transition to remote learning in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic created gaps in learning that had a lasting impact on K-12 students in the United States. These findings are echoed in the views of many K-12 parents: About six-in-ten (61%) say the first year of the pandemic had a negative effect on their children's education. Just 7% say it had a positive effect, while 28% say it had neither a positive nor negative effect.

Among parents who say the pandemic had a negative effect on their children's education, more than four-in-ten (44%) say this is still the case today, while 56% say the impact was only temporary, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. parents.

The early stages of the pandemic also presented emotional challenges for children and teens. About half of parents (48%) say that the first year of the pandemic had a negative effect on their children's emotional well-being, while 7% say it had a positive effect and 39% say the impact was neither positive nor negative. Among parents who say there was a negative impact in the first year, most (74%) say their children's emotional well-being has gotten better, while 8% say it's gotten worse and 18% say things have stayed about the same.

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to study how parents of K-12 students assess the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on their children's education and emotional well-being. To do this, we surveyed 3,757 U.S. parents with at least one child younger than 18 (including 3,251 who have a child in a K-12 school) from Sept. 20 to Oct. 2, 2022. Because parents with multiple children in K-12 schools may have different answers to these questions depending on the child or the school they attend, these parents were randomly assigned to think about their youngest or oldest child who is in K-12 when answering these questions. The data was weighted to account for the probability of being assigned to a child in elementary, middle or high school and is representative of all parents of students at each of these stages.

Most parents who took part are members of the Center's American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This survey also included an oversample of Black, Hispanic and Asian parents from Ipsos' KnowledgePanel, another probability-based online survey web panel recruited primarily through national, random sampling of residential addresses.

Address-based sampling ensures that nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP's methodology.

Here are the questions used for this analysis, along with responses, and its methodology.
Related: Parents Differ Sharply by Party Over What Their K-12 Children Should Learn in School

Parents' views on the effect of the first year of the pandemic on their children's education differ significantly by race and ethnicity. While studies show that learning loss was more severe for Black and Hispanic students, White parents (66%) are more likely than Black (50%), Hispanic (55%) and Asian parents (50%) to say that the first year of the pandemic had a negative impact on their children's education.

Income is another factor: A greater share of upper-income parents (68%) say their children's education was negatively affected, compared with middle- and lower-income parents (63% and 54%, respectively).

The patterns are similar when it comes to the impact of the pandemic on children's emotional well-being. White parents (53%) are more likely than Black (39%), Hispanic (41%) and Asian parents (40%) to say the first year of the pandemic had a negative effect on their children's emotional well-being. And a higher share of upper-income parents (57%) than middle- or lower-income parents say the same (49% and 43%, respectively).

Parents' views on the emotional impact of the first year of the pandemic also differ by the age of their children. Parents of high school and middle school students (57% and 50%, respectively) are more likely than parents of elementary school students (43%) to say the emotional effect was negative.

When asked whether the effects of the first year of the pandemic are still a factor for their children today, the results are mixed. Among parents who say the first year of the pandemic had a negative impact on their children's education, a majority (56%) say the negative effect was only temporary. Still, 44% say it is still having an effect today.

These assessments don't differ substantially across key demographic groups, but there are differences by the type of school children attend. Parents who were answering about a child in a public school were more likely than those answering about a child in a private school to say there is still a negative effect on their child's education today (45% vs. 36%).

When it comes to the emotional impact of the pandemic, most parents who say there was a negative effect in the first year say things are better now (74%). But these attitudes differ by race and ethnicity.

Among parents who say the first year of the pandemic had a negative effect, White (77%) and Hispanic parents (73%) are more likely than Black parents (61%) to say their children's emotional well-being has gotten better. Roughly four-in-ten Black parents say the negative effects of the first year of the pandemic have persisted or gotten worse. This compares with about a quarter of White and Hispanic parents. (There are too few Asian parents to analyze separately on this question.)

Upper-income parents who say the first year of the pandemic had a negative effect on their children's emotional well-being are more likely than middle- or lower-income parents to say their children are doing better now in this regard (81% vs. 73% and 70%, respectively).
Note: Here are the questions used for this analysis, along with responses, and its methodology.

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Most K-12 parents say first year of pandemic had a negative effect on their children's education

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Recent findings from the National Assessment of Educational Progress add to mounting evidence that the transition to remote learning in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic created gaps in learning that had a lasting impact on K-12 students in the United States.

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The high cost of healthcare in terms of paying for doctor appointments and prescriptions. It is difficult for about 45% of adults to pay off their healthcare services and medication. Some people even avoid going to the doctor because of the cost of their appointments.

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The health care industry has undergone tumultuous change over the past two decades. Industry and political leaders have grappled with several issues that impact access to care, quality of care, and the cost of care. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted these challenges, as hospitals struggled to treat the overwhelming influx of patients, and public health officials worked to prevent the spread of disease.

As the pandemic illustrated, health care challenges are thorny and complex. Students and professionals who are drawn to health care administration because they're interested in resolving such challenges may want to consider graduate study. A Master of Health Administration program, for example, can offer deeper insights into some of the current issues in health care and the solutions that administrators are developing to solve these problems.

1. The High Cost of Health Care

The problem: Perhaps the most pressing issue in health care currently is the high cost of care. More than 45% of American adults say it's difficult to afford health care, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, and more than 40% have medical debt. The cost of health care changes people's behavior, with many forgoing seeing a doctor when they feel sick or avoiding preventive health visits entirely. A quarter of Americans can't afford necessary prescriptions and may skip doses or otherwise not take medication as prescribed. Each of these behaviors can lead to serious health issues, increasing the cost of care down the road.

The solution: Cutting the cost of care involves the input and actions of the health care industry, insurers, and state and federal government agencies. Current initiatives focus on a commitment to reducing insurance premiums and instituting comprehensive price caps for service.

At the administrative level, however, there are steps that health care administrators can take. According to research from industry consulting firm McKinsey, 25% of health care spending stems from administrative activities, such as billing, scheduling, and insurance filing. Many of these expenses can be reduced by automating repetitive tasks, establishing payer-provider communications platforms, and implementing industrywide changes such as improving Medicare quality-of-care reporting.

2. The Concerns of Health Equity

The problem: The health care industry has long noted the vast disparities in health care outcomes between different populations. These disparities are not solely tied to income and the cost of care. Rather, environmental factors also have an outsized impact on health and wellness.

These factors, known as social determinants of health, include an individual's ZIP code; race and ethnicity; air and water quality; and access to jobs, housing, education, transportation, and nutritious food.

Additionally, long-standing racial and social inequities have led to generations of poor health in some communities. All of these factors impact a person's overall health and access to medical care. When underserved individuals have a health crisis, it's typically more costly to treat, often leading to hospitalization or an emergency room visit.

The solution: As with the high cost of health care, health equity solutions involve the cooperation of local, state, and federal agencies with health care providers. Housing, transportation, and collaboration with health care nonprofits and churches can all be leveraged to address environmental factors and improve health care access for underserved communities.

Health care administrators can establish a number of different programs to meet patient needs. For example, telehealth can help patients who don't have access to transportation, as in many rural areas - although internet infrastructure is still a challenge. Other programs include in-home elder care; care teams, which streamline patient care; and community partnerships.

3. The Promise (and Pitfalls) of Technology

The problem: This current health care issue presents great opportunities, but if not managed correctly, it can lead to many problems. Health care has become increasingly data-dependent. The challenge lies in managing this vast ocean of data. Even before the pandemic, providers and health care systems were generating roughly 80MB of data per patient each year, according to a report in Frontiers in ICT. This data includes not only information compiled in electronic health records (EHRs) but also administrative data, such as addresses, demographic data, insurance policy and claims data, payment records, and appointment scheduling.

The solution: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) has a growing impact on health care delivery and administration. AI and machine learning can make simple, repetitive tasks such as patient intake and schedule more efficient. This allows staff to concentrate on more complex issues, saving time and money. AI can also help predict staffing needs, making it easier for administrators to staff appropriately. Additionally, doctors can use AI to complete administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on patient care. Finally, some administrators and health insurers have begun using big data analytics and AI to predict health risks and to track and analyze outbreaks of diseases such as COVID-19.

4. The Move Toward Value-Based Care

The problem: Health care providers in the U.S. have traditionally used a fee-for-service (FFS) model. FFS means that medical staff bill for each service provided, using established billing codes. The more care a physician provides, the more they're paid, which some critics have said leads to unnecessary tests and treatments.

The move to a value-based care (VBC) system is underway. In value-based care, Medicare and insurers reimburse providers based on outcomes. For example, hospitals are incentivized to decrease their readmission rates, which means they focus more on eliminating medical and surgical errors. Health industry leaders expect VBC to improve the overall wellness of a population and decrease hospital admissions and illnesses. However, proper billing for treatment is no longer as straightforward.

The solution: Health care administrators are moving toward value-based administration (VBA) and transitioning to payment and billing tools that can handle this new approach to care. This technology must make use of patient data and health care data analytics to track treatments, health programs, and outcomes - and bill accordingly. Health administration dashboards must be able to track health outcomes on a population basis, as well as an individual basis. These dashboards take into account social determinants of health and other factors and must be able to quantify health care outcome data. Stakeholders in VBA include hospitals and other providers, Medicare and private insurance companies, and public health programs.

5. The Growing Provider Shortage

The problem: The pandemic highlighted one of the most serious issues in health care: the provider shortage. Several issues are contributing to this shortage: an aging population, which requires more medical care; localized health care provider shortages, where a region lacks sufficient numbers of doctors and nurses to serve the community; and burnout, which occurs when medical staff are overwhelmed and overstressed or work too many shifts, leading some to leave the profession.

The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates the country will have a shortfall of nearly 140,000 physicians by 2033 due to the increase in demand.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the demand for registered nurses will grow by 9% between 2020 and 2030. That projected growth jumps to 45% for advanced practice nurses, such as nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists.

Roughly 96 million Americans live in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. These areas are often rural, although not always. They may lack primary care physicians or nurse practitioners, dentists, or mental health providers.

The solution: Providers are using creative solutions to address the shortage. This may entail overhauling recruitment efforts and focus on long-term workforce planning. It may require health administrators to examine salary, paid time off, and benefits to create an attractive compensation package. Taking steps to make sure departments are adequately staffed can help prevent overwork, medical errors, and burnout. Other changes could focus on training and advancement opportunities as a way to increase employee satisfaction.

Address Health Care Challenges with a Master of Health Administration Degree

With all the current issues in health care consuming administrators' attention, this is both a challenging and exciting time to work in the health care industry. Although these issues are complex, health administration leaders are developing innovative solutions to positively impact the health and well-being of millions of Americans.

With coursework and projects in quality management, health policy, and health information systems, the online Master of Health Administration program at Regis College provides a foundation for this rewarding field. Explore the program today and see how you can make a difference in health care.

Recommended Readings
5 Strategies for Streamlining Patient Engagement in Health Care 6 Effective Health Care Skills for Health Administrators Health Care Management vs. Health Care Administration
Sources:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing, "Nursing Shortage" Association of American Medical Colleges, "U.S. Physician Shortage Growing" American Hospital Association, "5 Ways to Ease Staffing Shortages Now and Into the Future" Brookings Institution, "5 Building Blocks to Help Achieve Greater Health Equity" , "Better Patient Outcomes Through Mining of Biomedical Big Data" Health Affairs, "Two Approaches to Capping Health Care Prices" Health Resources and Services Administration, Shortage Areas Insider Intelligence, "AI in Healthcare Administration: How Digital Health Firms and Big Tech Are Using AI to Ease Doctors' Administrative Burden" Kaiser Family Foundation, "Americans' Challenges with Health Care Costs" McKinsey & Company, "Administrative Simplification: How to Save a Quarter-Trillion Dollars in US Healthcare" Medical Advantage, "Healthcare Dashboards Examples: 4 Actionable Examples" MedCity News, "Why Value-Based Administration Is Key to Value-Based Care" U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Registered Nurses U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "Health Worker Burnout"

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5 Current Issues in Health Care and What Administrators Can Do | Regis

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The health care industry has undergone tumultuous change over the past two decades. Industry and political leaders have grappled with several issues that impact access to care, quality of care, and the cost of care. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted these challenges, as hospitals struggled to treat the overwhelming influx of patients, and public health officials worked to prevent the spread of disease.

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The cost of American Healthcare is on the higher end of costs. Something simple as just an x-ray can cost you a range of $60+ without insurance. Ambulance rides can reach $1200 without insurance.

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Does Insurance Pay the Bill for Expensive Ambulance Rides?

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To most people, an ambulance bill is a combination of calculus-level math and confusion. Learn how this bill is actually calculated.

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One huge problem is that the air pollution in America is caused by mobile, stationary, area, and natural sources. Air pollution is caused by mobile sources such as cars and trucks, stationary sources such as power plants and factories, agricultural areas such as cities and fireplaces, and natrual sorces such as wildfires and windblown dust. Out of a few countries, the US is responsible for 14% of global emissions and approximately 4 in 10 Americans live in unhealthy air pollution.

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Most air pollution, harmful gases and particles in the air, affecting national parks is created outside park boundaries.

Types of Sources

There are four main types of air pollution sources:

mobile sources - such as cars, buses, planes, trucks, and trains

stationary sources - such as power plants, oil refineries, industrial facilities, and factories

area sources - such as agricultural areas, cities, and wood burning fireplaces

natural sources - such as wind-blown dust, wildfires, and volcanoes

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Where Does Air Pollution Come From? - Air (U.S. National Park Service)

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Most air pollution, harmful gases and particles in the air, affecting national parks is created outside park boundaries.

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The American Lung Association found that 4 in 10 people are currently living in areas with unhealthy and polluted air. America emits millions of tons of pollution into the atmosphere every year and can affect the environment as a whole by unhealthy air, raising temperatures because greenhouse gases destroy the ozone layer slowly but surely and it's effects can be on big especially on wildlife. Human activities is the big cause of pollution.

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pollution, the addition of any substance ( solid, liquid, or gas) or any form of energy (such as heat, sound, or radioactivity) to the environment at a rate faster than it can be dispersed, diluted, decomposed, recycled, or stored in some harmless form. The major kinds of pollution, usually classified by environment, are air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution. Modern society is also concerned about specific types of pollutants, such as noise pollution, light pollution, and plastic pollution. Pollution of all kinds can have negative effects on the environment and wildlife and often impacts human health and well-being.

History of pollution

Although environmental pollution can be caused by natural events such as forest fires and active volcanoes, use of the word pollution generally implies that the contaminants have an anthropogenic source-that is, a source created by human activities. Pollution has accompanied humankind ever since groups of people first congregated and remained for a long time in any one place. Indeed, ancient human settlements are frequently recognized by their wastes- shell mounds and rubble heaps, for instance. Pollution was not a serious problem as long as there was enough space available for each individual or group. However, with the establishment of permanent settlements by great numbers of people, pollution became a problem, and it has remained one ever since.

Cities of ancient times were often noxious places, fouled by human wastes and debris. Beginning about 1000 ce, the use of coal for fuel caused considerable air pollution, and the conversion of coal to coke for iron smelting beginning in the 17th century exacerbated the problem. In Europe, from the Middle Ages well into the early modern era, unsanitary urban conditions favoured the outbreak of population-decimating epidemics of disease, from plague to cholera and typhoid fever. Through the 19th century, water and air pollution and the accumulation of solid wastes were largely problems of congested urban areas. But, with the rapid spread of industrialization and the growth of the human population to unprecedented levels, pollution became a universal problem.

By the middle of the 20th century, an awareness of the need to protect air, water, and land environments from pollution had developed among the general public. In particular, the publication in 1962 of Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring focused attention on environmental damage caused by improper use of pesticides such as DDT and other persistent chemicals that accumulate in the food chain and disrupt the natural balance of ecosystems on a wide scale. In response, major pieces of environmental legislation, such as the Clean Air Act (1970) and the Clean Water Act (1972; United States), were passed in many countries to control and mitigate environmental pollution.

Giving voice to the growing conviction of most of the scientific community about the reality of anthropogenic global warming, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was formed in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to help address greenhouse gas emissions. An IPCC special report produced in 2018 noted that human beings and human activities have been responsible for a worldwide average temperature increase between 0.8 and 1.2 °C (1.4 and 2.2 °F) since preindustrial times, and most of the warming over the second half of the 20th century could be attributed to human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels.

Pollution control

The presence of environmental pollution raises the issue of pollution control. Great efforts are made to limit the release of harmful substances into the environment through air pollution control, wastewater treatment, solid-waste management, hazardous-waste management, and recycling. Unfortunately, attempts at pollution control are often surpassed by the scale of the problem, especially in less-developed countries. Noxious levels of air pollution are common in many large cities, where particulates and gases from transportation, heating, and manufacturing accumulate and linger. The problem of plastic pollution on land and in the oceans has only grown as the use of single-use plastics has burgeoned worldwide. In addition, greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane and carbon dioxide, continue to drive global warming and pose a great threat to biodiversity and public health.
Jerry A. Nathanson

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Pollution | Definition, History, Types, & Facts

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Pollution, addition of any substance or form of energy to the environment at a rate faster than it can be dispersed or stored in a harmless form. The major kinds of pollution are usually classified by environment and include air, water, and land pollution. Learn more about the history of pollution.

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There is a major housing crisis all over the United States which is expanding beyond the coast. In hundreds of big cities and small towns, from Boston to Boise, there's an increase in a housing shortage. The cost of living has sky-rocketed by more than 30% making it harder for people to find affordable housing.

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The Housing Shortage Isn’t Just a Coastal Crisis Anymore

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An increasingly national problem has consequences for the quality of American family life, the economy and the future of housing politics.

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The current wages for workers do not properly account for modern inflation. The minimum wage was meant to keep a "standard of living," but as prices for housing and food increase, many people are struggling to survive.

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It's Long Past Time To Increase the Federal Minimum Wage

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This month marks 13 years since the federal minimum wage was increased. The lack of an increase during this period has disproportionately harmed women and people of color.

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Congress members are able to invest in stocks due to there inside knowledge with there committee work. There are many members of congress that partake in this and financially gain from there jobs when there focus should be on the American people.

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Alicia Parlapiano, Adam Playford, Kate Kelly and Ege UzSept. 13, 2022

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These 97 Members of Congress Reported Trades in Companies Influenced by Their Committees

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See the stocks the lawmakers reported buying and selling and how their trades potentially conflicted with the committees they sat on.

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Inflation and the cost to survive in the Los Angeles Area has rose 4.5 percent within the last year. Energy, Natural Gas Services (up 27 percent!), Electricity and Food have all contributed heavily towards the increased prices.

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Area prices were down 0.6 percent over the past month, up 4.9 percent from a year ago

Prices in the Los Angeles area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), declined 0.6 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the December decrease was influenced by lower prices for gasoline. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, month-to-month changes may reflect seasonal influences.)

Over the last 12 months, the CPI-U advanced 4.9 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) Food prices advanced 7.4 percent, and energy prices advanced 4.5 percent. The index for all items less food and energy advanced 4.5 percent over the year. (See table 1.)

Food prices were unchanged for the month of December. (See table 1.) Prices for food at home declined 0.8 percent, with lower prices in five of the six grocery categories. Prices for food away from home increased 1.1 percent for the same period.

Over the year, food prices advanced 7.4 percent. Prices for food at home advanced 8.8 percent since a year ago. Price increases across food at home expenditure categories ranged from 2.8 percent for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs to 18.4 percent for cereals and bakery products. Prices for food away from home increased 5.7 percent.

The energy index decreased 6.4 percent over the month. The decrease was mainly due to lower prices for gasoline (-14.4 percent). Prices for natural gas service advanced 18.3 percent, and prices for electricity advanced 1.2 percent for the same period.

Energy prices advanced 4.5 percent over the year, largely due to higher prices for natural gas service (26.7 percent). Prices paid for electricity advanced 8.6 percent, but prices for gasoline decreased 2.3 percent during the past year.

All items less food and energy

The index for all items less food and energy decreased 0.2 percent in December. Lower prices for new and used motor vehicles (-3.4 percent) and medical care (-0.8 percent) were partially offset by higher prices for shelter (0.6 percent).

Over the year, the index for all items less food and energy advanced 4.5 percent. Components contributing to the increase included medical care (5.6 percent) and shelter (5.4 percent). Partly offsetting the increases was a price decrease in used cars and trucks (-7.5 percent).
The January 2023 Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles area is scheduled to be released on February 14, 2023.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measures of the average change in prices over time in a fixed market basket of goods and services. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes CPIs for two population groups: (1) a CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) which covers approximately 93 percent of the total U.S. population and (2) a CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) which covers approximately 29 percent of the total U.S. population. The CPI-U includes, in addition to wage earners and clerical workers, groups such as professional, managerial, and technical workers, the self-employed, short-term workers, the unemployed, and retirees and others not in the labor force.

The CPI is based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, and fuels, transportation fares, charges for doctors' and dentists' services, drugs, and the other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living. Each month, prices are collected in 75 urban areas across the country from about 6,000 housing units and approximately 22,000 retail establishments-department stores, supermarkets, hospitals, filling stations, and other types of stores and service establishments. All taxes directly associated with the purchase and use of items are included in the index.

The index measures price changes from a designated reference date; for most of the CPI-U the reference base is 1982-84 equals 100. An increase of 7 percent from the reference base, for example, is shown as 107.000. Alternatively, that relationship can also be expressed as the price of a base period market basket of goods and services rising from $100 to $107. For further details see the CPI home page on the Internet at www.bls.gov/cpi and the CPI section of the BLS Handbook of Methods available on the internet at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cpi/.

In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each location are averaged together with weights that represent their importance in the spending of the appropriate population group. Local data are then combined to obtain a U.S. city average. Because the sample size of a local area is smaller, the local area index is subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error than the national index. In addition, local indexes are not adjusted for seasonal influences. As a result, local area indexes show greater volatility than the national index, although their long-term trends are quite similar. NOTE: Area indexes do not measure differences in the level of prices between cities; they only measure the average change in prices for each area since the base period.

The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan area includes Los Angeles and Orange Counties in California.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

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Consumer Price Index, Los Angeles area - December 2022

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Area prices were down 0.6 percent over the past month, up 4.9 percent from a year ago Prices in the Los Angeles area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), declined 0.6 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.)

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In result to unaffordable housing and California being the largest state it has the largest homeless population out of all 50 states.

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As housing costs rise, more than half a million people lack homes, including nearly 100k children.

Written By: Security.org Team | Published: January 25, 2023

Homelessness in America is a pressing crisis that can be difficult to document. The same pandemic conditions that ravaged the economy and disproportionately impacted the most vulnerable kept the government from accurately counting those left without shelter.

Following a period of limited data, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently completed its first comprehensive Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) in two years. It found that nearly 600,000 Americans are unhoused on any night - a slight increase over pre-COVID numbers. A deeper dive into the census reveals that while overall numbers were relatively stable during COVID's reign, some demographics shifted notably.

As part of Security.org's ongoing commitment to highlighting this societal problem, this annual report examines the overall scope of the homelessness issue, explores its geographical distribution, and identifies groups most at risk. This article builds on our previous reports from 2022, 2021, and 2019.

Key Findings:

582,462 individuals are experiencing homelessness in America, an increase of about 2,000 people since the last complete census conducted in 2020.

About 30 percent of people without homes are experiencing chronic patterns of homelessness. This means they've been without homes for more than 12 months or have experienced extended periods of extended homelessness over the past three years.

Most states saw their homeless populations rise since 2019, including four where the tally more than doubled (Delaware, Vermont, Louisiana, Maine).

Sixty percent of individuals experiencing homelessness are male, though unsheltered homelessness rose by five percent among women and girls. More than a quarter of those experiencing homelessness were with their families and children.

Much progress has been made in reducing homelessness among military veterans. Homelessness in this population declined by 11 percent over the past two years and has been halved since 2010.

American Homelessness in 2022: An Overview

In December of 2022, HUD calculated that 582,462 people were experiencing homelessness in the United States and its territories. That number represented an increase of nearly 2,000 individuals over the last complete accounting of 2020, yet remained steady at .18 percent of the nation's population.

Despite this slight increase in those without homes since the pandemic's start and gradual increases since 2016, the number of people experiencing homelessness is lower today than a decade ago.

Of those experiencing homelessness, 60 percent found refuge in sheltered locations (like emergency shelters, safe havens, or transitional housing programs). The other 40 percent spent their nights unsheltered (often on the street, in abandoned buildings, or in other places not designated/suitable for human habitation).

These proportions mark a three percent increase in unsheltered individuals combined with a two percent decrease among those in shelter facilities. Though available shelter beds increased over the last two years (aided by emergency funding through the federal CARES act), the shift may reflect COVID restrictions compelling reduced occupancy.

Sadly, more than a quarter of those experiencing homelessness in 2022 did so as part of a family with children. Though the number of families without permanent homes is distressing, this group had greater access to assistance. Nearly nine in ten unhoused people who were part of families with children were sheltered - a much higher percentage than individuals experiencing homelessness (49 percent). Thankfully, the number of unhoused people in families with children has declined each year since 2012 and fallen collectively by one-third in that time.

Regional Trends in Homelessness

Homelessness touches communities of all sizes across every region, though some bear its brunt more than others. Contributing factors to the concentration of the unhoused include local financial hardship, housing markets, climate conditions, and available social resources.

Though the common conception of those experiencing homelessness might be unsheltered individuals on the streets of a city, the issue reaches communities of all types. While most unhoused Americans occupy urban areas, many live in suburban and rural settings.

Among major cities, Los Angeles (54,469 individuals) and New York City (32,308) have the largest unhoused populations, collectively accounting for nearly one-fifth of the country's total afflicted. No other city contains more than 10,000 persons experiencing homelessness, with Seattle, San Jose, and Oakland/San Francisco rounding out the top five afflicted metroplexes.

Major cities saw an increase in unhoused individuals over the past two years (5,694 additional persons) and featured the highest percentage of unsheltered homeless (55 percent). However, the most notable expansion in unhoused populations occurred in rural areas, where homeless numbers have jumped six percent since 2020.

Regionally, the western United States exhibited the highest per capita rates of homelessness, though numbers varied significantly by state.

States with largest populations of homeless people

States with most people experiencing homelessness per capita

Fastest growing populations of people in homelessness 2019 - 2022

California, New York, Florida, Washington, and Texas had the highest number of unhoused individuals. Vermont, Oregon, and Hawaii join CA and NY as the most afflicted states per capita. Delaware, Vermont, Louisiana, and Maine recorded the most significant percentage increases in homelessness - each more than doubling its rate since 2019.

In all, twenty-eight states saw homelessness increase in the latest AHAR. To find the extent of the homeless problem in your state, consult the data appendix below.

Special Populations Experiencing Homelessness

Every instance of homelessness has an element of tragedy, and each springs from a singular tale, yet certain commonalities and communities emerge among the unhoused population. Historically, armed forces veterans and BIPOC individuals are more likely to experience homelessness. At the same time, children and young adults on the streets before their adult lives have started may be the most vulnerable victims.

Chronic Homelessness

One of the most troubling trends is the continuing surge of individuals experiencing chronic patterns of homelessness. This includes people who have been homeless for more than 12 months or have experienced extended periods of extended homelessness over the past three years.

Currently, about 30 percent of unhoused individuals suffer from these chronic patterns. That number jumped 16 percent over the past two years and has grown by 64 percent since 2016.

In Nevada, Oregon, California, Colorado, and Oklahoma, a third or more of people experiencing homelessness were caught in chronic homelessness. These states had the highest rates of chronic homelessness.

Homelessness Among America's Youth

We previously noted the numbers of families experiencing homelessness, yet those do not account for all unhoused young people. Though advocates claim that the number of unhoused youths is vastly underreported, HUD found that more than 30,000 unaccompanied Americans under age 25 lack a permanent dwelling, and 13,000 of those young people are unsheltered.

Since the pandemic's start, governments, nonprofits, and other groups have made progress in reducing youth homelessness. The number of unaccompanied youths experiencing homelessness in America decreased by 12 percent between 2020 and 2022. California registered the most significant drop of any state (2,582 individuals) but still accounts for one-third of the country's unhoused youth.

The states with the largest shares of minors experiencing homelessness were Massachusetts (39 percent under 18), Delaware (32 percent), and Louisiana (31 percent).

Racial Disparities: Homelessness Across the Ethnic Spectrum

As with many economic hardships, homelessness affects BIPOC communities most deeply. The Black community suffers particularly hard, comprising nearly forty percent of all unhoused persons.

All racial groups other than White and Asian Americans experience homelessness at a rate that is disproportionately high to their share of the population. The same is true of those identifying as Hispanic or Latino, a separate classification in the federal statistical system.

Racial Disparities in Homelessness
Demographic characteristics of people experiencing homelessness, compared to national population
Conversely, the number of Black individuals identifying as homeless dropped by over 11,000 over the past two years, as most other communities endured a rise in their unhoused ranks.

Perhaps the brightest spot of progress in the battle against homelessness comes from the count of unhoused veterans. At the start of the last decade, more than 74,000 veterans were without permanent lodgings, with that community experiencing homelessness at a rate double the national average. Following years of increased funding and targeted initiatives, signs of success have emerged.

The states with the largest proportion of veterans in their homeless populations were:

Mississippi: 12 percent

Montana: 11 percent

Wyoming: 10 percent

South Carolina: 10 percent

Nevada: 10 percent

New York had the lowest percentage of veterans in their homeless populations at just one percent.

Conclusion

Following a year of incomplete data, HUD completed a comprehensive 2022 point-in-time survey of American homelessness. It showed that the number of unhoused individuals grew slightly (less than one percent) during the pandemic period.

Some would label this increase a failure of societal policies, while others might credit an influx of funding and proactive countermeasures with preventing a far worse catastrophe (some estimated that COVID and its accompanying recession would spike homelessness by 49 percent).

All would agree that with nearly 600,000 individuals unhoused, the nation still faces a challenging problem, especially among vulnerable communities. The Biden administration recently unveiled a new strategic plan to tackle the crisis. Still, as conservatives seize the nation's purse strings and housing costs continually rise, many foresee the problem deepening.

As mandated by Congress, a new Annual Homelessness Assessment Report will be issued next year, updating the country's progress. Security.org will again analyze the numbers for you.

Methodology

All figures on homelessness come from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Annual Homelessness Assessment Reports to Congress, with the latest statistics derived from its 2022 Point in Time homelessness count. You can access the tables and HUD's latest report to Congress here. Demographic information regarding the general population came from publically available figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Data Appendix

State

2022 total unhoused

Percentage change since 2019

Percent of people experiencing homeless under age 18

Percent military veterans

Percent in chronic homelessness

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Annual Homelessness Assessment Reports to Congress (2022).

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Homelessness in America 2023: Statistics, Analysis, & Trends | Security.org

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As housing costs rise, more than half a million people lack homes, including nearly 100k children. Written By: Security.org Team | Published: January 25, 2023 Homelessness in America is a pressing crisis that can be difficult to document. The same pandemic conditions that ravaged the economy and disproportionately impacted the most vulnerable kept the government from accurately counting those left without shelter.

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Healthcare is becoming increasingly more expensive in California. Even with insurance, medical bills and insurance cost a lot of money. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford the medical attention they require due to these increasing prices. Half of Americans postponed their medical care in 2021. Some even were forced to ration there medications.

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Health care costs keep rising. A new California agency aims to fix that

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In 2017, a rare viral infection hospitalized Bernadette Moordigian for three weeks and paralyzed her for nearly nine months. Although she had health insurance, the hospital sent her an $80,000 bill. She appealed and got financial aid but was still on the hook for $10,000.

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The price of gas for cars is the most expensive its ever been. It's costing people hundreds of dollars to fill up a full tank of gas. A couple years ago gas was considered expensive if it cost near 3 dollars. Now any person would be lucky to find gas at this price. There needs to be a cheaper way for people to find gas for there vehicles.

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The price of gasoline declined 1.5% in the 12 months ended December compared to the 10.1% annual increase in November, according to the most recent inflation data published Jan. 12, 2023, by the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics ( BLS).

Gasoline is an important category reported within the BLS's monthly report on consumer inflation, the Consumer Price Index (CPI). "Gasoline (all types)" is listed as a subcategory under the overall "Energy" index, as is fuel oil, electricity, and natural gas.

The following chart shows some of the most important figures reported in the latest CPI report.

Energy inflation as a component of the CPI's "all items" index is part of the data set used in calculating inflation rates. Though of note, because energy prices tend to be more volatile, they (along with food prices) are stripped out when calculating core inflation rates.

This next chart highlights how gasoline prices have changed over time (gasoline inflation):

*For unfinished years, the latest inflation data (12-month based) is always displayed in the chart's final column.
Table: Gasoline Inflation by Month and Year (1968-2023)
The below table shows the percent increase or decrease in gas prices on an annual basis by month and calendar year. As the BLS-provided figures below are 12-month periods, look to the December column to find the overall change in gas prices by calendar year. (See also: Gas Prices Adjusted for Inflation.)
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Gasoline (all types) in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted. CPI-All Urban Consumers. Table: Historical Gasoline Prices (1978-2023)
Finally, this table shows average gasoline prices (per gallon) in the United States as surveyed and reported by the BLS:
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Gasoline, all types, per gallon/3.785 liters in U.S. city average, average price, not seasonally adjusted.

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Gasoline Inflation in the United States (1968-2023) | US Inflation Calculator

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The price of gasoline declined 1.5% in the 12 months ended December compared to the 10.1% annual increase in November, according to the most recent inflation data published Jan. 12, 2023, by the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

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The Mississippi river has the worst polluted water in America. Animal waste going through the waters is the first problem. The second problem is how chemical fertilizers spill into these waters and then cause groundwater supplies to be damaged. This then spreads to many places causing water routes connected to this river to be polluted.

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We are reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn affiliate commission.

Do you know that one reason it's so challenging to measure the impact of climate change is that it consists of various facets? Ozone depletion is only part of the picture. The nation's waterways also take a hit.

Where should you exercise caution before swimming or release anything you catch, lest you dine on contaminated food? Here are the seven most polluted bodies of water in the U.S. Do you live near any of them?

1. The Mississippi River

A lot has changed since Mark Twain envisioned Huckleberry Finn floating peacefully down the Mississippi. This once pristine waterway is perhaps the most polluted in the United States.

Part of the problem stems from agriculture. The Mississippi River traverses much of America's heartland, drawing no end of runoff from factory farms. Animal waste isn't the only problem. Chemical fertilizers spill into waterways and pollute nearby groundwater supplies, damaging native wildlife and rendering water unsafe for use.

A major curse of agricultural runoff is eutrophication. This term refers to how fertilizers like nitrogen and phosphorus increase the nutrient content of water, spurring algae growth. This coating on the water's surface asphyxiates what lies below the surface, killing native flora and fauna and potentially causing entire species to go extinct.

2. The Ohio River

Steel is one of the commodities that helped America reach economic superiority in the early part of the century. Many plants still exist along the Ohio River, and the runoff from these facilities renders this waterway one of the ten most polluted in the United States.

The toxins found here consist primarily of nitrate compounds. These chemicals are notoriously difficult to remove once they enter waterways. Mercury makes up another common pollutant, making the surrounding area hazardous for little ones who like to put everything in their mouths.

3. The Pacific Ocean

For far too many years, people disposed of waste by dumping it into the ocean. However, much of the trash thrown there never disintegrates, at least not for many lifetimes. Approximately 90% of the visible rubbish seen in the Pacific waters consists of plastic. What's even worse is that this substance never fully biodegrades, breaking down into microplastics that poison marine life.

Recreational activity also supplies some waste as residents and tourists flood beaches in the summer, often leaving trash behind. Another problem is nuclear waste. Leaks like the Fukushima one contaminate waters. Additionally, the liquid pulls contaminants from the air, adding to the radioactive mess.

4. The Atlantic Ocean

If you've ever gone down to the Jersey shore, the waters off the coast probably appeared more gray-brown than blue. That's because of the high levels of industrial and agricultural runoff that continue to pollute this body of water.

Unfortunately, the reality of climate change makes mighty bodies of water like the Atlantic even harder to clean. More frequent and severe hurricanes lead to agricultural runoff entering the ocean, as in Hurricane Florence when it struck in 2018. The area off the North Carolina coast is home to roughly 2,400 hog farms, all of which produce cesspools of wastes that flow into the ocean and other waterways when floodwaters rise.

5. New River

The U.S.-Mexico border sees no end of trouble, and the problems don't begin and end with immigration woes. Even migrants seeking a better life often emerge from traversing this waterway covered in itchy sores and rashes. If so much as a single splash crosses their lips, they can become violently ill, a severe problem in a climate where water is hard to find.

Many people who live in the surrounding area have become sick with cancer. Much of the pollution stems from factories in Mexicali.

6. The Savannah River

The Savannah River ranks third in the country for toxic discharges. Industrial facilities dumped over 10 million tons of contaminants into this waterway in 2012 alone.

Much of the problem stems from court cases brought by polluters that stripped many area waterways of protections ensured by the Clean Water Act. The Environment Georgia Research and Policy Center, its allies and the Environmental Protection Agency have proposed closing a loophole and restoring safeguards, but repairing the damage will take considerable time.

7. Onondaga Lake

Once upon a time in the 19th century, Onondaga Lake was a popular tourist destination, replete with beaches, resorts and amusement parks. However, industrial pollution combined with agricultural runoff and wastewater rendered the lake unsafe for swimming by 1940 and fishing by 1970. Today, you won't find any colorful umbrellas lining its shores.

Recent revitalization efforts have made the lake cleaner than in 100 years. It reopened to fishing in 1986. It was designated as a superfund site in 1994.

The Most Polluted Bodies of Water in the US

"Don't drink the water" should only apply to biological organisms, not human-made pollutants. However, contamination levels in America's waterways have rendered many unsafe for drinking or bathing - mere contact can cause skin problems in some cases. The seven listings above may be the most polluted bodies of water in the U.S., but it is everyone's responsibility to safeguard nearby shorelines and do what they can to help in cleanup efforts.

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The 7 Most Polluted Bodies of Water in the US - Environment Co

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We are reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn affiliate commission. Do you know that one reason it's so challenging to measure the impact of climate change is that it consists of various facets? Ozone depletion is only part of the picture.

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Climate change has caused heat and energy that is released from the greenhouse gas. This heat that is being emitted is therefore, causing ice to melt, sea level rise, marine heat waves and ocean acidification.

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Climate Change Indicators: Oceans | US EPA

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https://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/the-15-biggest-failures-of-the-american-public-education-system
There are many problems with the educational system in the US but on of the biggest problems is there lack of evolving and updating throught the years. As decades pass we see different aspects of the world change to fit the new norms and whats more comftorable but the school systemh as looked the same since it's start with little to no changes.

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Decades ago, the American formal education system was designed to meet the changing needs of the industrial revolution. What was once a time of growth has changed over the years and, with the current economic climate, that system is no longer able to meet modern needs. But what are the biggest failures of the American public education system, and how can they be remedied?

In this article, we'll explore fifteen of the biggest failures affecting the American public education system today. We'll also explore five of the biggest emerging trends in American education.
The Top 15 Failures in American Public Education
Policymakers are constantly fighting to make changes to the American public education system, and not all of them are beneficial. Over the years, there has been a great deal of back-and-forth that has left the public education system in shambles. Some of these problems are easy to identify and have been long-standing issues while others are new, brought about by advances in technology, changes in policy, and general change that happens with time.

Every story has two sides, and for every policy or program put into place, there are going to be proponents and critics. Below you'll find an overview of some of the biggest issues facing the American public system as well as arguments from people on both sides of the issue.

This video examines the question of why public education is failing parents and students.

Here are the top 15 failures affecting the American public education system:
1. Deficits in government funding for schools.
Funding is always an issue for schools and is, in fact, one of the biggest issues facing the American public education system today. For more than 90% of K-12 schools, funding comes from state and local governments, largely generated by sales and income taxes. Research shows, however, that funding has not increased with need - many states are still issuing funding that is lower than it was before the Great Recession. Lower funding means fewer teachers, fewer programs, and diminished resources.
2. Decline in school safety.
There has been a string of high-profile mass shootings in American schools, resulting not only in dozens of deaths but many debates about school safety. In one poll, over 50% of teenagers said they were worried about the possibility of gun violence in school. Teachers all across the country are faced with the problem of figuring out how to prevent attacks and protect the lives of students and personnel. Some suggest special straining for teachers and concealed weapons might make schools safer while critics argue that more guns in schools could lead to more accidents and injuries.
3. Challenges with technology in education.
Today's students have grown up using technology and have come to expect it in the classroom, but there are arguments about how large a role technology should play in education. Supporters suggest that technology creates the potential for more active student engagement and provides instant access to up-to-date resources while critics say it could be a distraction. While technology in the classroom certainly has its benefits, certain aspects of technology are challenging. For example, smartphones and easy access to technology have made it easier for students to cheat and can negatively impact learning.

This video discusses the worsening school funding crisis.
4. Controversy over charter schools and voucher programs.
Another hot topic in education today is school choice. Charter schools and school vouchers allow parents to choose options other than traditional public schools for their children. Charter schools are funded by a combination of private and public funds and operate outside the public school system. School vouchers allow parents to use public funds to send their child to a school of choice, including private schools. Critics of these schools suggest that charter schools and voucher programs siphon funds away from public schools that are already struggling financially.
5. Problems with the common core curriculum.
The Common Core State Standards were developed to specify exactly what students should know before graduating high school. It was developed in 2009 to promote educational equity across the country, holding all students to the same standardized testing requirements. Some see the problem as a federal intrusion into the state control of education and others say that it doesn't allow for teacher innovation and flexibility with the learning process. Most states adopted the standards when they were introduced but more than a dozen have since repealed or revised them.
6. Decreased teacher salaries.
Teacher salaries are by no means impressive and, in most states, they have decreased steadily over the past few years. In fact, research shows that the average salary for public elementary and secondary school teachers dropped by nearly 5% between the 2009/10 school year and now. States like Oklahoma and Colorado experienced a 17% and 16% decrease - these states also saw massive teacher walkouts in 2018. There are, of course, some states where teacher salaries increased, and some teachers received a growth in benefits that may or may not be enough to balance out wages that are low overall.
7. Emphasis on standardized testing.
Along with Common Core, there has been an increased focus on standardized testing, especially during the No Child Left Behind years. Schools and teachers are judged based on student test scores which, many argue, is not a fair or accurate measure of efficacy. Many critics argue that standardized testing is one of the biggest problems in American education, suggesting that the pressure to produce high test scores leads to a teach-to-the-test approach and reduced focus on non-tested subjects like art.
8. Arguments about teacher tenure.
Tenure is designed to protect teachers from being fired for personal or political reasons - the school district must demonstrate just cause. In many states, tenure is granted to public school teachers who have consistently received satisfactory evaluations, though some states don't award it at all. Supporters suggest that tenured teachers can advocate for students without having fears of reprisal while critics say that it makes it harder for school districts to dismiss ineffectual teachers. Some also suggest that tenure may encourage complacency, allowing teachers to put forth the minimal effort.
9. Bullying in schools.
Violence in schools is a rising issue and bullying is a key contributor. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, over 20% of students in grades 6 through 12 have been bullied either in school or on their way to/from school. This figure is actually down from 32% in 2007 but is still much too high. The challenge with these statistics is that many students who are bullied do NOT report it. Bullied students experience a wide range of physical, behavioral, and emotional problems that can impact not only their education but also their lives.
10. Growing problems with student poverty.
According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 50% of the public-school population in the United States was made up of low-income students. This is a significant increase from 38% in 2001. This is a nationwide problem with 40% of public-school students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunches in 40 states. In 18 of those states, student poverty rates were over 50%. Studies have shown that low-income students tend to perform lower than affluent students and family income shows a strong correlation with student achievement measured by standardized tests.
11. Schools are overcrowded.
In the 2011/12 school year, the average class size in American public schools was about 21 students in elementary school and almost 27 students in secondary school. Anecdotal reports, however, suggest that classrooms today have closer to 30, and in some cases, 40 students. Teachers and other proponents of smaller class sizes suggest that class size influences the quality of instruction with smaller class sizes have improved student outcomes. Critics say that the cost of limiting class sizes is a limiting factor and that it may not be worth it. In Florida, class sizes were capped in 2002 but a 2010 study showed no significant impact on test scores for students in grades 4 through 8.
12. Student mental health challenges.
Mental health is a growing concern in the United States and one that even affects school students. A 2018 study showed that nearly two-thirds of college students experienced overwhelming anxiety and anxiety has been reported in younger students as well. Even schools that are trying to make a difference face challenges. For example, the recommended ratio of students to counselors is one counselor for every 1,000 to 1,500 students but the U.S. college campus average is 1,737 to 1. Awareness of mental health issues is increasing, but there is still a stigma that prevents many students from seeking care.
13. Parents are not involved enough.
Teachers in public schools can only do so much to support their students. When the students go home for the day, the state of their home life can impact their development both personally and academically. In cases where parents lack higher education, they may not be able to provide the assistance students need to learn and to complete homework. Students in low-income families face additional challenges at home, though even middle- and upper-class families aren't off the hook. In many families, parents are too career-focused and have little time to spend supporting their child's education.
14. Too many schools are being closed.
Schools all over the country are closing their doors in numbers that are quite alarming. This only leads to an increase in issues with large class sizes and poor access to resources. It is easy for parents, teachers, and communities that are affected by closures to feel targeted even when school board members provide unbiased data. In some cases, closures cannot be prevented but they can be delayed and communities should consider other solutions or alternative uses for the school such as a community center or adult education center.
15. Lack of teacher innovation and outdated teaching methods.
The teaching methods used decades ago simply do not work for the modern student. One of the biggest things holding back the American public education system is a lack of teacher innovation, partially created by the enforcement of standardized testing and the Common Core curriculum. Unfortunately, the problem really needs to be addressed at the federal level with changes to policies that will result in a change within the public education system. America needs teachers who are better trained to meet the needs of their students and who are willing to speak up and facilitate change. Teachers are on the front lines and, without them speaking up, change is not possible.

Problems abound in the American education system, but growth and change are possible. Keep reading to learn about the top emerging trends in the nation's public education.
The Top 5 Emerging Trends in Education
Though the American public education system certainly has its issues, it is by no means a lost cause. The only thing anyone can do is change with the times and there are a number of emerging trends in education that could be a step toward resolving some of the issues above.

Here is an overview of the top 5 emerging trends in American education:

1. Increase in maker learning initiatives.

2. Moving away from a letter grade system.

3. Changing classroom approaches like flipped learning.

4. The institution of micro-credentials.

5. Growing concern for social and emotional development.

Now, let's take a quick look at each of these trends.
1. Increase in maker learning initiatives.
In many schools, teaching is the focus when education should really be focused on student learning. Maker education allows students to follow their own interests and to test their own solutions for problems in a do-it-yourself approach to education. Students learn in collaborative spaces where they identify problems, create inventions, make prototypes, and keep working until they have the final result that works. There is little hard evidence on the trend as of yet, but it is growing quickly.
2. Moving away from a letter grade system.
Student assessment is necessary to test the efficacy of teaching strategies and curriculum - it is also a good way to measure individual student growth and success. For many years, letter grades have been the primary method of student assessment but that is changing. Leaders in education currently feel that the traditional letter grade model is not a sufficient measure of the skills most highly valued in the modern workforce - skills like creativity and problem-solving.

In 2017, the Mastery Transcript Consortium was formed and includes over 150 private high schools. These schools have adopted a digital system that provides qualitative descriptions of student learning and samples of work instead of the grade-based transcript system. Public schools are quickly adopting the trend as well in a nationwide shift toward mastery-based or competency-based learning.
3. Changing classroom approaches like flipped learning.
The traditional model of teaching places the teacher in front of the class giving a lecture, followed by students working at home on assignments to enhance their understanding of the subject. Flipped learning involves students watching videos or relevant coursework prior to class, and using class time to expand on the material through group discussions or collaborative projects. Flipped learning allows students to control their learning pace and encourages students to learn from each other, exploring subjects more deeply than they otherwise might.
4. The institution of micro-credentials.
This trend in higher education is a departure from traditional college degrees that require years of study over a multi-year span. Micro-credentials, rather, are also known as digital badges or nano degrees that demonstrate knowledge or skill in a given area and are earned through short, targeted educational offerings. About 20% of higher education institutions offer some kind of alternative credentialing system, often partnering with third-party learning providers.
5. Growing concern for social and emotional development.
Traditional education is focused on academics but there is a movement toward nurturing the whole study called social-emotional learning (SEL). This movement is based on the growing consensus that schools have a responsibility to protect and develop students' social and emotional development in addition to their cognitive skills. SEL focuses on helping students manage their emotions, show empathy, set goals, identify their strengths and make responsible decisions. Research on SEL shows a reduction in anti-social behavior and an improvement in academic achievement and long-term health.

The United States is a giant country with a huge population, making it difficult to standardize education or make improvements across the board. Though there are many problems with the American public education system, there are also many people (including legislators) who are dedicated to making positive changes that could benefit the future students of this country.

Questions? Contact us on Facebook. @publicschoolreview

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The 15 Biggest Failures of the American Public Education System - PublicSchoolReview.com

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The world is in a constant state of change and those who fail to adjust fall behind. Unfortunately, the American public education system has not kept up with the times and is currently facing a number of serious problems. Keep reading to learn about the biggest failures affecting the modern U.S.

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https://www.brookings.edu/research/class-size-what-research-says-and-what-it-means-for-state-policy/

Legislation has been very active in mandating maximum classroom sizes and 24 states have mandated or implied that they want class size reductions. Studies have shown how smaller class sizes benefit not only the students but the teacher.

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Matthew M. Chingos and Grover J. “Russ” Whitehurst

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Class Size: What Research Says and What it Means for State Policy

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Given the high cost of maintaining small classes, the current fiscal environment has forced states and school districts to rethink their class-size reduction policies. Russ Whitehurst and Matthew Chingos survey past research on the effects of class size on student learning, and explore what the rese…

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There has been over centuries of industrial works created by Human beings in different eras. But with the production of new inventions and new materials comes at the cost exponential fossil fuel usage. The burning of coal to make energy has caused greenhouse gasses like CO2 and other harmful chemicals to be emitted into the atmosphere. This has caused widespread global temperatures to warm up 1.1 degrees Celsius which has harmed many ecosystems. This has hurt much wildlife (i.e. grizzly bears and wolves) causing mass extinctions and population decreases.  A study conducted by
EPA. Gov states, "Temperatures are rising, snow and rainfall patterns are shifting, and more extreme climate events – like heavy rainstorms and record high temperatures – are becoming more common. Many of these observed climate changes are linked to rising levels of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, caused by human activities."

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Climate Change Indicators in the United States | US EPA

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Presents information, charts and graphs showing measured climate changes across 54 indicators related to greenhouse gases, weather and climate, oceans, snow and ice, heath and society, and ecosystems.

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Native American students are not getting the recognition and acknowledgement of their languages and cultures in schools. They perform behind others in New Mexico which has the highest demographic due to few opportunities geared towards them.

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The 2018 lawsuit Yazzie-Martinez v. New Mexico names four student groups who are not receiving an adequate education in violation of our state Constitution: the economically disadvantaged, English-language learners, students with disabilities and Native American students.

These four groups make up roughly 86% of New Mexico's student population. Native American students, however, who make up 13% of our public school student population, deserve special support and recognition.

As a state with one of the largest Native American populations (12.8% compared to the national average of 2.6%), New Mexico can and should be a model for Native education. Yet our Native American students continually perform behind their peers on state and national proficiency assessments.

Jenny Parks is president and CEO of the LANL Foundation, the largest education-focused non-profit in New Mexico.

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Tribal Remedy Framework will support Native education

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The 2018 lawsuit Yazzie-Martinez v. New Mexico names four student groups who are not receiving an adequate education in violation of our state Constitution: the economically disadvantaged, English-language learners, students with disabilities and Native American students. These four groups make up roughly 86% of New Mexico's student population.

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There has been a shortage in nurses (RN) in the healthcare system, Covid-19 expanded the shortage. The idea of bringing men in the system is now being looked at even though, women have made up 86% of the registrated nurse population. - Leah

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The Asian hate crime that has reason tremendously since covid-19, that is affecting lots of Asians in Los Angeles. Series of mass shooting targeting the Asian community. This is also caused by American Cinema basing the Asian community as, vulnerable and violent.

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A long history of insecurity, fear, vulnerability among Asian American communities | Stanford News

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The recent tragedies in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay are part of a long history of violence inflicted upon Asian Americans, says Stanford historian Gordon Chang.

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Classes are being packed to the brim when it comes to students in classes. Most of my classes have about 30 to 40 students in them and it's almost impossible for the teacher to meet the needs of every students. We need more one on one teachers rather than lectures where everyone is on different parts of understanding the material. Overcrowding can also lead to a difficult environment to manage for teachers as well.

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Overcrowded classrooms can have a harmful effect on both teachers and students. A 2021 article for The Tech Edvocate listed classroom overcrowding as one of "20 reasons why the American education system is failing." ¹ The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) defines classroom overcrowding as "when the number of students enrolled in the school is larger than the number of students the school is designed to accommodate" and notes that a classroom is considered overcrowded when it exceeds 5% of the building's designed capacity. ² Factors such as teacher shortages, increased enrollment, and decreased funding have, unfortunately, made overcrowded classrooms a common feature of American schools. ³

As an experienced educator, you know how classroom size correlates to learning outcomes. And you know how much more difficult crowded classrooms can make your life as a teacher. From less individualized instruction to greater distractions and disciplinary issues, filling classrooms with more students than intended can affect teachers' ability to teach effectively and students' ability to learn. Here are several ways overcrowded classrooms affect learning.

Greater Noise and Distractions
Having more of anything can lead to chaos. An ideal classroom would be limited to 15 to 20 students, but many classrooms today have over 30 or even 40 students. ³ Naturally, the more students there are, the noisier it gets-even in classrooms that are effectively managed. The increased noise level can make it harder for kids to concentrate, affecting learning outcomes, and more difficult for teachers to focus, leading to more stress and possible burnout. ³

Less Personalized Instruction
The greater the number of students in a classroom, the less attention each student can receive from the teacher. This particularly affects students who are struggling and need the extra attention. This impacts learning outcomes, as these students are more likely to have lower test scores and grades as a result. ³

Increase in Disciplinary Problems
Overcrowding can lead to a chaotic classroom environment that is more difficult for the teacher to manage. The increased number of students leads to a greater likelihood of disruptive behavior and conflicts among students, especially with fewer resources to accommodate the extra students. Teachers in overcrowded classrooms often devote more time to dealing with behavioral issues and less time to teaching-something no teacher desires. ³

Poor Building or Environmental Conditions
Schools with overcrowded classrooms are also more likely to have poor building or environmental conditions, as noted by the NCES, which cited a study claiming that overcrowded schools "were more likely than schools that were either under enrolled or within 5% of their capacity to have at least one building feature in less than adequate condition." ² This could include poor air conditioning and heating systems, lighting, ventilation, indoor air quality, acoustics or noise control, and physical security. ²

Increase in Illness Risk
The poor building conditions found in overcrowded schools also pose health risks for students and teachers. Poor ventilation, lighting, acoustics, and classroom temperatures can expose students toallergens, pollutants, and even chemicals that affect health, attendance, and performance. ⁴ Of course, in terms of the ongoing fight against COVID-19, overcrowded classrooms don't lend themselves to social distancing and therefore make it easier for germs to spread. This has become a major concern for parents, teachers, and students.

There are solutions for school overcrowding, but they are not simple ones. Major repairs, renovations, and even total building replacements are sometimes necessary. ⁵ To ease overcrowding, many schools implement strategies such as staggered student schedules or the use of portable classrooms. ²

As an experienced educator, you know that schools need your experience and commitment to make a positive impact. You may not be able to control overcrowding, but you do have control over the investment you make in yourself as a teacher. With a MS in Education from Walden University, you'll be better prepared to face the issues of today's schools and to make a greater difference in the lives of your students.

Walden's graduate program in teaching is structured around the busy lives of teachers like you. Choose from a traditional, accelerated, or intensive one-credit format depending on what works best for you. With more than a dozen specializations to choose from, you're bound to find a path that matches your passion.
Walden University is an accredited institution offering the online MS in Education program. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.
¹Source: www.thetechedvocate.org/20-reasons-why-the-american-education-system-is-failing/
²Source: https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/frss/publications/2000032/index.asp?sectionid=8
³Source: www.thoughtco.com/teaching-in-an-overcrowded-classroom-3194352
⁴Source: https://www.epa.gov/schools/about-state-school-environmental-health-guidelines
⁵Source: https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2014/2014022.pdf

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.

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5 Ways That Overcrowded Classrooms Affect Education

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Schools aren't typically viewed as technology incubators, but as K-12 schools embrace artificial intelligence more widely, they may. Helping school systems prevent dropouts and teachers streamline and personalize instruction while reducing time spent grading are among the ways AI is improving today's and tomorrow's classrooms.

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I strongly believe that there should be somehow a stronger form of security at schools. To me it's horrible that teens are finding ways to already have access to drugs and weapon, and then they bring it to school without getting caught. According to Safe and Sound Security "since 2016 students aged between 12-18 have experienced 749,400 victimizations at school and 601,300 victimizations away from school." How are we letting that happen? We need to find a way to make school a safer space and create more time for learning instead of doing crimes to survive.

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Undoubtedly, the 1999 Columbine High School attack dramatically changed the school safety landscape.

Shortly after, schools around the country increased security measures to address the growing concern. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent by school districts to "harden" schools against every parent's worst nightmare.

Today, schools face various challenges ranging from safety to cyberbullying. With so many issues affecting schools, here are the reasons why there should be more security in schools.

Top 5 Reasons Why There Should Be More Security in Schools

1. Student Safety

Schools need more security to protect students from today's evolving safety and security threats. The goal of all security measures should be to keep students safe.

School security measures that keep this principle in mind will keep students safe and result in safer and more resilient schools.

Examples of effective school security measures include:

2. Staff Safety

More security in schools means a safer place for faculty members and school staff to teach and work.

According to the data collected in a study on school crime and safety, 10 percent of teachers from public schools reported being threatened with injury by a student from their school, and 6 percent reported being physically attacked by a student from their school.

Schools that invest in security measures and technology provide their faculty with the support they need to accomplish their job.

3. Ensure Parent's Peace of Mind

Parents will have better peace of mind due to increased security in schools. School shootings provoke fear and discussion about school safety in communities around the country.

Parents frequently submit emails to school boards requesting additional information and changes to their school's safety measures, security protocols, and emergency procedures.

School leaders must be prepared to communicate about safety proactively; nothing sends a more critical message than a robust security program.

4. Deter Potential Crimes on Campus

More security helps deter potential crimes on campus, and more than deploying security staff may be required.

Schools should actively adopt various crime prevention strategies to reduce the likelihood and consequence of criminal activity on their site. These strategies range from maintenance improvements to security systems and processes.

To limit the risk of violence, schools have implemented more security measures to tackle modern-day threats.

Aside from deploying security staff, installing video surveillance, security software, and other technology that may be integrated to build a comprehensive safety and security strategy is one such solution.

5. React Quickly When Safety is Threatened

Students, school psychologists, and faculty must be ready to respond promptly in a campus emergency. Even a few seconds of pause might have a significant impact.

Security systems are essential when a school's safety is threatened because they allow administrators to change and react quickly.

As a result, schools are attempting to improve security measures to protect their children, staff, and property.

Schools must adopt security measures and procedures to ensure that school grounds are always safe.

Unfortunately, in today's world, strong locks and security guards security are not enough to ensure excellent physical security, especially in different school characteristics.

Security cameras and video monitoring are used to regularly ensure the safety and security of students, instructors, staff, and their families.

Types of Security Systems for Schools

Several types of security systems can assist in deterring and preventing crimes in schools and universities. A tailored solution is preferred; however, security systems for schools often comprise the following features:

Video surveillance systems:A series of carefully placed cameras in classrooms and common spaces, as well as around the perimeter of the campus, can be used in this system. A video security system in elementary schools and high schools (private and public schools) will also contain video displays, the ability to connect to authorized devices, recording equipment, or the ability to save video to cloud storage.

Access control devices: Access control is the first line of defense, and combined with management software, administrators can control access to their buildings. Depending on the school size and need, door locks can operate with key cards, access codes, or buzzer systems.

Alarm systems:Security alarm systems provide a line of defense against property crime, potential fatalities, severe injuries, and crushing expenses.

Panic buttons: Discreetly place this option for school security systems in individual classrooms and set it up to trigger silent or audible alarms. These are becoming increasingly popular with the uptick in active shooter situations and other violent threats in schools.

Why We Should Have More Security in Schools?

A world where health and safety are prominent. We need more security in schools so students are safe from evolving threats and teachers can focus on delivering educational excellence.

We need more security in schools because today's security and safety threats require an integrated approach.

The bottom line is that if the basic safety needs of students aren't met, they become at risk of not feeling comfortable inside their schools and may stop showing up, or they may remain on edge throughout the day. Promoting school safety creates an open space for students to explore, learn, and grow.

Ultimately, everyone wants their school to be safe, and the good news is that school security technology has evolved in a much more responsive way.

Since 2016 students aged between 12-18 experienced 749,400 victimizations (theft and nonfatal violent victimization) at school and 601,300 victimizations away from school. More security means fewer incidents and more learning.

Throughout the 2018-2019 school year, schools faced a wide array of different types of violent incidents:

Types of Violent Incidents in Schools

False reports or fake attacks were the most common instances documented in the 2018-2019 school year, accounting for 18% of all incidents.

It only underlines the need for more security because security systems enable schools to detect, deter, and defend against violent incidents.

Security Technologies for School Safety

Experts urge schools to employ a balanced and rigorous approach to school safety to keep students safe from various risks and emergencies.

The following are the components of this well-balanced strategy:

preventing non-authorized individuals from entering school buildings

effective responding to any emergency

vetting and approving staff and volunteers

Faculty Play an Important Role in the Security of a School

As we return to a regular school setting post-pandemic, it is imperative that students and faculty members feel safe as they walk through their school doors each morning.

In this dynamic environment, new policies will continue to evolve, and faculty members will play a significant role in school safety measures.

According to security experts, faculty members and security staff should be able to participate in drills, ask questions, and give comments based on their experiences.

In an emergency, the faculty and security staff must have the skills and knowledge about the procedures to keep the students safe.

Cost of School Security

US private and public schools now spend an estimated $2.7 billion on security features, from access control to video surveillance and ID badge software. That amount doesn't include the additional funds spent on school building and transportation safety.

Nonetheless, the investment is worthwhile because parents' top concerns for their children's schools include:

A safe and secure environment.

Developing their children's knowledge and abilities.

Ensuring equal opportunity for all students.

Should School Buildings Have Security Cameras?

With safety and security challenges rising on school properties around the country, schools need security cameras more than ever. Should schools have security cameras?

Based on the National Center for Education Statistics Surveys & Programs, 80% of public schools (elementary schools and middle schools) and 94% of high schools and middle schools used security cameras in 2015-2016 during school hours.

94% have put security cameras in public areas and classrooms as an additional monitoring source to prevent the onset of violence.

Many school districts include security cameras and controlling access in classrooms in their overall security plans because they enable them to address ongoing threats effectively and practically.

Within a short time, security cameras have become one of the cornerstones of school safety and security programs, especially with monitored doors and loading docks.

While technological advancements have made security cameras an even more crucial aspect of school security, administrators should write and publish policies that explain the purpose of surveillance cameras and the boundaries for their use.

Security cameras maintain safety around the campus and discourage student misbehavior. Aside from security staff, when students know cameras are around, they are much more likely to behave well in school.

Studies have shown that cameras helped significantly reduce the threats of targeted violence and vandalism in private and public schools and buildings.

Parents Want Effective School Security Measures

Schools should be one of the safest places in the world. They should not give parents pause regarding security because they are institutions dedicated to advancing our children.

Unfortunately, that is not the case. One in every three parents in the United States is concerned about school bullying, and one in every four is concerned about school violence.

Schools Depend on Parents to Help With Security on School Grounds

Physical security technologies enable schools to maintain a strong security presence, but it takes a community to protect the school and the students.

Parents play a vital role in the security response of a school. Parents can help by learning the school's emergency procedures and reinforcing them with their children.

Legal Considerations for School Security Cameras

Unless the school (elementary school, high school, college) has a personal policy against having cameras, legally, it is acceptable to install them.

While technological advancements have made security cameras an even more crucial aspect of school security, administrators should write and publish policies that explain the purpose and technology of school security cameras and the boundaries for their use.

FAQs

Conclusion

Security helps prevent students from doing things not allowed on the campus. Also, it keeps the students secure; schools require integrated systems that enable them to operate safely.

Today, schools face all types of threats, including theft, kidnapping, violence, uninvited visits, sexual assault charges, and other events that readily target schools and institutions of all grades and types.

With the current rise of shootings in schools, the demand for increased security in schools has never been greater.

After implementing more security measures in schools, students will be safer, the faculty will be focused, and parents will have greater peace of mind.

By partnering with a security vendor that can deliver effective security solutions, the result will be a safer school where students can thrive academically.

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Why Should There Be More Security in Schools? Explained

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Understand why there should be more security in schools. Discover the benefits of implementing comprehensive safety measures for students and staff.

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Gun violence has gone out of control with many school shooting occurring. One of the most recent school shootings happened near Benito Juarez High School in Chicago. Two students were killed, while two other were injured. Shootings have been occurring more and more because Americans are protected by the second Amendment, giving them a right to own a gun. Schools need to provide more safety to their students. It is their responsibility for their safety and protection to make schools a safe place for students to learn. Students should be worried about passing their classes or taking the SATs, not worrying if their school is next for a shooting.

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CHICAGO (AP) - Two students were killed and two other teens were wounded in a shooting Friday afternoon near a high school on Chicago's West Side, authorities said.

Chicago fire officials said the four 16-year-olds were shot near Benito Juarez High School. Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown, speaking at a news conference, confirmed the deaths of two of the victims.

Police spokesman Tom Ahern said the four were shot outside the school. Police and paramedics responded to the shooting shortly before 3 p.m. Friday.

A Chicago Fire Department spokesperson said all four were taken to the same hospital. One boy was pronounced dead on arrival, another boy was in critical condition, and two other teens, a boy and a girl, suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Ahern initially said.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez also appeared at the news conference, saying, "We want to first make sure we have the victims in our prayers."

The school system, also known as CPS, released a statement saying in part that "the safety of our school community is our top priority." It added the system's safety and security office was working with school officials and school leaders to gather information on what happened.

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2 students killed, 2 wounded in shooting near Chicago school

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CHICAGO (AP) - Two students were killed and two other teens were wounded in a shooting Friday afternoon near a high school on Chicago's West Side, authorities said. Chicago fire officials said the four 16-year-olds were shot near Benito Juarez High School.

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The American education system needs to prioritize equity and make equal opportunity accessible for everyone no matter the race, income, or status. Schools need to have quality resources and encouraging educators so that all students are well prepared for success. There needs to be more interactive and hands on learning so students can have a better learning experience and have the chance to explore new ways of thinking and investigating.

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At no point in our nation's history have we asked so much of our education system as we do today. We ask that our primary and secondary schools prepare all students, regardless of background, for a lifetime of learning. We ask that teachers guide every child toward deeper understanding while simultaneously attending to their social-emotional development. And we ask that our institutions of higher learning serve students with a far broader range of life circumstances than ever before.

We ask these things of education because the future we aspire to requires it. The nature of work and civic participation is evolving at an unprecedented rate. Advances in automation, artificial intelligence, and social media are driving rapid changes in how we interact with each other and what skills hold value. In the world our children will inherit, their ability to adapt, think critically, and work effectively with others will be essential for both their own success and the well-being of society.

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At Carnegie Corporation of New York, we focus on supporting people who are in a position to meet this challenge. That includes the full spectrum of educators, administrators, family members, and others who shape young people's learning experiences as they progress toward and into adulthood. Our mission is to empower all students with the tools, systems, knowledge, and mindsets to prepare them to fully participate in the global economy and in a robust democracy.

All of our work is geared toward transforming student learning. The knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for success today call for a vastly different set of learning experiences than may have sufficed in the past. Students must play a more active role in their own learning, and that learning must encompass more than subject-matter knowledge. Preparing all children for success requires greater attention to inclusiveness in the classroom, differentiation in teaching and learning, and universal high expectations.

This transformation needs to happen in higher education as well. A high school education is no longer enough to ensure financial security. We need more high-quality postsecondary options, better guidance for students as they transition beyond high school, and sufficient supports to enable all students to complete their postsecondary programs. Preparing students for lifelong success requires stronger connections between K-12, higher education, and work.

The need for such transformation has become all the more urgent in the face of COVID-19. As with past economic crises, the downturn resulting from the pandemic is likely to accelerate the erosion of opportunities for low-skilled workers with only a high school education. Investments in innovative learning models and student supports are critical to preventing further inequities in learning outcomes.

An Urgent Call for Advancing Equity

The 2020-21 school year may prove to be the most consequential in American history. With unfathomable speed, COVID-19 has forced more change in how schools operate than in the previous half century.

What is most concerning in all of this is the impact on the most underserved and historically marginalized in our society: low-income children and students of color. Even before the current crisis, the future prospects of a young person today looked very different depending on the color of her skin and the zip code in which she grew up, but the pandemic exposed and exacerbated long-standing racial and economic inequities. And the same families who are faring worst in terms of disrupted schooling are bearing the brunt of the economic downturn and disproportionately getting sick, being hospitalized, and dying.

Every organization that is committed to educational improvement needs to ask itself what it can do differently to further advance the cause of educational equity during this continuing crisis so that we can make lasting improvements. As we know from past experience, if the goal of equity is not kept front and center, those who are already behind through no fault of their own will benefit the least. If ever there were a time to heed this caution, it is now.

We hope that our nation will approach education with a new sense of purpose and a shared commitment to ensuring that our schools truly work for every child. Whether or not that happens will depend on our resolve and our actions in the coming months. We have the proof points and know-how to transform learning, bolster instruction, and meet the needs of our most disadvantaged students. What has changed is the urgency for doing so at scale.

Our starting place must be a vision of equal opportunity, and from there we must create the conditions that can actually ensure it - irrespective of how different they may look from the ones we now have. We need to reimagine the systems that shape student learning and put the communities whose circumstances we most need to elevate at the center of that process. We need to recognize that we will not improve student outcomes without building the capacity of the adults who work with them, supporting them with high-quality resources and meaningful opportunities for collaboration and professional growth. We need to promote stronger connections between K-12, higher education, and employment so that all students are prepared for lifelong success.

The pandemic has deepened inequities that threaten students' prospects. But if we seize this moment and learn from it, if we marshal the necessary resources, we have the potential to transform our education system from one characterized by uneven and unjust results to one that puts all students on a path to bright futures.

We Must Learn to Act in New Ways

These are not controversial ideas. In fact, they constitute the general consensus about where American education needs to go. But they also represent a tall order for the people who influence the system. Practically everyone who plays a part in education must learn to act in new ways.

That we have made progress in such areas as high school completion, college-going rates, and the adoption of college- and career-ready standards is a testament to the commitment of those working in the field. But it will take more than commitment to achieve the changes in student learning that our times demand. We can't expect individuals to figure out what they need to do on their own, nor should we be surprised if they struggle to do so when working in institutional structures designed to produce different outcomes. The transformation we seek calls for much greater coordination and a broader set of allies than would suffice for more incremental changes.

Our best hope for achieving equity and the transformation of student learning is to enhance adults' ability to contribute to that learning. That means building their capacity while supporting their authentic engagement in promoting a high-quality education for every child. It also means ensuring that people operate within systems that are optimized to support their effectiveness and that a growing body of knowledge informs their efforts.

These notions comprise our overarching strategy for promoting the systems change needed to transform student learning experiences on a large scale. We seek to enhance adult capacity and stakeholder engagement in the service of ensuring that all students are prepared to meet the demands of the 21st century. We also support knowledge development and organizational improvement to the extent that investments in these areas enhance adult capacity, stakeholder engagement, and student experiences.

Five Ways We Invest in the Future of Students

These views on how best to promote systems change in education guide our philanthropic work. The strategic areas of change we focus on are major themes throughout our five investment portfolios. Although they are managed separately and support different types of initiatives, each seeks to address its area of focus from multiple angles. A single portfolio may include grants that build adult capacity, enhance stakeholder engagement, and generate new knowledge.

New Designs to Advance Learning

Preparing all students for success requires that we fundamentally reimagine our nation's schools and classrooms. Our public education system needs to catch up with how the world is evolving and with what we've come to understand about how people learn. That means attending to a broader diversity of learning styles and bringing what happens in school into greater alignment with what happens in the worlds of work and civic life. We make investments to increase the number of innovative learning models that support personalized experiences, academic mastery, and positive youth development. We also make investments that build the capacity of districts and intermediaries to improve learning experiences for all students as well as grants to investigate relevant issues of policy and practice.

Pathways to Postsecondary Success

Lifelong success in the United States has never been more dependent on educational attainment than it is today. Completing some education beyond the 12th grade has virtually become a necessity for financial security and meaningful work. But for that possibility to exist for everyone, we need to address the historical barriers that keep many students from pursuing and completing a postsecondary program, and we must strengthen the options available to all students for education after high school. Through our investments, we seek to increase the number of young people able to access and complete a postsecondary program, with a major focus on removing historical barriers for students who are first-generation college-goers, low-income, or from underrepresented groups. We also look to expand the range of high-quality postsecondary options and to strengthen alignment between K-12, higher education, and the world of work.

Leadership and Teaching to Advance Learning

At its core, learning is about the interplay between teachers, students, and content. How teachers and students engage with each other and with their curriculum plays a predominant role in determining what students learn and how well they learn it. That's not to say that factors outside of school don't also greatly impact student learning. But the research is clear that among the factors a school might control, nothing outweighs the teaching that students experience. We focus on supporting educators in implementing rigorous college- and career-ready standards in math, science, and English language arts. We make investments to increase the supply of and demand for high-quality curricular materials and professional learning experiences for teachers and administrators.

Public Understanding

As central as they are to the education process, school professionals are hardly the only people with a critical role to play in student learning. Students spend far more time with family and other community members than they do at school. And numerous stakeholders outside of the education system have the potential to strengthen and shape what happens within it. The success of our nation's schools depends on far more individuals than are employed by them.

We invest in efforts to engage families and other stakeholders as active partners in supporting equitable access to high-quality student learning. We also support media organizations and policy research groups in building awareness about key issues related to educational equity and improvement.

Integration, Learning, and Innovation

Those of us who work for change in education need a new set of habits to achieve our vision of 21st-century learning. It will take more than a factory-model mindset to transform our education system into one that prepares all learners for an increasingly complex world. We must approach this task with flexibility, empathy for the people involved, and an understanding of how to learn from what's working and what's not. We work to reduce the fragmentation, inefficiencies, and missteps that often result when educational improvement strategies are pursued in isolation and without an understanding of the contexts in which they are implemented. Through grants and other activities, we build the capacity of people working in educational organizations to change how they work by emphasizing systems and design thinking, iteration, and knowledge sharing within and across organizations.

Join Us in This Ambitious Endeavor

Our approach of supporting multiple stakeholders by pulling multiple levers is informed by our deep understanding of the system we're trying to move. American education is a massive, diverse, and highly decentralized enterprise. There is no mechanism by which we might affect more than superficial change in many thousands of communities. The type of change that is needed cannot come from compliance alone. It requires that everyone grapple with new ideas.

We know from our history of promoting large-scale improvements in American education that advancements won't happen overnight or as the result of one kind of initiative. Our vision for 21st-century education will require more than quick wins and isolated successes. Innovation is essential, and a major thrust of our work involves the incubation and dissemination of new models, resources, and exemplars. But we must also learn to move forward with the empathy, flexibility, and systems thinking needed to support people in making the transition. Novel solutions only help if they can be successfully implemented in different contexts.

Only a sustained and concerted effort will shift the center of gravity of a social enterprise that involves millions of adults and many tens of millions of young people. The challenge of philanthropy is to effect widespread social change with limited resources and without formal authority. This takes more than grantmaking. At the Corporation, we convene, communicate, and form coalitions. We provide thought leadership, issue challenges, and launch new initiatives. Through these multifaceted activities, we maximize our ability to forge, share, and put into practice powerful new ideas that build a foundation for more substantial changes in the future.

We encourage everyone who plays a role in education to join us in this work. Our strategy represents more than our priorities as a grantmaker. It conveys our strong beliefs about how to get American education to where it needs to be. The more organizations and individuals we have supporting those who are working to provide students with what they need, the more likely we are to succeed in this ambitious endeavor.

LaVerne Evans Srinivasan is the vice president of Carnegie Corporation of New York's National Program and the program director for Education.

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What Changes to the U.S. Education System Are Needed to Support Long-Term Success for All Americans? | Future of Learning & Work | Carnegie Corporation of New York

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In an article from our spring edition of the Carnegie Reporter, the vice president of the Corporation's National Program argues that to achieve equity, rigor, and relevance, practically everyone who plays a part in education must learn to act in ...

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Immigration has been a big factor in the past few years and according to Pew research, immigrants will make up a record 18% of the U.S. population in 2065 compared with 14% today and 5% in 1965. As the years go by more immigrants will start to come in bigger groups and have more population in America For example, in Texas, there are a lot of immigrants waiting for the border and trying to cross.  Also, Pew research says The second generation today representing 38 million children of immigrants, is projected to be a major factor. https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2015/09/28/chapter-2-immigrations-impact-on-past-and-future-u-s-population-change/

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Pew Research Center's Hispanic Trends Project

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Foreign-born Americans and their descendants have been the main driver of U.S. population growth, as well as of national racial and ethnic change, since passage of the 1965 law that rewrote national immigration policy. They also will be the central force in U.S. population growth and change over the next 50 years.

According to new Pew Research Center projections, immigrants will make up a record 18% of the U.S. population in 2065, compared with 14% today and 5% in 1965. Immigrants and their children will represent 36% of the U.S. population in 2065, which equals or surpasses the peak levels last seen around the turn of the 20th century. That share will represent a doubling since 1965 (18%) and a notable rise from today's 26%.

The arrival of new immigrants and the births of their children and grandchildren account for 55% of the U.S. population increase from 193 million in 1965 to 324 million today. The new Pew Research Center projections also show that the nation is projected to grow to 441 million in 2065 and that 88% of the increase is linked to future immigrants and their descendants.

Immigration has had only a modest impact on the nation's age structure, but a striking one on its racial and ethnic makeup. Without immigration since 1965, the U.S. today would have a median age of 41, not 38. The nation would be 75% white instead of 62%. Hispanics would be 8% of the population, not 18%. And Asians would be less than 1% of Americans, instead of 6%.

Immigration's Contribution to U.S. Population Size and Growth

The nation's population grew by 131 million people from 1965 to 2015, and 72 million of them are linked to immigration-that is, they are immigrants who arrived during this period or they are their children or grandchildren.

If no immigrants had entered the country after 1965, when the U.S. population numbered 193 million, the nation's population still would have grown-to 252 million people by 2015, rather than 324 million. The population would have grown by less than half as much as it actually did (30% vs. 67% growth).

Over the next five decades, the U.S. immigrant population of 45 million is projected to grow to a record 78 million. The growth rate of 74% will be more than double that for the U.S.-born population (30%).

Foreign-born U.S. residents will make up 18% of the population by 2065, higher than the previous record share of nearly 15% during the late 19th- and early 20th-century wave of immigration. The U.S.-born children of immigrants-the second generation-will more than double in number by 2065, from 38 million to 81 million, and will become 18% of the total population.

Since 1965, when the U.S. had 9.6 million immigrants, the total foreign-born population has more than quadrupled. The growth rate rose for each 10-year period from 1965 to 1995, peaking at 56% growth from 1985 to 1995. The volume of immigration grew from 1995 to 2005, though the growth rate of the foreign born decreased slightly (49%). From 2005 to 2015, the growth rate of the foreign born declined substantially, to 17%, largely because of a sharp drop in unauthorized immigration, especially from Mexico ( Passel, Cohn and Gonzalez-Barrera, 2012).

Projection Methods

The new Pew Research projections are calculated based on immigration rates, birth rates and death rates that are derived from past trends and assumptions about future patterns. Among the assumptions are that the current slowdown in immigration will last through the decade, but that growth will pick up somewhat after that. Fertility rates are not projected to rise, but rates will vary by group. Lifespans are projected to improve modestly.

These projections employ today's racial categories. It should be noted that race and ethnicity are fluid concepts that can change through social consensus, personal self-identification or other means ( Liebler et al., 2014; Pew Research Center, 2015 b; Wang, 2015). For more details on assumptions and racial categories, see Appendix A: Methodology.

The immigrant population is expected to rise within a range of about 9% to 16% each decade from 2015 to 2065. By comparison, the overall U.S. population is projected to grow by 5% to 8% each decade.

Immigrants contribute to population growth because of both their own numbers and their above-average fertility. Most of those who immigrate are working-age adults, so immigrants are more likely than U.S.-born residents to be in their child-bearing years. They also have higher age-adjusted birth rates than people born in the U.S. ( Livingston and Cohn, 2012).

Immigrant Generations

Immigrants made up only 5% of the U.S. population in 1965, compared with 14% today. The second generation, the children of immigrants, represent about the same share of the population today (12%) as in 1965 (13%). However, as shown below, today's children of immigrants are considerably younger than their counterparts in 1965, and they are less likely to be white.

The second generation, today representing 38 million children of immigrants, is projected to be a major force driving future population growth. The foreign-born population has grown more rapidly than the second generation over the past five decades, but the second generation is projected to grow at a faster pace over the next five decades. The number of second-generation Americans is projected to more than double by 2065, to 81 million, when they will slightly outnumber the 78 million foreign-born Americans.

The third-and-higher generations-those born in the U.S. to U.S.-born parents-will grow more slowly, by 17% over the next five decades. This group now makes up about three-quarters (74%) of the U.S. population, but it will decline to about two-thirds (64%) in 2065.

Past Racial and Hispanic Change

Immigration is the primary reason behind the striking growth in the nation's Hispanic and Asian populations since passage of the 1965 immigration law that ended a visa system favoring Europe over other regions of the world. Immigrants and their descendants account for most growth in the Hispanic population (76%) and virtually all growth in the Asian population (98%) from 1965 to 2015.

Five decades ago, the U.S. was a mainly (84%) white nation with an 11% black minority. Hispanics of all races made up 4% of the population, and other races made up the remaining 1%. All these groups grew in the ensuing 50 years, especially Hispanics, whose numbers grew sevenfold, and Asians, whose numbers rose more than thirteenfold.

The Hispanic share of the population more than quadrupled from 1965 to 2015, to 18%, and the Asian share more than quintupled, to 6%. The white share declined (to 62% in 2015), and the black share changed little (to 12% in 2015).

The Hispanic population, 8 million in 1965, is nearly 57 million in 2015. The Asian population, 1.3 million in 1965, grew to 18 million in 2015.

The white and black populations did not grow as sharply, and less than a third of growth for each race (29%) can be linked to immigration. The 1965 white population of nearly 162 million grew to 200 million in 2015. The black population, 21 million in 1965, increased to 40 million in 2015.

Looking at immigrants' total contribution to population growth, by racial and ethnic group, Hispanics and their descendants can be linked to 28% of the overall U.S. increase over the past five decades. Asian immigrants and their descendants contributed 13% of growth. White immigrants and their descendants accounted for 8%, and black immigrants and their descendants are linked to 4% of overall growth over the past five decades. An additional 45% of growth was not linked to immigration, but to births to people living in the U.S. in 1965 and their descendants.

Projected Future Racial and Hispanic Change

Over the next five decades, the majority of U.S. population growth is projected to be linked to new Asian immigration (35%) and new Hispanic immigration (25%). An additional 18% will be due to new white immigrants and their descendants, and 8% to black immigrants and their descendants. Only about 12% of projected growth is attributable to the population already in the country in 2015 and its descendants.

Differing growth rates of the nation's racial and ethnic groups will reshape the U.S. demographic profile. By 2055, the United States will be a nation without a majority racial or ethnic group. The Hispanic and Asian populations will continue to grow more rapidly than whites and blacks. The white population, now 62% of the total, will decline to less than 50% sometime between 2050 and 2055.

In 2065, according to Pew Research projections, whites will make up 46% of the population and Hispanics 24%. Asians will be 14% of the total; after 2060, they are projected to surpass blacks, who will be 13% of the U.S. population.

Nearly all (97%) of the growth in the nation's Asian population over the next five decades will be due to new immigrants, their children and grandchildren. Most growth will be due to immigration for Hispanics (57%) and blacks (61%). The white population, projected to rise by 1% from 2015 to 2065, would decline by 9% without new immigrants and their descendants.

Race and Ethnicity Among Immigrants

Among immigrants, the white share of the foreign-born population will remain at a historic low over the next five decades. Based on Pew Research Center assumptions about immigration, fertility and mortality rates, Asians are projected to surpass Hispanics as the largest single group among the foreign-born population, beginning in 2055.

In 1965, most immigrants (80%) were white, but immigration over the subsequent five decades was dominated by Hispanics and Asians. In 2015, only 18% of immigrant population was white; in 2065, 20% are projected to be white. The Hispanic share of immigrants, now 47%, will decline to 31% as a growing share of Hispanic growth is fed by births in the U.S. and not new immigration. Asians, who surpassed Hispanics among new immigrants by 2011, are projected to rise to 38% of the immigrant population in 2065 from today's 26%.

Asians will be a growing share of the second generation (26% in 2065), but Hispanics will remain the largest single group in the second generation (40%). In 2065, Hispanics will nearly triple their representation in the third-and-higher generation (18% from today's 8%), but Asians will remain a small share (3%) of this group.

The combined share of immigrants and children of immigrants-sometimes called "immigrant stock"-varies widely among the nation's major race and ethnic groups. The white and black shares are expected to rise over the next five decades, while the Hispanic and Asian shares will decline somewhat.

In 1965, nearly one-in-five whites (18%) were immigrants or the children of immigrants, which declined to 10% in 2015 but will rebound to 16% in 2065. Among blacks, only 1% were immigrants or the children of immigrants in 1965, which rose to 15% in 2015 and will go up to 27% in 2065. Among Hispanics, 38% were first or second generation in 1965, compared with 68% today and just over half (53%) in 2065, according to projections. Among Asians, 69% were first or second generation in 1965, 93% are today and 84% are projected to be in 2065.

Today, Asians are the only major racial or ethnic group whose numbers are rising mainly because of immigration. Although immigration contributes to growth of the U.S. Hispanic population, births in the U.S. to Hispanic women are a more important contributor. Births overtook immigration as the main driver of Latino population growth after 2000 ( Krogstad and Lopez, 2014).

Nearly two-thirds of the Asian population (64%) is foreign born, compared with 37% of U.S. Hispanics. About a quarter (23%) of the Hispanic population will be foreign born in 2065, and barely half (49%) of the Asian population will be immigrants.

Due to a gradual increase in black immigration, 13% of blacks will be foreign born, compared with 9% today. The white population will have only an 8% share of immigrants, compared with 4% today.

Median Age

In 1965, immigration rates had been low for several decades, so both immigrants and their U.S.-born children were considerably older than the U.S. population overall. The contrast is striking in terms of median age-the age at which half the population is older and half younger. For the U.S. population overall, in 1965, the year after the end of the post-World War II baby boom, the median age was 28.

The median age for immigrants was 56. The median age for the second generation, whose parents mainly came during the early 20th-century wave of immigration, was 45.

By 2015, the U.S. population was older, with a median age of 38, mainly because of the aging of the large Baby Boom generation. Had there been no immigration after 1965, the population would have been slightly older, with a median age of nearly 41. Today's immigrant population is substantially younger than in 1965, with a median age of nearly 45.

The most striking change, though, is in the second generation. The children of immigrants today have a median age of 19, so they are about a quarter century younger than their counterparts in 1965 and are substantially younger than the overall population.

The U.S. median age is projected to rise steadily, reaching 42 in 2065. The median age of foreign-born Americans is projected to reach nearly 53, close to its level in 1965. The median age of the second generation will increase even more sharply, to 36, though this group is projected to remain slightly younger than the overall population. Over the next five decades, projected immigration would have the impact of keeping the median age of the overall population slightly lower than it would be otherwise, by 2.7 years.

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Modern Immigration Wave Brings 59 Million to U.S.

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Foreign-born Americans and their descendants have been the main driver of U.S. population growth, as well as of national racial and ethnic change, since passage of the 1965 law that rewrote national immigration policy. They also will be the central force in U.S. population growth and change over the next 50 years.

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Transportation and Congested Traffic in America- Matthew Limon

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Transportation and Congested Traffic in America- Matthew Limon

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All over American there is more and more Traffic congestion making the productivity of business and Companies to reduce, and this also effects how companies get their product or material across America. And with the congested streets and Roadways comes with wasted fuel and the cost it has for regular citizens and business making the prices of certain items cost more. Around 165 billion are lost in productivity and wasted fuel.

https://mynatsa.org/major-challenges-facing-the-us-transportation-system/

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North American Transportation Services Association - NATSA

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The major challenges facing the U.S. transportation system include:

reducing major injuries and fatalities

climate change

congestion

crumbling facilities

Major injuries and fatalities from motor vehicle accidents are on the rise, including accident trends for commercial vehicles. Since 2009, fatalities from accidents involving large trucks and buses have increased by 38% and continue to rise.

Climate change is on everyone's mind, and rightly so. Drought conditions have caused a major impact on agriculture and have left many lakes, rivers, and other inland bodies of water at all-time lows. Weather highs and lows continue to swing further from normal, exacerbating the drought conditions and adding to our use of energy resources for heating and cooling. Working toward zero emissions is a must.

Roadway congestion continues to grow as do the costs to the economy. Current estimates are that congestion costs the economy more than $165 billion each year in lost productivity and wasted fuel. Transportation planning focuses on expanding highways, but this is largely unsustainable and cost ineffective. Mass transportation needs to be forefront in planning, offering affordable and accessible transportation options to for individuals to reduce highway congestion.

Many infrastructure assets, including major highways, public transit, and passenger rail systems have come to or are approaching the end of their useful life and need to be repaired, rebuilt, or completely replaced. The need to address growth, especially to economically challenged areas, continues to fall further and further behind in maintenance.

COVID and Transportation

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the urgency of federal investments in infrastructure to help stimulate the economic and address supply chain issues. The new Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a great start, however, current policy and program structures need reforms to ensure that federal investments are equitable, sustainable, and targeted to communities facing the greatest need. We don't need to simply throw money at the problem, we need to invest that money wisely and with the future in mind. The Department of Transportation needs to use its authority to repair existing facilities, promote healthy living environments, and improve safe and affordable transportation access.

North American Transportation Services Association (NATSA)

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Major Challenges Facing the US Transportation System - North American Transportation Services Association - NATSA

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The major challenges facing the U.S. transportation system include: reducing major injuries and fatalities climate change congestion crumbling facilities Major injuries and fatalities from motor vehicle accidents are on the rise, including accident trends for commercial vehicles. Since 2009, fatalities from accidents involving large trucks and buses have increased by 38% and continue to rise.

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Ariel Mor- Immigration at US-Mexico Border

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Ariel Mor- Immigration at US-Mexico Border

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Numbers of immigrants coming to the US-Mexico border have been at record numbers for months. In May and November 2022 alone, over 400,000 migrant encounters were recorded, which is higher than it has ever been in US history. These numbers only account for the recorded encounters, not including illegal migrations. If these numbers keep rising, the need to supply these migrants with jobs, money, housing, and food could drain the economies of nearby communities.

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Monthly encounters between U.S. Border Patrol agents and migrants attempting to cross into the United States at the U.S.-Mexico border remain at levels not seen in more than two decades, according to the latest available government statistics. The recent influx of migrants at the southwestern border has been a key topic of discussion this week in meetings between U.S. President Joe Biden and his Mexican counterpart, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

The number of monthly migrant encounters had fallen to 16,182 - the second-lowest total in more than 20 years - in April 2020, shortly after the coronavirus outbreak forced the closure of the southwestern border and slowed migration across much of the world.

But encounters with migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border have soared since then, with 206,239 reported in November 2022, according to the latest available monthly data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the federal agency that encompasses the Border Patrol. Recent monthly totals far exceed the peak reached during the last major wave of migration at the U.S.-Mexico border in May 2019 and are roughly on par with the previous peak reached in March 2000.

Migrant encounters refer to two distinct kinds of events:

Apprehensions. Migrants are taken into custody in the United States - at least temporarily - to await adjudication. Apprehensions are carried out under Title 8 of the U.S. code, which deals with immigration law.

Expulsions. Migrants are immediately expelled to their home country or last country of transit without being held in U.S. custody. Expulsions are carried out under Title 42 of the U.S. code, a previously rarely used section of the law that was invoked by the Trump administration during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. The law empowers federal health authorities to stop migrants from entering the country if it is determined that doing so could prevent the spread of contagious diseases.

In the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., the Border Patrol relied heavily on Title 42 to expel most of the migrants it encountered at the border. But that pattern has shifted more recently under the Biden administration. In November 2022, about two-thirds of all migrant encounters (68%) ended in apprehension under Title 8, while around a third (32%) resulted in expulsion under Title 42.
Key facts about Title 42, the pandemic policy that has reshaped immigration enforcement at U.S.-Mexico border
As the coronavirus pandemic has gone on, there has also been a notable shift in the origin countries of migrants crossing into the U.S. at the southwestern border.

In April 2020, in the first weeks of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak, people from Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras accounted for the vast majority of those encountered at the border. But that is no longer the case: In November 2022, a majority of the migrants encountered at the border (63%) were from countries other than Mexico and the Northern Triangle region.

Some of the biggest increases in encounters have involved people from Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Peru and Venezuela. For example, there were only four encounters with Colombian nationals at the U.S.-Mexico border in April 2020. By November 2022, that figure had increased to 15,439. There were even steeper increases in encounters with migrants from Cuba (from 161 encounters in April 2020 to 34,639 in November 2022) and Nicaragua (from 86 to 34,162). The number of encounters involving people from Peru rose from 18 in April 2020 to 8,495 in November 2022. And while the number of encounters with Venezuelans has decreased in recent months, it remains far above the levels recorded in the early months of the pandemic.

When it comes to the demographic profile of those crossing the border, single adults have accounted for most of the recent increase in encounters. Seven-in-ten encounters in November 2022 involved single adults, while far smaller shares involved families (24%) or unaccompanied minors (6%). Still, the percentage of encounters involving families has risen sharply during the pandemic.
Note: This is an update of a post originally published on March 15, 2021.

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Monthly encounters with migrants at U.S.-Mexico border remain near record highs

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Monthly encounters between U.S. Border Patrol agents and migrants attempting to cross into the United States at the U.S.-Mexico border remain at levels not seen in more than two decades, according to the latest available government statistics. The recent influx of migrants at the southwestern border has been a key topic of discussion this week in meetings between U.S.

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Bullying is a huge problem everywhere, especially in schools. Bullying can cause the victim to serious outcomes such as desocialization and not wanting to make new friends or talk to people. Bullies can emotionally scar their victims and this problem will continue for years. About 20% of kids ages 12-18 experience being bullied. It has been reported that the bullies had bigger qualities such as more money and more strength. Bullying can happen anywhere in school such as hallway, classroom, cafeteria, locker room, or anywhere else in the buildings. Being bullied can lower kids attention span in class due to the continuous harrassment, they may not have the strength to pay attention, only be in fear.

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This section pulls together fundamental information about bullying, including:

Definition of Bullying

In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Department of Education released the first federal definition of bullying. The definition includes three core elements:

unwanted aggressive behavior

observed or perceived power imbalance

repetition or high likelihood of repetition of bullying behaviors

This definition helps determine whether an incident is bullying or another type of aggressive behavior or both.

Research on Bullying

Bullying prevention is a growing research field that investigates the complexities and consequences of bullying. Important areas for more research include:

Prevalence of bullying in schools

Prevalence of cyberbullying in online spaces

How bullying affects people

Risk factors for people who are bullied, people who bully others, or both

How to prevent bullying

How media and media coverage affects bullying

What We've Learned about Bullying

Bullying affects all youth, including those who are bullied, those who bully others, and those who witness bullying. The effects of bullying may continue into adulthood.

There is not a single profile of a young person involved in bullying. Youth who bully can be either well connected socially or marginalized, and may be bullied by others as well. Similarly, those who are bullied sometimes bully others.

Solutions to bullying are not simple. Bullying prevention approaches that show the most promise confront the problem from many angles. They involve the entire school community-students, families, administrators, teachers, and staff such as bus drivers, nurses, cafeteria and front office staff-in creating a culture of respect. Zero tolerance and expulsion are not effective approaches.

Bystanders, or those who see bullying, can make a huge difference when they intervene on behalf of someone being bullied.

Studies also have shown that adults can help prevent bullying by talking to children about bullying, encouraging them to do what they love, modeling kindness and respect, and seeking help.

Bullying Statistics

Here are federal statistics about bullying in the United States. Data sources include the Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2019 (National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice) and the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

How Common Is Bullying

About 20% of students ages 12-18 experienced bullying nationwide.

Students ages 12-18 who reported being bullied said they thought those who bullied them:

Had the ability to influence other students' perception of them (56%).

Had more social influence (50%).

Were physically stronger or larger (40%).

Had more money (31%).

Bullying in Schools

Nationwide, 19% of students in grades 9-12 report being bullied on school property in the 12 months prior to the survey.

The following percentages of students ages 12-18 had experienced bullying in various places at school:

Hallway or stairwell (43.4%)

Classroom (42.1%)

Cafeteria (26.8%)

Outside on school grounds (21.9%)

Online or text (15.3%)

Bathroom or locker room (12.1%)

Somewhere else in the school building (2.1%)

Approximately 46% of students ages 12-18 who were bullied during the school year notified an adult at school about the bullying.

Cyberbullying

Among students ages 12-18 who reported being bullied at school during the school year, 15 % were bullied online or by text.

An estimated 14.9% of high school students were electronically bullied in the 12 months prior to the survey.

Types of Bullying

Students ages 12-18 experienced various types of bullying, including:

Being the subject of rumors or lies (13.4%)

Being made fun of, called names, or insulted (13.0%)

Pushed, shoved, tripped, or spit on (5.3%)

Leaving out/exclusion (5.2%)

Threatened with harm (3.9%)

Others tried to make them do things they did not want to do (1.9%)

Property was destroyed on purpose (1.4%)

State and Local Statistics

Follow these links for state and local figures on the following topics:

International Statistics

According to the UNESCO Institute of Statistics:

One third of the globe's youth is bullied; this ranges from as low as 7% in Tajikistan to 74% in Samoa.

Low socioeconomic status is a main factor in youth bullying within wealthy countries.

Immigrant-born youth in wealthy countries are more likely to be bullied than locally-born youth.

Bullying and Suicide

The relationship between bullying and suicide is complex. The media should avoid oversimplifying these issues and insinuating or directly stating that bullying can cause suicide. The facts tell a different story. It is not accurate and potentially dangerous to present bullying as the "cause" or "reason" for a suicide, or to suggest that suicide is a natural response to bullying.

Research indicates that persistent bullying can lead to or worsen feelings of isolation, rejection, exclusion, and despair, as well as depression and anxiety, which can contribute to suicidal behavior.

The vast majority of young people who are bullied do not become suicidal.

Most young people who die by suicide have multiple risk factors.

For more information on the relationship between bullying and suicide, read "The Relationship Between Bullying and Suicide: What We Know and What it Means for Schools" from the CDC.

Anti-Bullying Laws

All states have anti-bullying legislation. When bullying is also harassment and happens in the school context, schools have a legal obligation to respond to it according to federal laws.

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This section pulls together fundamental information about bullying.

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In recent years the United States has experienced extreme weather conditions and extreme shifts in weather. There have been frequent and intense heat waves throughout the nation (specifically in the West), which has led to droughts throughout the nation. the droughts make it much harder to farmers to grow their crops and therefore hurts the American Economy by creating shortages. The shifts in weather have been a direct result of global warming, and the droughts throughout the Nation is not the only thing that global warming has done to the United States. As with the changes in weather has come increased frequency of hurricanes, floods and storms.

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Racism has gotten out of hand lately and the government has done little to no things to help prevent it.
Although protests are meant to bring activist and people together in recent years it actually divides American into sides resulting in chaos and even death! The government not only has to get this under control but also find a way not to instigate these stereotypes or behaviors and end them completely. Asian hate is also common since the pandemic with many elderly men and women being beaten and robbed.

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Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen

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Black Americans support significant reforms to several institutions to ensure fair treatment. Yet even as they assess inequality and ideas about progress, many are pessimistic that society will change in ways that would reduce racism.

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Discrimination against Latinos with darker skin color than those with lighter skin. 62% of Hispanics say having a darker skin color hurts their ability to get ahead in the United States today rather than those who can pass with lighter skin.

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Pew Research Center's Hispanic Trends Project

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Latinos with darker skin color report more discrimination experiences than Latinos with lighter skin color

The perceived impact of skin color in the lives of U.S. Latinos is broad. From impacting their ability to get ahead in the country to shaping their daily life experiences to dealing with discrimination, skin color is seen by Latinos as an important factor affecting their lives and life chances.

A majority (62%) of Hispanic adults say having a darker skin color hurts Hispanics' ability to get ahead in the United States today at least a little. A similar share (59%) say having a lighter skin color helps Hispanics get ahead. And 57% say skin color shapes their daily life experiences a lot or some, with about half saying discrimination based on race or skin color is a "very big problem" in the U.S. today, according to Pew Research Center's National Survey of Latinos, a bilingual, national survey of 3,375 Hispanic U.S. adults conducted in March 2021.

Colorism is a form of discrimination based on skin color, usually, though not always, favoring lighter skin color over darker skin color within a racial or ethnic group. While it can be tied to racism, it is not necessarily the same. (Racism is prejudice directed at members of a racial or ethnic group because of their origin.) For example, Hispanics in the U.S. may face discrimination because they are Hispanic (a form of racism), but the degree of discrimination may vary based on skin color, with those of darker shades experiencing more incidents (a form of colorism). And because of colorism's deep roots in the histories of Latin America and the United States, discrimination based on skin color can occur among Hispanics just as much as it can be directed at Hispanics by non-Hispanics.

To measure this dimension of Latino identity in the United States, the survey asked respondents to identify the skin color that best resembled their own using a version of the Yadon-Ostfeld skin-color scale. Respondents were shown ten skin colors that ranged from fair to dark (see text box below for the images and scale used). Fully 80% of Latino adults selected a color between one and four, or lighter skin colors, while 15% selected a color between five and ten on the scale, or darker skin colors.

Discrimination and skin color

Colorism in the Americas

Discrimination based on skin color has deep historical roots in Latin America and the Caribbean. Centuries ago, a hierarchical or caste system was established in the Americas, tying privilege, individual worth and access to opportunities to one's skin color, race and birthplace. This was further shaped by the arrival of slaves from Africa across the region and the mixing of Indigenous, European and African populations.

Today, skin color remains an important determinant of outcomes across the region. Individuals with darker skin achieve lower levels of educational attainment or have less access to health care, for example. And those of lighter skin color experience less discrimination than those of darker skin color.

Colorism is present in the U.S. as well and has similarly impacted the lives of Hispanics, Black Americans and Asian Americans, existing alongside racial discrimination. And it is similarly linked to a number of outcomes. For example, racism may impact both Hispanics of lighter skin and darker skin color, but Hispanics with darker skin may experience more discrimination.

Overall, about half (54%) of Hispanic adults experienced at least one of the eight discrimination incidents asked about in the survey, reflecting broader and ongoing experiences with discrimination among U.S. Hispanics no matter their skin color. However, the new survey finds Hispanics with darker skin color are more likely to have experienced at least one discrimination incident than Hispanics with lighter skin color. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Hispanics with darker skin say they personally experienced at least one of the eight discrimination incidents during the year previous to the survey, while 54% of Hispanics with lighter skin color say the same.

Among the discrimination experiences included in the survey, being treated as if they were not smart is the most reported. Some 42% of Latinos with darker skin say this happened to them, as do 34% of Latinos with lighter skin.

The next most common discrimination experiences were those directed at Hispanics by non-Hispanics and Hispanics alike, with the chances of these incidents happening linked to skin color. Some 42% of Hispanics with darker skin personally experienced discrimination or were treated unfairly by someone who is not Hispanic, while 29% of those with lighter skin say the same happened to them. And 41% of Hispanics with darker skin say they personally experienced discrimination or were treated unfairly by someone who is Hispanic, while 25% of those who have a lighter skin color say they too experienced discrimination by someone who is Hispanic.

Still, no matter their skin color and despite the notable gap, Latinos are experiencing discrimination. About one-third (32%) of Latinos with darker skin say someone told them to go back to their country, for example, as did 20% 0f those with lighter skin. Some 33% of Latinos with darker skin say someone criticized them for speaking Spanish in public, as did 22% of those with lighter skin. And 27% of Latinos with darker skin say they feared for their personal safety while 20% of those with lighter skin say the same.

While Latinos' skin color is linked to discrimination experiences, those with darker skin and lighter skin alike say skin color affects opportunity and life experiences in America. For example, majorities of both groups say skin color shapes their daily life experiences - 62% among Latinos with darker skin and 57% among Latinos with lighter skin. And both groups are just as likely to say darker skin color "hurts" Latinos' ability to get ahead in the U.S. (63% and 64% respectively). About half (49%) of Latinos with lighter skin say discrimination based on race or skin color is a very big problem, as do 41% of those with darker skin.

Impact of race, skin color is a topic of conversation with relatives and friends for Hispanics

Race, skin color and the state of race relations sometimes come up in conversations Latinos have with family and friends. Roughly half (48%) say discrimination based on race or skin color is a topic in conversations at least sometimes with friends and relatives. But these conversations are not happening frequently among all Latinos. About half (51%) say these conversations with relatives and friends happen rarely (30%) or never (21%).

Conversations about racial or skin color discrimination are happening more often among Hispanics with darker skin than those with lighter skin. Six-in-ten Hispanics with darker skin color (60%) say they often or sometimes talk with family and friends about discrimination based on race or skin color, a share that falls to 46% among Hispanics with lighter skin.

And 44% say the topic of U.S. race relations often or sometimes comes up when talking with family and friends. About half (52%) of Hispanics with darker skin say this, as do 43% of Hispanics with lighter skin.

Racial identity and experiences with racism have been a part of some Latinos' experiences growing up as well. About one-in-four Latinos (27%) say their family talked to them at least sometimes about the challenges they might face due to their race or ethnicity when they were growing up. This is more common among Latinos who indicate they have darker skin (41%) than among those who indicate they have lighter skin (25%).

Capturing skin color among U.S. Hispanics

A self-assessed measure of skin color was included in the survey as one of four measures of racial identity. The survey used a version of the Yadon-Ostfeld 10-point skin color scale, where one represents the lightest skin color and 10 the darkest. (The scale used in the survey is reproduced below.) Survey respondents were asked to select the color that most closely matches their own, even if none of them were exactly right.

Responses were distributed mostly toward lighter skin colors. Eight-in-ten Hispanics selected one of the four lightest skin colors, with the second-lightest ranking on top (28%), followed by the third (21%) and fourth lightest colors (17%). By contrast, 15% of Latino respondents selected one of the six darker skin colors, with only 3% in total selecting one of the four darkest skin colors (7-10). For this report, those who indicated their skin color is between one and four are identified as of a lighter skin color, while those who indicated their skin color is between five and 10 are identified as of a darker skin color.

Half of Latinos say there is too little national attention on racial issues concerning Latino people

After nearly a year of national engagement over issues of race following the killing of George Floyd in May of 2020 and subsequent nationwide racial justice protests, Latinos are split over whether there is too much or too little attention paid to race and racial issues in the country today. Overall, 37% say that too little attention is paid to these issues, while 36% say there is too much attention and 25% say the amount of attention given to race and racial issues is about the right amount.

The views of Latinos on this have shifted as the share saying too little attention is paid to race relations has dipped compared with 2019 and 2020, when 50% and 46% of Latinos respectively said the same. At the same time, a growing share say there is too much attention paid to race and racial issues nationally. Some 36% say this today, up from 27% who said the same in 2019.

Even before recent events, Latinos were downbeat about race relations in the U.S. In another 2019 Pew Research Center survey, six-in-ten Latinos (60%) said race relations in the country then were generally bad and getting worse. In the same survey, more Latinos said people not seeing racism where it really does exist was a bigger problem in the country than people seeing racial discrimination where it really does not exist.

Yet, when it comes to how much attention is paid to race and racial issues concerning Hispanic people, about half of all Hispanics (51%) say too little attention is paid to them today. Among Hispanics with darker skin, 57% say too little attention is paid to racial issues concerning Hispanic people, a higher share than the 50% of those with lighter skin color who say the same.

About as many Hispanics hold this view about the level of national attention paid to race and racial issues concerning Asian people. Over half (55%) of Hispanics say too little attention is paid to race issues concerning Asian people in the country today. Meanwhile, 29% of Hispanics say the amount of national attention paid to race issues concerning Asian people is about right and 14% say too much attention is paid to these issues. (The survey was fielded just as the number of hate and violence incidents focused on Asian Americans drew wide national attention.)

At the same time, 30% of Hispanics say too little attention is paid to race and racial issues related to Black people today, while 45% say too much attention is paid to them and 23% say the right amount of attention is paid to these issues.

Hispanics are hearing racially insensitive comments and jokes coming from other Hispanics, according to the survey. Nearly half (48%) of Hispanic adults say they have often or sometimes heard a Hispanic friend or family member make comments or jokes about other Hispanics that might be considered racist or racially insensitive. Similar shares of Hispanics who identify with a lighter skin color (48%) or darker skin color (52%) say they have heard these types of comments or jokes from friends or family at least sometimes.

And 45% of Hispanic adults say the same about hearing a Hispanic friend or family member make racist or racially insensitive comments or jokes about others who are not Hispanic often or at least sometimes. Among Hispanics with darker skin color, 53% say this, a higher share than among Hispanics with lighter skin color (44%).

This is little changed from 2019, when a similar share of Hispanics (47%) said they heard a Hispanic friend or family member make what might be considered a racist comment about people who are not Hispanic. In the same 2019 survey, half of those who heard these comments or jokes from people close to them said they confronted a friend or family member about it.

While Hispanics say skin color affects their ability to get ahead in America, other factors are seen as important as well

While a majority of Latinos say skin color impacts Latinos' opportunity in the U.S. today, education and immigration status are viewed by more as having an impact on the ability to get ahead.

About eight-in-ten Hispanics (82%) say having a college degree helps the ability of Hispanics to get ahead in the U.S. these days. And 78% say the same about living in the U.S. legally. Both are higher than the 59% saying a lighter skin color helps Hispanics get ahead in America and the 62% saying a darker skin color hurts Hispanics.

When asked if gender affects Hispanics' ability to get ahead in the U.S. today, about half (52%) of Hispanics say being a man helps, while 21% say the same about being a woman. Roughly one-in-three say that being a Hispanic man or woman is neither an advantage nor disadvantage in America today.

Latinos' views on topics related to race or skin color differ by their own experiences with discrimination. Those who reported experiencing at least one of eight specific forms of discrimination asked about in the survey were more likely than those who did not report one to say having a lighter skin color helps at least a little in the ability of Hispanics to get ahead - 66% vs. 51% respectively.

About two-thirds (68%) of Latinos who had a discrimination experience in the past year say skin color shapes their daily life experiences a lot or some, compared with 43% of those who had no discrimination experiences that say the same.

In addition, those who had at least one discrimination experience in the past year were more likely than those who did not have such experiences to say discrimination based on race or skin color is a "very big problem" in the U.S., that discrimination based on skin color comes up often or sometimes in conversations with family and friends and that too little attention is paid to race and racial issues in the U.S. these days.

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Luis Noe-Bustamante, Ana Gonzalez-Barrera, Khadijah Edwards, Lauren Mora and Mark Hugo Lopez

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Majority of Latinos Say Skin Color Impacts Opportunity in America and Shapes Daily Life

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Latinos with darker skin color report more discrimination experiences than Latinos with lighter skin color.

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Distance Learning negatively impacted students and their education. Some families reported a rise in temper tantrums, anxiety, and a poor ability to manage emotions, especially among the young elementary-aged children during remote learning. They lost crucial years to their education and will forever be behind now.

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Before COVID hit, Professor Stephanie Jones and Lecturer Emily Hanno were already tracking young children's development as part of the Early Learning Study at Harvard. As the pandemic began unfolding, they started to see shifts among the thousands of families and children participating in the study.

In their newest findings, they share that families reported a rise in temper tantrums, anxiety, and a poor ability to manage emotions, especially among the young elementary-aged children during remote learning. These findings may not come as a surprise to the many families who endured remote learning with their children, however, Jones and Hanno say these experiences remain important now, even as we inch toward a possible endemic.

“We have to be ready to support children as they transition between these different things — these different modalities, these different experiences — and support adults in kind of learning about enacting strategies that support children as they navigate the changes,” Jones says. “Those are things that we know about ... from work in social and emotional learning, in supporting positive behaviors, and supporting the wellbeing of adults.”

In this episode of the Harvard EdCast, they talk about how educators and families need to invest in social-emotional learning before learning loss or lost classroom time. They share ways to support educators facilitating classroom experiences for children that allow them to process the experiences they've had. They also offer easy strategies for families to check in with their young children's wellbeing.

TRANSCRIPT:

Jill Anderson: I'm Jill Anderson. This is The Harvard EdCast.

Harvard Professor Stephanie Jones and lecturer Emily Hanno's recent study explored how remote learning negatively affected children's behavior. This probably doesn't come as a surprise to the many families and educators who endured remote learning, yet it was another piece for Stephanie and Emily in understanding children's wellbeing, and a cue for schools and families to embrace social and emotional learning. They had begun tracking children's development years ago, as part the Early Learning Study at Harvard. When the pandemic hit, they started to see a shift in wellbeing and behaviors among the elementary aged children and their families in the study. They say it's important now, more than ever, for parents and educators to pay attention to children and help them navigate their emotions. I wanted to hear more about this and strategies adults can use with kids. First, I asked Stephanie what made remote learning affect children so negatively.

Stephanie Jones: I think it's a couple of things going on. What I don't think is that there's something about the screen itself. So the experience is remote learning, and I think it's association with some of these more challenging behaviors that parents observed, suggests that there's sort of a signal about what's going on generally for families and for children during the periods of time when remote learning is necessary. So I think it's a signal about the strain that families are under when remote learning has to happen, when those conditions are such that children have to be at home. For many parents, having a six or a seven year old at home on a screen learning while one is working and managing a household and doing all of the things that adults do, that is really very stressful. We know that strain is tied to challenging behavior among children.

So I think the remote learning is more of a signal about the other kinds of things that are happening in families. The second thing is that I think it's hard for six and seven year olds to learn on a screen as their main modality for learning. It's hard. They have to learn how to do that, and that, of course, comes with all kinds of challenges. Sometimes when kids are struggling and they're frustrated, their behavior shifts. It can look more negative, more dysregulated, they fall apart more often. Emily, what do you think?

Emily Hanno: These findings aren't necessarily going to be a surprise to anyone who's weathered remote learning with a child at home. So in some sense, this is meant to be confirmation of what many of us have suspected, that, yes, these are things that we're observing at scale on a more systematic way. Our hope is to draw attention to the fact that children's behaviors are shifting and that we may expect to see children coming back to school and behaving and operating in different ways than they did before the pandemic. So I think there's a risk of jumping immediately into trying to address learning loss or lost time in classrooms with children to focus on academic skills, but if we understand that children's behaviors have shifted in negative ways, we can support educators in facilitating classroom experiences for children that allow them to process the experiences that they've had, as well as support and scaffold behaviors in the classroom.

Jill Anderson: Does this mean remote learning just needs to be taken off the table altogether?

Stephanie Jones: I don't think that that's something that we can say, given that we are still in this situation, for sure. I think what these findings tell us is that we have to be ready for the challenges that come along with these various decisions. So for young kids, for kids who are six and seven years old, for adults, disruption can be really challenging. Changes to routines sets everybody off. Young children in particular, because they're just learning how to manage all the changes that are just part of life. So I don't think it means that remote learning is off the table, because that should be driven by public health considerations. I think what it does mean is that we have to be ready to support children as they transition between these different things, these different modalities, these different experiences, and support adults in kind of learning about enacting strategies that support children as they navigate the changes. Those are things that we know about from work forever, from work in social and emotional learning, in supporting positive behaviors, and supporting the wellbeing of adults. We have material we can draw upon to support kids and adults.

Jill Anderson: So you're talking about strategies and things that can be done to manage some of these pivots. Can you talk about what that might look like for educators and parents?

Stephanie Jones: There are lots of things. Some seem really sort of overly simple, and in their simpleness, they are profound. So asking children, asking adults how they're feeling. So, "What has it been like for you, as you went from being at school to being at home? How are you feeling as you're coming back to school? What is it like for you to go through this?" So just allowing some time and space for processing what's happened and the feelings that go along with it. We're really talking about how to support young children as they move between all these situations, but truly it's about the adults too, who need as much support and care as do the children. So one strategy is to really just open up space for processing and talking about how everyone's feeling, and it doesn't have to take a long time. It can be really quick, but it's really important.

Emily Hanno: Another simple, yet profound strategy is routine. We know that children thrive with predictability and that's what's been so hard about this whole pandemic, is that we've had little ability to predict what's coming next and how long it's going to last. So both families and educators can support children's wellbeing by creating predictable routines that are going to happen no matter what's happening in the broader ecosystem of children's lives. So small things like family walks, consistent mealtime routines can really make a difference for children, and I think back to what Stephanie said, sometimes these more break-like or fun family routines can present space for children to have the sorts of open conversations about how they're doing. So while you're doing a puzzle together, or cooking dinner, those might be spaces where children feel most comfortable talking about how they're doing.

Jill Anderson: A lot of these strategies sound like the things that we should just be doing in general, even whether the pandemic existed or not, right?

Stephanie Jones: Yeah. One of the things that we've learned in this experience, and we certainly hear from educators and from parents increasingly about their interest in this field, which is that adults and children, the world of social, emotional, and behavioral wellbeing are really important, and these experiences have sort of made that ever clearer. There's lots of interest in strategies and supports for those areas in particular. So I would say, as someone who works in that area, I would say, "Yes. This is always important. Children really benefit from routines and it's always helpful to share how you feel. It builds relationships and it brings everyone into the space together." But right now, when we're facing these kinds of challenges, it is particularly important. As we get back into it, we address some of the real issues that we're facing, which is that children need some catch up, there are things to be learned and done.

If we leave out a focus on the core social, emotional, and behavioral supports and skills, we'll struggle to address those other things. So we'll set ourselves back even more, and so taking time and thinking about how to bring children and adults back into a more regular routine of teaching and learning, and school, family and relationships, taking time to do that well and focusing on how people are feeling and what they've experienced is so important. It will help us in the long run, it'll move the other work forward faster.

Jill Anderson: Is there really a resistance to it, or is it kind of a case of there's so much that people are trying to do and mitigate, that it kind of might be falling by the wayside? I'm talking about social and emotional learning.

Stephanie Jones: I think that there is a great deal of belief and buy-in. I think when it comes down to the pressures of school and schooling, and the enormous challenges and pressures that educators are facing right now, it's hard to set aside time for these kinds of things because there's such a press to get back to normal, to get on with things. It's a tough moment and a conundrum. My advice is always, "Spending a little time here will accelerate your other efforts," because children and adults will feel more ready for it. So it's like, "Put time here," it feels like you're taking away from something else, but it will benefit the "something else" in the short and the long run.

Jill Anderson: I know my own kid has a class every week, that I suspect is social and emotional learning, called Nexus, and she loves it.

Stephanie Jones: Yeah.

Jill Anderson: It's her favorite class. We don't know what the heck happens in there, but this isn't happening everywhere, I suspect.

Stephanie Jones: It is varied, how it happens in different places. I think one thing you're highlighting that's so important, and something that we would all do well to remember, which is that children love to talk about how they feel and their relationships with others. It's a really important part of their life. It's what's in the front of their minds. You can take advantage of that and say, "Let's really think about how to support that. They're so engaged in that world. Let's think about how we can support that in other areas of instructional work." So let's bring in that interest in the social world, the emotional world, and see where it fits in these other instructional domains, because kids are really... They care about that stuff and they want to talk about it.

Jill Anderson: It was fun when she brought the trigger sheet home and I was listed as one of her triggers, but that's okay.

Stephanie Jones: All parents are a trigger.

Jill Anderson: Dad didn't make it on there, but I did. I know I'm taking us way off course there, because I think a lot about social and emotional learning, and I ponder how much parents really know and understand about that.

Stephanie Jones: Yeah. But just as you described, you see it in your relationship.

Jill Anderson: Right.

Stephanie Jones: Many parents feel it, it's intuitive, and sometimes it's not always clear from a kind of surfacing and explicit standby, like, "Which part of this is actually that social and emotional learning that they're talking about in school?" So making that connection sometimes doesn't happen, but in its core, it's really about forging connected, close, high quality relationships between adults and children, and children and children, and sort of in the whole ecosystem.

Jill Anderson: To get us a little bit back onto the pandemic, talk a little bit about some of the changes in behavior that you were seeing in these studies among children.

Emily Hanno: Just quickly to go back to Stephanie's point, I think one of the things that she's highlighting, and in our work together we've thought a lot about, is how do you integrate social and emotional learning into everything that you're doing in classrooms and at home? There's a potential hazard of thinking of social and emotional learning as having to be a specific learning block, or an hour a week, when in reality, it's happening every moment of every day that we're interacting with children and interacting with each other. One of the things that we've thought a lot about is how do you develop supports for families, supports for educators that allow them to integrate more explicitly social and emotional learning themes throughout the day when they're with children? Going back to your question around what behavioral changes we observe and parents observe, we saw that parents were reporting that their children's behavior tended to be more dysregulated when they were in remote learning.

So they're having trouble putting the brakes on and switching between activities flexibly. We saw parents reporting that children were having more temper tantrums, and more anxious and removed behavior, so a whole slew of different types of behaviors. It doesn't mean every child that we learned about was experiencing these specific behaviors, but what it does indicate is that the response can look a lot of the different ways. It can be in more internalizing symptomatology, where children are a little bit withdrawn or quiet, or it can be in externalizing symptomatology where children's behaviors are really quite prevalent and you're observing it in a more dysregulated behaviors too. So we saw a diversity of responses.

Stephanie Jones: So that's a good point, the diversity of responses to sort of challenge and disruption. We often get the question, from parents and from educators, "What should I notice and pay attention to?" Building on what Emily just described, it's really sort of a change in your child's behavior from what you're used to. So for some children, and even for adults, it can be this kind of drawing back or withdrawing, and for others, it can be a form of sort of falling apart, and yet others, it can be a form of kind of externalizing or acting out and responding to big emotions in big ways. So it's really the kind of shift that is the thing to look out for, and then, "How are you feeling? What's happening with you?", getting into a conversation about what's going on.

Jill Anderson: It sounds like it's important for parents to carve out time every day to just sort of have these little check-ins, that  that could be the most important thing to do.

Stephanie Jones: As you said before, there are many of these things that are sort of great all the time, but especially when things really feel like they're tense and out of control, and having that little check-in can be the routine. So every day at this time, we're going to have our chat. We're going to sit together and hold hands, or it can be anything. We're going to sit with the stuffed animals and talk with them, find out how they're feeling during this unusual time. So there are lots of little strategies, little ways to check in with children, and I would say, again, with other adults, that just open up that place for sharing something that might be going on. Doing it in a regular way increases the likelihood that a child who is uncertain is going to share something. So it might not be the first time, "I'm feeling okay," but the next time, "Actually, it's kind of hard for me. I don't know what to do when I have to be on the screen. I'm nervous about that, or that makes me bored, or overly excited," or whatever it is.

Emily Hanno: Some of these routines may feel unnatural at first, and making them part of daily behavior takes time to build the habit and to make it integrated into your normal everyday life. I would just underscore a theme that we've touched on over and over and over again, is that here, we're talking a lot about child wellbeing, but the adults' wellbeing, whether that's at home or at school, is so foundational to the child's wellbeing. Many of us have just been doing what we need to do to survive, to get through this current moment, but allowing and giving ourselves time to pause and think about how we're doing and how we might do more self care.

Jill Anderson: We're in this really weird space in the pandemic right now where things aren't back to normal, but we're kind of pretending they're going to go back to normal. We don't know what the normal is anymore. Some of the work that you do explores the role of parents and caregivers modeling positive behavior through adversity. Why is that important, and what does that look like?

Stephanie Jones: One of the primary ways that children learn how to manage their own experiences, their own emotions, their frustrations, their excitement, is by watching others do it. Children learn from the adult around them in every kind of way, and so how adults model their own management of stress and disruption is really important. That doesn't mean that it's terrible if an adult falls apart, that's a learning experience for a child too, which is that sometimes we fall apart and then we put ourselves back together. That's an important thing to see. A strategy for adults who really feel like they need a tool to manage some of those up and down kind of moments might be to do some out-loud self talk. So, "Gosh, I am feeling so frustrated right now because I can't get this computer to turn on. When I feel frustrated, I really want to hit the table, but I take a deep breath and I keep trying."

So here I've just narrated something that happens to me all the time. I get frustrated by something and I want to fall apart, but I have to do something to help myself not fall apart. What we've found in our work is that young children are captivated by the internal world of adults. They don't hear about it all that often, and when they do, they really pay attention. So once an adult starts to sort of narrate their own internal world, those little ears are perking up and it can be really influential. So in a funny way, it's a way to do two things at once. It's a way for an adult to manage what's happening with themselves, self-talk can be a useful strategy, but also to model a way to manage for a young child who's having some trouble and listening closely.

Emily Hanno: We also know that there can be cascades between how adults and children are doing. If an adult is feeling really stressed and frustrated, they can maybe respond more tersely to children, and that in turn feeds into the child's behavior, who's also responding shortly with their adult caregivers, and then that in turn exacerbates adults' behaviors and feelings as well. So I think it's important to understand that feedback loop between adult behavior and child be behavior, to be able to stop and see it happening, and then do something about it. As the adult, take a moment, stop, and address the burnout cascade.

Jill Anderson: So what are you looking at now, and just what to keep in mind going forward?

Emily Hanno: So we're continuing to follow these children for as long as they'll have us follow them, and our hope is to continue to understand how children's behavioral wellbeing and general wellbeing is shifting over time as we hopefully return to normalcy, so we understand whether or not these changes we've observed are enduring over time. The other thing that we're starting to do right now is to go back to our families and assess the children, not just in the areas of social and emotional learning, but also in more traditional academic areas, language development, literacy development, math skills, to understand whether or not we've also seen changes in those areas and how they align to changes in children's behavioral health. So is it that children whose behaviors have suffered more during the pandemic are also those that are struggling academically as well?

Stephanie Jones: Yeah. Exactly. Overall, we're really interested in connecting children's experiences, families' experiences to their trajectories over time, across all sorts of areas. So we'll do that forever, as Emily said, if we can, and feed the information back to educators, to systems, to families.

Jill Anderson: Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

Stephanie Jones: Thank you.

Emily Hanno: Thank you.

Jill Anderson: Stephanie Jones is a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a faculty director of the Saul Zaentz Early Education Initiative. Emily Hanno is a postdoctoral researcher with the Saul Zaentz Early Education Initiative. She is also a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. They are working on the Early Learning Study at Harvard, a population-based study that examines children's development in context of their early education and care. I'm Jill Anderson. This is The Harvard EdCast, produced by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Thanks for listening.

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Harvard EdCast: The Negative Effects of Remote Learning on Children’s Wellbeing

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How a focus on social-emotional learning can better help children — in school and at home — as we cope with recent challenges and begin to emerge from the pandemic.

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Healthcare is a giant problem in America today. Healthcare is extremely expensive. It is reported that 45% of adults say healthcare is hard to pay for. More than 40% of adults in America are in debt for medical reasons. The price of Healthcare needs to go down, people are avoiding going to the doctors when they feel something is wrong because of how expensive healthcare is and they aren't able to afford it.

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The health care industry has undergone tumultuous change over the past two decades. Industry and political leaders have grappled with several issues that impact access to care, quality of care, and the cost of care. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted these challenges, as hospitals struggled to treat the overwhelming influx of patients, and public health officials worked to prevent the spread of disease.

As the pandemic illustrated, health care challenges are thorny and complex. Students and professionals who are drawn to health care administration because they're interested in resolving such challenges may want to consider graduate study. A Master of Health Administration program, for example, can offer deeper insights into some of the current issues in health care and the solutions that administrators are developing to solve these problems.

1. The High Cost of Health Care

The problem: Perhaps the most pressing issue in health care currently is the high cost of care. More than 45% of American adults say it's difficult to afford health care, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, and more than 40% have medical debt. The cost of health care changes people's behavior, with many forgoing seeing a doctor when they feel sick or avoiding preventive health visits entirely. A quarter of Americans can't afford necessary prescriptions and may skip doses or otherwise not take medication as prescribed. Each of these behaviors can lead to serious health issues, increasing the cost of care down the road.

The solution: Cutting the cost of care involves the input and actions of the health care industry, insurers, and state and federal government agencies. Current initiatives focus on a commitment to reducing insurance premiums and instituting comprehensive price caps for service.

At the administrative level, however, there are steps that health care administrators can take. According to research from industry consulting firm McKinsey, 25% of health care spending stems from administrative activities, such as billing, scheduling, and insurance filing. Many of these expenses can be reduced by automating repetitive tasks, establishing payer-provider communications platforms, and implementing industrywide changes such as improving Medicare quality-of-care reporting.

2. The Concerns of Health Equity

The problem: The health care industry has long noted the vast disparities in health care outcomes between different populations. These disparities are not solely tied to income and the cost of care. Rather, environmental factors also have an outsized impact on health and wellness.

These factors, known as social determinants of health, include an individual's ZIP code; race and ethnicity; air and water quality; and access to jobs, housing, education, transportation, and nutritious food.

Additionally, long-standing racial and social inequities have led to generations of poor health in some communities. All of these factors impact a person's overall health and access to medical care. When underserved individuals have a health crisis, it's typically more costly to treat, often leading to hospitalization or an emergency room visit.

The solution: As with the high cost of health care, health equity solutions involve the cooperation of local, state, and federal agencies with health care providers. Housing, transportation, and collaboration with health care nonprofits and churches can all be leveraged to address environmental factors and improve health care access for underserved communities.

Health care administrators can establish a number of different programs to meet patient needs. For example, telehealth can help patients who don't have access to transportation, as in many rural areas - although internet infrastructure is still a challenge. Other programs include in-home elder care; care teams, which streamline patient care; and community partnerships.

3. The Promise (and Pitfalls) of Technology

The problem: This current health care issue presents great opportunities, but if not managed correctly, it can lead to many problems. Health care has become increasingly data-dependent. The challenge lies in managing this vast ocean of data. Even before the pandemic, providers and health care systems were generating roughly 80MB of data per patient each year, according to a report in Frontiers in ICT. This data includes not only information compiled in electronic health records (EHRs) but also administrative data, such as addresses, demographic data, insurance policy and claims data, payment records, and appointment scheduling.

The solution: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) has a growing impact on health care delivery and administration. AI and machine learning can make simple, repetitive tasks such as patient intake and schedule more efficient. This allows staff to concentrate on more complex issues, saving time and money. AI can also help predict staffing needs, making it easier for administrators to staff appropriately. Additionally, doctors can use AI to complete administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on patient care. Finally, some administrators and health insurers have begun using big data analytics and AI to predict health risks and to track and analyze outbreaks of diseases such as COVID-19.

4. The Move Toward Value-Based Care

The problem: Health care providers in the U.S. have traditionally used a fee-for-service (FFS) model. FFS means that medical staff bill for each service provided, using established billing codes. The more care a physician provides, the more they're paid, which some critics have said leads to unnecessary tests and treatments.

The move to a value-based care (VBC) system is underway. In value-based care, Medicare and insurers reimburse providers based on outcomes. For example, hospitals are incentivized to decrease their readmission rates, which means they focus more on eliminating medical and surgical errors. Health industry leaders expect VBC to improve the overall wellness of a population and decrease hospital admissions and illnesses. However, proper billing for treatment is no longer as straightforward.

The solution: Health care administrators are moving toward value-based administration (VBA) and transitioning to payment and billing tools that can handle this new approach to care. This technology must make use of patient data and health care data analytics to track treatments, health programs, and outcomes - and bill accordingly. Health administration dashboards must be able to track health outcomes on a population basis, as well as an individual basis. These dashboards take into account social determinants of health and other factors and must be able to quantify health care outcome data. Stakeholders in VBA include hospitals and other providers, Medicare and private insurance companies, and public health programs.

5. The Growing Provider Shortage

The problem: The pandemic highlighted one of the most serious issues in health care: the provider shortage. Several issues are contributing to this shortage: an aging population, which requires more medical care; localized health care provider shortages, where a region lacks sufficient numbers of doctors and nurses to serve the community; and burnout, which occurs when medical staff are overwhelmed and overstressed or work too many shifts, leading some to leave the profession.

The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates the country will have a shortfall of nearly 140,000 physicians by 2033 due to the increase in demand.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the demand for registered nurses will grow by 9% between 2020 and 2030. That projected growth jumps to 45% for advanced practice nurses, such as nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists.

Roughly 96 million Americans live in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. These areas are often rural, although not always. They may lack primary care physicians or nurse practitioners, dentists, or mental health providers.

The solution: Providers are using creative solutions to address the shortage. This may entail overhauling recruitment efforts and focus on long-term workforce planning. It may require health administrators to examine salary, paid time off, and benefits to create an attractive compensation package. Taking steps to make sure departments are adequately staffed can help prevent overwork, medical errors, and burnout. Other changes could focus on training and advancement opportunities as a way to increase employee satisfaction.

Address Health Care Challenges with a Master of Health Administration Degree

With all the current issues in health care consuming administrators' attention, this is both a challenging and exciting time to work in the health care industry. Although these issues are complex, health administration leaders are developing innovative solutions to positively impact the health and well-being of millions of Americans.

With coursework and projects in quality management, health policy, and health information systems, the online Master of Health Administration program at Regis College provides a foundation for this rewarding field. Explore the program today and see how you can make a difference in health care.

Recommended Readings
5 Strategies for Streamlining Patient Engagement in Health Care 6 Effective Health Care Skills for Health Administrators Health Care Management vs. Health Care Administration
Sources:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing, "Nursing Shortage" Association of American Medical Colleges, "U.S. Physician Shortage Growing" American Hospital Association, "5 Ways to Ease Staffing Shortages Now and Into the Future" Brookings Institution, "5 Building Blocks to Help Achieve Greater Health Equity" , "Better Patient Outcomes Through Mining of Biomedical Big Data" Health Affairs, "Two Approaches to Capping Health Care Prices" Health Resources and Services Administration, Shortage Areas Insider Intelligence, "AI in Healthcare Administration: How Digital Health Firms and Big Tech Are Using AI to Ease Doctors' Administrative Burden" Kaiser Family Foundation, "Americans' Challenges with Health Care Costs" McKinsey & Company, "Administrative Simplification: How to Save a Quarter-Trillion Dollars in US Healthcare" Medical Advantage, "Healthcare Dashboards Examples: 4 Actionable Examples" MedCity News, "Why Value-Based Administration Is Key to Value-Based Care" U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Registered Nurses U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "Health Worker Burnout"

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5 Current Issues in Health Care and What Administrators Can Do | Regis

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The health care industry has undergone tumultuous change over the past two decades. Industry and political leaders have grappled with several issues that impact access to care, quality of care, and the cost of care. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted these challenges, as hospitals struggled to treat the overwhelming influx of patients, and public health officials worked to prevent the spread of disease.

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https://www.cbpp.org/research/housing/priced-out-the-state-of-housing-in-america#:~:text=Many%20parts%20of%20the%20country,to%20expand%20the%20housing%20stock.

Many parts of the United States are facing extreme house shortages, upwards of 3.8 million units done to a study. These housing shortages are causing home and rent prices to climb, limiting people's options.

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The racial and anti-immigrant prejudice against Hispanics has been going on for some time, and has lead to many injuries and deaths among the Hispanic community. Something that needs to be addressed about this problem is the injustices that Hispanics have to endure when they are trying to make a living, there have been multiple accounts of Hispanic people being attacked while working like people selling fruit or selling raspados.

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Some U.S. historical policies and practices have led to mental and physical health risks and challenges, and related long-term health outcomes, for Hispanic/Latino people. For example:

Historically, Hispanic/Latino people in the U.S. have faced racial, ethnic, and anti-immigrant prejudice, including discrimination in employment, housing, and education. ¹³ Acts of violence and hate crimes have also caused injuries and deaths among Hispanic/Latino people in the U.S. 14,15

Hispanic/Latino people have also experienced discrimination and harm from systems meant to protect and improve health and well-being. Some examples of historical policies and practices that have important implications for the mental and physical health of Hispanic population groups include:

State and federal programs in the 1920s sought to change diets of Mexican American families in the U.S. based on the mistaken belief that traditional Mexican foods were less nutritious than standard American diets.¹⁶ This resulted in negative effects on Mexican American health. Today, children of Mexican origin in the U.S. are more likely to experience obesity than other children in the U.S. and children who live in Mexico.¹⁷

Harm and uneven treatment from healthcare systems, such as the sterilization of Hispanic/Latino women without their permission, leading to a mistrust of healthcare systems and medical providers by some Hispanic/Latino people.18,19

Discrimination and distress related to immigration policies, such as the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, have led many people who live in immigrant communities to avoid interacting with public officials.20,21 As a result, many Hispanic/Latino people who are legally eligible for public health insurance coverage or health services do not enroll.²⁰ Additionally, anti-immigrant public discourse, as well as decreased access to employment, has caused distress.²²

There are also current reasons-like the ones explored below-that help explain why commercial tobacco* affects the health of Hispanic/Latino people.

Marketing plays a big role in whether people try or use commercial tobacco products. Commercial tobacco ads make smoking seem more appealing and increase the chance that someone will try smoking for the first time or start using commercial tobacco products regularly. 11,23,24,25

Tobacco companies heavily advertise Spanish-language cigarette brand names such as "Rio" and "Dorado" to the Hispanic/Latino community, including ads in many Spanish-language publications.²⁶

Tobacco companies have donated to influential community groups, universities and colleges, and scholarship programs supporting Hispanic/Latino people.²⁶ The tobacco industry has also provided significant support to Hispanic/Latino political organizations, cultural events, and the Hispanic/Latino art community.²⁶

Tobacco companies use price promotions such as discounts of products like cigarillos and little cigars in neighborhoods with a higher concentration of Hispanic/Latino people. In one study, little cigars and cigarillos were more likely to be sold by stores in communities with a majority of Hispanic/Latino residents (vs majority non-Hispanic White residents). In the same study, most stores surveyed in communities with a majority of Hispanic/Latino residents sold such products for less than $1.²⁷

A 2009 federal law prohibited cigarette and smokeless tobacco brand-sponsorship of cultural events, but other product types, like e-cigarettes and little cigars, are not covered by these restrictions. Tobacco companies are still promoting cultural events designed to bring in youth of color - like a recent campaign for little cigars that held pop-up concerts featuring hip-hop stars in convenience stores.²⁸

To help protect Hispanic/Latino people from tobacco marketing and discourage tobacco product use, states and communities could consider increasing prices and prohibiting price discounts, prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products, and either allowing fewer stores in a neighborhood to sell commercial tobacco products or prohibiting tobacco product sales altogether. ²⁹

When people face many forms of stress-such as that caused by financial problems, discrimination, or unsafe neighborhoods-they can be more likely to smoke. 30,31,32 Hispanic/Latino people have been overrepresented among Americans in poverty and, overall, are more likely have lower socioeconomic status than white people. 33 One in 6 Hispanic households have at least one person going hungry at some point during the year. ³⁴

Racism and discrimination are constant sources of stress for many Hispanic/Latino people. ³⁵ Nearly a third of Hispanic/Latino people in the U.S. say they have personally been discriminated against because of their ethnicity: ³⁶

When people face many forms of stress-such as that caused by financial problems, discrimination, or unsafe neighborhoods-they can be more likely to smoke. 30,31,32 Hispanic/Latino people have been overrepresented among Americans in poverty and, overall, are more likely have lower socioeconomic status than white people. 33 One in 6 Hispanic households have at least one person going hungry at some point during the year. ³⁴

Racism and discrimination are constant sources of stress for many Hispanic/Latino people. ³⁵ Nearly a third of Hispanic/Latino people in the U.S. say they have personally been discriminated against because of their ethnicity: ³⁶

31% Faced discrimination when trying to rent or buy a place to live

32% Faced discrimination regarding equal pay or promotions at work

33% Faced discrimination when applying for jobs

Healthcare itself can be a source of discrimination. Nearly 1 in 5 Hispanic people report they avoid medical care due to concern of being discriminated against or treated poorly. ³⁷

When people have severe or long-lasting stress, their bodies respond by raising stress hormones and keeping them raised. When this goes on for a long time, they may develop health problems like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. 38,39 Smoking cigarettes also leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ in the body. ¹¹

*"Commercial tobacco" means harmful products that are made and sold by tobacco companies. It does not include "traditional tobacco" used by Indigenous groups for religious or ceremonial purposes.

1. Cornelius ME, Loretan CG, Wang TW, Jamal A, Homa DM. Tobacco Product Use Among Adults - United States, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022; 71:397-405

2. Gentzke AS, Wang TW, Cornelius M, et al. Tobacco Product Use and Associated Factors Among Middle and High School Students - National Youth Tobacco Survey, United States, 2021. MMWR Surveill Summ 2022;71(No. SS-5):1-29. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss7105a1

3. Heron M. Deaths: Leading causes for 2010. [PDF - 5.1 MB] National Vital Statistics Reports, 2013; 62(6) [accessed 2022 Mar 1].

4. Xu JQ, Murphy SL, Kochanek KD, Bastian BA. Deaths: Final data for 2013. [PDF - 7.3 MB] National Vital Statistics Reports, 2016;64(2) [accessed 2022 Mar 1

5. 2018 National Health Interview Survey, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics [accessed 2022 Mar 1].

6. National Center for Health Statistics. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2015-2018 [PDF - 148 KB] [accessed 2022 Mar 1].

7. Merianos AL, Jandarov RA, Choi K, Mahabee-Gittens EM. Tobacco smoke exposure disparities persist in U.S. children: NHANES 1999-2014. Prev Med. 2019;123:138-142 [accessed 2022 Apr 28].

8. Brody DJ, Lu Z, Tsai J. Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Nonsmoking Youth: United States, 2013-2016. [PDF - 500 KB] NCHS Data Brief, 2019 [accessed 2022 Mar 1].

9. Babb S, Malarcher A, Schauer G, Asman K, Jamal A. Quitting Smoking Among Adults-United States, 2000-2015. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2017;65(52):1457-64 [accessed 2022 Mar 1].

10. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2020 [accessed 2022 Mar 1].

11. DiGiulio A, Jump Z, Babb S, et al. State Medicaid Coverage for Tobacco Cessation Treatments and Barriers to Accessing Treatments - United States, 2008-2018. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:155-160 [accessed 2022 Mar 1].

12. Flocke SA, Hoffman R, Eberth JM, Park H, Birkby G, Trapl E, et al. The Prevalence of Tobacco Use at Federally Qualified Health Centers in the United States, 2013. Prev Chronic Dis 2017; 14:160510 [accessed 2022 Mar 1].

13. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Best Practices User Guide: Health Equity in Tobacco Prevention and Control. [5.04 MB] Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2015 [accessed 2022 Apr 28].F

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Unfair and Unjust Practices and Conditions Harm Hispanic and Latino People and Drive Health Disparities

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CDC's Office on Smoking and Health offers information related to smoking and tobacco use.

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Racism has been one of Americas biggest problems since the horrors of slavery. There has been lots of growth and improvement after the civil war, and movements enforced by political figures. Even though America has made progress, systematic racism still exists, and we as a united people need to rise against it and fight for a bigger change.

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Unaddressed systemic racism is, in my mind, the most important issue in the United States today. And it has been so since before the founding of our nation.

Slavery was America's "original sin." It was not solved by the framers of the U.S. Constitution, nor was it resolved by the horrendous conflict that was of the American Civil War. It simply changed its odious form and continued the generational enslavement of an entire strata of American society. In turn, the Civil Rights Movement struck a mighty blow against racism in America, and our souls soared when Dr. King told us he had a dream. But we were and still are far from the "promised land." And even when America rose up to elect its first Black President, Barack Obama, we may indeed have lost ground as a collective nation along the way.

That is our legacy as Americans, and in many ways, the most hateful remnants of slavery persist in the U.S. today in the form of systemic racism baked into nearly every aspect of our society and who we are as a people. Indeed, for those tracing their heritage to countries outside of Western Europe, or for those with a non-Christian belief system, that undeniable truth often impacts every aspect of who you are as a person, in one form or another.

The reality of this history has been on stark display in recent weeks. From the terrible killings of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, to the countless, untold acts of racism that take place every day across America, these are the issues that are defining the moment-just as our response will define who we are and will be in the 21st century and beyond. Truly, the very nature of our "national soul" is at stake, and we all have a deep responsibility to be a part of the solution.

For us at Brookings, race, racism, equality, and equity are now matters of presidential priority. Addressing systemic racism is a key component of those efforts, with research also focusing on the Latino and Native American communities; faith-based communities, including our Jewish and Muslim communities; and the threat of white supremacy and domestic terrorism also playing a major role. It will also include work on the important need for comprehensive police reform, to include reform rooted in local community engagement and empowerment. We will not solve systemic racism and inequality over-night, and we have so much work ahead. But in a world where we often spend more time debating the nature of our problems than taking meaningful action, we must find ways to contribute however we can and to move forward as a community.

I firmly believe that we as Americans cannot remain silent about injustice. Inaction is simply unacceptable, and we have to stand up and speak out. And if our elected representatives and our elected leadership deny the problem, and refuse to act, then we must take on the responsibility of reform from the bottom up with special attention at the ballot box.

And especially for those Americans who may look like me - a white American male - or come from a similar background, action begins with reflection, and most importantly listening. It's also about elevating and supporting the voices of those traditionally underrepresented, or even silenced, throughout society. How We Rise is an absolutely critical part of that solution.

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Unaddressed systemic racism is, in my mind, the most important issue in the United States today. And it has been so since before the founding of our nation. Slavery was America's "original sin." It was not solved by the framers of the U.S.

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Low-Income students in the U.S. face many challenges in the education system, Students in poverty may find it very difficult to balance the components between family and school. Some low-income students might find school less important and value their family having the basic necessities more superior. Parents of these students may not be home to assist them with their emotional support or mental support.

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The purpose of this position statement is to highlight the impact poverty has on students and their ability to succeed in the classroom as well as offer policy recommendations on how to best support the academic, social, emotional, and physical success of these students.
Each day countless students come to school, each with their own set of unique gifts, abilities, and challenges. Recent data has found that students living in poverty often face far more challenges than their peers. According to the National Center of Education Statistics, 19 percent of individuals under 18 lived in poverty during the 2015-16 school year. Furthermore, 24.4 percent of students attended high-poverty schools during that same year. The data also show that higher percentages of Hispanic, African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander students attended high-poverty schools than white students, underscoring that poverty is also an issue of equity that must be addressed.

These data show the reality of what our public education system is facing today. Nearly one-fifth of students nationwide are either living in poverty, attending a high-poverty school, or both. Poverty negatively impacts students in a variety of ways within K-12 education and beyond. This can be through a variety of different factors that are often symptoms of poverty, like health issues stemming from a nonnutritional diet, homelessness, lack of food, or the inability to receive medical treatment for illnesses. These factors often place more stress on a student, which can negatively impact the student's ability to succeed in a school.

Students living in poverty often have fewer resources at home to complete homework, study, or engage in activities that helps equip them for success during the school day. Many impoverished families lack access to computers, high-speed internet (three-fourths of households currently have access to high-speed broadband), and other materials that can aid a student outside of school. Parents of these families often work longer hours or multiple jobs, meaning they may not be available to assist their children with their schoolwork.

Furthermore, in many high-poverty school districts, resources are sorely lacking in schools. Nearly every state has its own division of funding for school districts and education based on property taxes. Unfortunately, this system unfairly affects individuals living in poverty and the students attending school in those areas. Because property taxes are often much lower in high-poverty areas, schools in those areas receive much less than their more affluently-located counterparts. Recent data from the U.S. Department of Education state that 40 percent of high-poverty schools are not getting a fair share of state and local funds. This often leaves schools with limited budgets to address a multitude of issues, including hiring educators, updating resources for students, preparing students for postsecondary education or the workforce, dealing with unsafe infrastructure, and much more. There are often instructional gaps for those attending high-poverty schools as well. Data from the 2015-16 National Teacher and Principal Survey show that students from low-income families "are consistently, albeit modestly, more likely to be taught by lower-credentialed and novice teachers" (Garcia and Weiss). Research has also shown that many teachers in high-poverty schools are inexperienced and often less effective than their more experienced peers who are often targeted for hire by higher-income schools and districts. The lack of high-quality instruction serves to only further separate academic achievement levels for students in high-poverty schools from peers in high-income schools or districts.

All students, regardless of income level or background, are capable of and should receive the support and resources necessary for success.

Students from low-income families often face additional barriers that can impede academic success compared to their peers from higher-income households.

Principals provide leadership for instilling a culture of success and support within their school and should strive to provide each student with the supports necessary to achieve this success. Principals should strive to achieve this through all available avenues, including through strategic partnerships.

The 2015 Professional Standards for Educational Leaders state that effective educational leaders strive for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to promote each student's academic success and well-being.

NASSP has previously adopted position statements on the achievement gap and preparing all students for postsecondary success that offer policy recommendations to promote equitable support for all students and adequate preparation to enter the workforce or a postsecondary institution following high school.

NASSP developed the Building Ranks™ framework to reflect the principal's responsibility for building culture and leading learning to foster lifelong success for each child in a rapidly changing world.

Recommendations for Federal Policymakers

Advance policies that incentivize and support well-trained teachers, principals, and other educators to work and remain in high-poverty schools.

Provide additional federal funds and resources for programs, such as Title I and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, aimed at supporting students from low-income families.

Ensure federal funds are divided equitably so that high-poverty districts are guaranteed a fairer share of federal dollars.

Invest in school leadership required to hire and retain well-trained school leaders, recognizing the critical role principals play in establishing a culture and learning environment that students need to be successful in a global society.

Prioritize school improvement strategies-such as community schools-that include resources and supports to address the barriers poverty creates to student success.

Provide additional resources and invest in programs for students from low-income families to enter postsecondary education or the workforce.

Enact legislation aimed at improving school infrastructure, with a particular focus on buildings in high-poverty districts that pose potential health threats to students, educators, and other faculty in the school.

Expand the maximum allowance of Pell Grants, and share information with states, local education agencies, and universities on application eligibility and processes.

Fully fund federal programs that increase connectivity for all students, like the E-Rate Program which provides discounted telecommunications services to schools.

Recommendations for State Policymakers

Ensure state funding formulas are properly balanced so all districts receive an equitable and sufficient share of funds based on student poverty levels, property tax revenue per district, or other evidence-based indicators of poverty.

Reevaluate state investments in education to ensure school districts are receiving the funds necessary to promote student success.

Prioritize school improvement strategies-such as community schools-that include resources and supports to address the barriers to student success that poverty creates.

Invest in curriculum that prepares students for 21st-century employment and participation in a democracy. This will prepare students for life beyond secondary education and better enable them to be successful in the workforce and financially secure.

Prioritize and invest in state financial aid for school districts based on need instead of merit, which disproportionately helps high-income and white students.

Make investments over a long-term basis rather than short term, as long-term investments have a proven track record of improving high-poverty school districts.

Recommendations for District Leaders

Make sure that your district and school funding systems ensure equal access to core educational services for each student in K-12 education.

Ensure that school funding systems provide additional resources for low-income students to ensure they have a more level playing field for achieving success.

Use per-pupil expenditure (PPE) data to evaluate district funding decisions and make changes based on this data when inequities are presented.

Support ongoing learning for school leaders, recognizing that their role is changing and that the demands of a high-poverty schools are expanding, requiring continual development.

Advance policies that ensure highly-qualified educators are working in high-poverty schools.

Urge state policymakers to reevaluate unfair funding practices that negatively impact high-poverty districts.

Recommendations for School Leaders

Instill a culture of growth and success in your school that effectively educates all students about the opportunities available to them following secondary education.

Provide benefits and resources within schools to all students so those living in poverty have the necessary supports to succeed, with the assistance of outside partners such as internet providers, food suppliers, or healthcare organizations. Examples include: free breakfast, extended library or lab hours after school, allowing students to take home wifi hotspots, etc.

Provide professional development for teachers and staff to assist them in working effectively with students in poverty and address the impact of associated trauma and chronic stress.

Provide students with access to college admissions, scholarships, financial aid information, and personnel to help students with these discussions so students are properly educated on postsecondary education opportunities.

Ensure that budget discussions and requests are conducted in a transparent process that allows for input from a variets of groups and stakeholders in the school community.

Amerikaner, A., & Morgan, I. (2018, February 27). Funding gaps 2018: An analysis of school funding equity across the U.S. and within each state. Retrieved from https://edtrust.org/resource/funding-gaps-2018/.

Carey, K., & Harris, E. (2016). It turns out spending more probably does improve education. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/12/nyregion/it-turns-out-spending-more-probably-does-improve-education.html?_r=0.

Carr, S. (2013, February 26). The real reasons many low-income students don't go to college. Retrieved from https://hechingerreport.org/the-real-reasons-many-low-income-students-dont-go-to-college/.

College for America. (2017, June 7). Addressing the college completion gap among low-income students. Retrieved from https://collegeforamerica.org/college-completion-low-income-students/.

Dynarski, M. (2017, March 1). It's not nothing: The role of money in improving education. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/research/its-not-nothing-the-role-of-money-in-improving-education/.

Garcia, E., & Weiss, E. (2019, March 26). The teacher shortage is real, large and growing, and worse than we thought: The first report in 'The Perfect Storm in the Teacher Labor Market' series. Retrieved from https://www.epi.org/publication/the-teacher-shortage-is-real-large-and-growing-and-worse-than-we-thought-the-first-report-in-the-perfect-storm-in-the-teacher-labor-market-series/.

Jensen, E. (2013, May). How poverty affects classroom engagement. ASCD. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may13/vol70/num08/How-Poverty-Affects-Classroom-Engagement.aspx.

Johnston, K. (2019, June 20). 7 ways poverty affects education. Retrieved from https://moneywise.com/a/ways-poverty-affects-education.

Jackson, K., Johnson, R., & Persico, C. (2016). The effects of school spending on education and economic outcomes: Evidence from school finance reforms. The Quarterly Journal of Economics 131(1), pp. 157-218.

LaFortune, J., Rothstein, J., & Schanzenbach, D.W. (2016). School Finance Reform and the Distribution of Student Achievement. National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper 22011, February 2016.

Martin, C., Boser, U., Benner, M., & Baffour, P. (2018, November 13). A quality approach to school funding. Center for American Progress. Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k-12/reports/2018/11/13/460397/quality-approach-school-funding/

McFarland, J., Hussar, B., Wang, X., Zhang, J., Wang, K., Rathbun, A., Barmer, A., Forrest Cataldi, E., and Bullock Mann, F. (2018). The Condition of Education 2018 (NCES 2018-144). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018144.pdf.

National Association of Secondary School Principals. (2019, March 19). Using PPE data to advocate for your school. School of Thought blog. Retrieved from http://blog.nassp.org/2019/03/22/using-ppe-data-to-advocate-for-your-school/.

Parrett, W., & Budge, K. (2016, January 13). How does poverty influence learning? Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/how-does-poverty-influence-learning-william-parrett-kathleen-budge.

Pascoe, M.C., Hetrick, S.E. & Parker., A.G. (2019). The impact of stress on students in secondary school and higher education. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2019.1596823.

Taylor, K. (2019, July 25). Poverty's long-lasting effects on students' education and success. Retrieved from https://www.insightintodiversity.com/povertys-long-lasting-effects-on-students-education-and-success/.

Turner, C., Khrais, R., Lloyd, T., Olgin, A., Isensee, L., Vevea, B., & Carsen, D. (2016, April 18). Why America's schools have a money problem. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2016/04/18/474256366/why-americas-schools-have-a-money-problem.

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Poverty and Its Impact on Students' Education

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The purpose of this position statement is to highlight the impact poverty has on students and their ability to succeed in the classroom as well as offer policy recommendations on how to best support the academic, social, emotional, and physical success of these students.

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Transporting people and other goods is the largest carbon emitting. However, biogas is a renewable and carbon neural alternative that could be a possibility to reducing the carbon being emitted from cars.

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Transporting people and goods is the largest contributor to UK carbon emissions, responsible for . In the US too, transportation is the second-largest source of (after power generation) and accounts for 70% of all domestic oil consumption.

The transition to is also accelerating rapidly, with electric vehicles set to be the cars of our now and immediate future. Sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be by 2030 in the UK, with £1.3bn ($1.5bn) UK government funding to support smart charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. New York has also announced that sales of nearly all gas- and diesel-powered cars and trucks in the state will be banned by 2035. The state says it will be spending about $1bn (£0.8bn) across all types of zero-emissions vehicles over the next 5 years.

Petroleum was first discovered in 1859, but our reliance on this fossil fuel must end to effectively tackle . Alternative renewable energy sources will continue to be investigated and implemented to fuel our transport. Electric battery-powered cars are currently in pole position in the fuel race.

There are currently 107 hydrogen fuelling stations in the US, most of which are in California as that's where almost all fuel cell vehicles are currently. However, the US government's goal is for there to be 200 hydrogen stations in California by 2025, with a total of 1000 envisioned by 2030. Once refuelling stations are then added in other states, the number of fuel cell vehicles will grow across the country. ¹

The UK government's fund has already funded three self-driving pilot projects: DRIVEN, a trial fleet of fully autonomous vehicles in urban and inter-urban areas that will culminate in autonomous journeys in Oxford and London; RoboPilot, creating autonomous driving for an electric delivery van that could be adapted to buses and larger trucks; and, StreetWise, a demonstration of the technology, safety validation, insurance and service models for autonomous personal mobility to replace the urban commuter car.

In the US, Ford, Argo AI and Walmart are collaborating on a delivery service located in Austin, Miami and Washington. The service will use Ford's self-driving vehicles paired with Argo AI's self-driving system technology. According to executives, delivery capacity is projected to expand over time.

Elon Musk called his open-sourced idea for a train system "a cross between a Concorde, railgun and an air hockey table". By 2030, could be whisking people and freight from London to Edinburgh in 45 minutes, or between New York and Washington DC in just 30 minutes. Reaching speeds of up to 670 miles per hour, the futuristic pods in Virgin Hyperloop are powered by electromagnets that push them through a vacuum tube, which eliminates the air resistance experienced by other modes of transport.

The UK government's is investing £125 million to develop greener ways to fly, including all-electric short haul aircraft, drone deliveries and autonomous flight technologies.

Perhaps we really will soon be zipping through the skies above our homes in electric plane pods.
Sources

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The future of transport: driving change in the next 10 years

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This next decade transport will be revolutionised with radical new inventions powered by renewable energy, in response to the twin concerns of pollution and congestion.

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Many Americans still feel that their salaries are underwhelming. Nowadays, people making less than $50,000 a year a living paycheck to paycheck. Grocery shopping and paying for gas alongside rent payments. Salaries and income must be higher in order for the economy to continue growing. When people have enough money to pay for necessary things and still have leftover money, this will allow them to purchase the consumer products they want. Lessening income taxes and increasing salaries can combat inflation. Inflation has caused consumer prices to soar to 9.1%, currently the largest annual increase since 1981.

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The cost for majority of students to go to college is enough to put that same student in debt for the rest of their life. The average cost for a 4 year college in state is over 100,000 dollars and if your from out of state a 4-year college or university would cost over 170,000 dollars. This also doesn't include any learning further than this. Majority of people can't afford this. This why some students go to a community colleges, however some students want to go to a 4 year college or university. There needs to be a cheaper alternative to this price

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Average Cost of College [2022]: Yearly Tuition + Expenses

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An in-depth analysis of the average cost of college broken down by tuition, living expenses, loans, and lost income.

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The shortage of nurses and physicians have created problems in the U.S. There is about 400,000 home health aids, but only 29,400 nurses. This shortage is causing for working nurses to be overworked and under payed. There should be better working environments and pay for nurses that are spending hard times getting their college degrees and working with patients.

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The Shortage of Healthcare Workers in the U.S.

The number of healthcare workers needs to increase dramatically to meet demand in the coming years. A study by consulting firm Mercer projected that the U.S. would face significant healthcare worker shortages in the coming decade.

By 2025, the firm forecasts a shortage of more than 400,000 home health aides and 29,400 nurse practitioners. There will also be shortages in other healthcare professions.

The shortage concern is not new. A summary of a 2009 National Academy of Sciences workshop on the oncology workforce raised concerns about a shortage of physicians, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals a full decade before the Mercer study.

There is no easy solution to this problem. Healthcare workers need extensive training and specific qualifications, so providers cannot simply hire new workers off the street.

There have been different responses and plans that seek to address healthcare worker shortages.

Why Is There a Shortage of Healthcare Workers?

The problem has become especially acute recently due to the aging population, including the so-called Baby Boomer generation. People in this demographic often require more medical care, often from physician specialists.

Advances in medicine also mean that people are living longer overall, and managing more chronic conditions as they age, so those who reach retirement age will still need healthcare for a more extended time than previous generations. This need for more gerontologists and other specialists is in part behind a growing drought of general care doctors to serve the rest of the population.

The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) predicts a shortage of as many as 122,000 physicians by 2032. The report that made this dire prediction also pointed out that the over-65 population will grow by 48% by 2032. Unfortunately, many working physicians will also be reaching retirement age along with the rest of the Baby Boomers.

Rural areas could experience more problems because of the physician shortage than urban areas. According to current data for Healthcare Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), mostly-rural states such as Utah, Vermont, Tennessee, as well as remote territories like Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, have the highest shortages in medical professionals per capita.

Where Is the Shortage of Healthcare Professionals Most Dramatic?

As the demand for quality healthcare professionals increases, there are shortages or projected shortages across the industry. However, workforce deficits are most apparent and dramatic in certain professions. The shortages are one of the most immediate issues confronting the modern healthcare industry.

Physician Shortage

The AAMC projects a dramatic shortage of physicians in 2032. However, this shortage is even more problematic when you consider physician specialties. More physicians choose to enter specialized fields when they complete medical school, as opposed to primary care or family medicine. They specialize by undertaking an internship and residency in a specific area. These specialties are often more lucrative and prestigious than general medicine, so medical school graduates consider pursuing them to be worthwhile.

Since primary care physicians who practice general internal medicine are in the highest demand (because they are the ones that see the most patients), the lack of qualified people in this area is especially problematic.

One solution is for healthcare providers to fill the role of general practitioner physicians with qualified nurses or physician assistants. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants can perform some of the duties that a general practitioner doctor performs.

Depending on state laws, they may have to work under the supervision of a physician, but the physician can also oversee multiple healthcare workers. Though physician assistants and nurse practitioners need a master's degree and supervised clinical experience, these jobs require less schooling overall than a doctor.

Furthermore, nurse practitioners can start their career with a lower degree and obtain additional qualifications while working.

Nurse Shortage

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for qualified nurses will increase much faster than the need for all professionals in the coming decade. This increase is especially true for nurses with a bachelor's of science in nursing (BSN).

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) points to data that suggests that the country will need more than 200,000 new nurses each year until 2026 to fill new positions or replace retiring nurses.

Though enrollment in nursing programs is increasing, it is not sufficient to meet demand. This shortage is especially acute in areas such as education and for certified family nurse practitioners who can provide primary care without a doctor's direct supervision.

In some cases, healthcare providers can resort to hiring travel nurses, who go to different clinics or hospitals to fill temporary shortages.

Some nurses move to specialized areas rather than remaining in primary care, where there is the highest need. While family medicine and general practice are looking at a shortage, there is also an acute need for specialist nurses like forensic nurses, where shortages create backlogs that slow investigations into crimes such as rape and abuse.

Healthcare Educator Shortage

The nursing shortage also includes educators. Some schools may even need to restrict enrollment because of a lack of nursing faculty. More people want to become nurses, but there are not enough teachers to meet demand.

In their article about nursing shortages, the AACN said that nearly two-thirds of nursing programs did not accept qualified applicants because they did not have enough faculty to teach them.

The need is not only for nursing facilities to teach in associate's or bachelor's degree programs. Nursing assistants and health aides also need training. Furthermore, a need for nurse practitioners means that schools need faculty members who can teach in master's degree programs and oversee clinical practice for aspiring nurse practitioners.

Nurses who wish to help close the provider gap by training the next nurse workforce need to earn a nurse educator certification before they can start teaching.

Midwife Shortage

The U.S. also needs more midwives to provide proper care during childbirth. Midwives can address a shortage of O.B./GYNs and issues such as an abnormally high rate of cesarean sections in the U.S.

Currently, midwives only attend about 8% of births in the U.S. They are qualified, with a master's degree and two years of clinical training, to provide care during and after childbirth. Childbirth overseen by a midwife is cheaper than birth with a physician.

Furthermore, midwives can provide more personal attention, which could lower the mother and infant mortality rates, which are higher in the U.S. than in other wealthy countries.

Strategies for Restoring the Healthcare Workforce

There are many strategies for increasing the number of healthcare workers and addressing shortages so that they do not cripple the healthcare industry.

Promote Public Health and Preventative Measures. By giving people the resources and knowledge to remain healthy, you lower their need for medical services.

Attract More Nurses to Primary Care Roles. Primary care nurses can help alleviate physician shortages by offering basic care to patients who do not necessarily need a physician's care. They can help manage chronic conditions and offer self-care advice that can help people manage their conditions and general health so that they require less medical attention in the future.

Provide Online Healthcare Degrees and Certificates. Online healthcare degrees can make healthcare careers more accessible to more people. Of course, these careers still require clinical training, but students can complete classroom work online.

Increasing Policy Initiatives Aimed at Supporting Human Resource Development. Policies can make it easier for healthcare human resources professionals to find qualified personnel, offer on-the-job training, and make training more accessible to people who want to enter the healthcare field.

Collecting Reliable Data for Health Databases. Having access to more data can lead to more streamlined healthcare services. Providers can improve outcome performance and make data-driven decisions about care and treatment if they have access to more information.

Giving Healthcare Workers a Voice in Shaping Legislation and Policies. Healthcare workers are the most qualified to make decisions about how to change their industry for the better. If they can offer insights to government lawmakers and industry leaders, they may be able to bring about changes that make their jobs easier and make them more effective in clinical settings.

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The Shortage of Healthcare Workers in the U.S. | Duquesne University School of Nursing

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The healthcare worker shortage in the U.S. represents a deficit in professionals that includes physicians, nurses, healthcare educators, and midwives.

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Environmental change was been a big problem in the U.S.. According to National Academic Press Some earth and atmospheric scientists have been documenting an increased concentration of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" in the atmosphere and have been attempting to better understand how a continuing accumulation will affect the future world climate (Houghton and Woodwell, 1989; National Research Council, 1983).
https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/4940/chapter/9

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This book identifies areas that represent new needs and opportunities for human factors research in the coming decades. It is forward-looking, problem oriented, and selectively focused on national or global problems, including productivity in organizations, education and training, employment and disabilities, health care, and environmental change; technology issues, including communications technology and telenetworking, information access and usability, emerging technologies, automation, and flexible manufacturing, and advanced transportation systems; and human performance, including cognitive performance under stress and aiding intellectual work.

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Read "Emerging Needs and Opportunities for Human Factors Research" at NAP.edu

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This book identifies areas that represent new needs and opportunities for human factors research in the coming decades. It is forward-looking, problem oriented, and selectively focused on national or global problems, including productivity in organizations, education and training, employment and disabilities, health care, and environmental change; technology issues, including communications technology and telenetworking, information access and usability, emerging technologies, automation, and flexible manufacturing, and advanced transportation systems; and human performance, including cognitive performance under stress and aiding intellectual work.

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Many of the hospitals and healthcare funds here in the United States are very expensive and cause a great deal loans to take out and debt to accumulate back to these organizations. The tax rate here in America as skyrocketed since the economy has risen tenfold in the last century. This has caused parents who can't even afford child birth to be put on government funding in order to pay off those debts. A study conducted by Constitutionus.com states, "Many Americans won't vote for universal healthcare because people dislike socialist policies and prefer paying lower taxes even if it means reduced government spending."

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Why Doesn't the US Have Universal Healthcare?

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The approach to healthcare in the United States differs greatly from many European nations. Will the US ever have universal health care?

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A number of factors, such as disease, inflation, and even chicken feed, have greatly increased the price of eggs. The recently diminished Covid-19 virus greatly impacted the US economy, ultimately inflating the prices of almost everything, one of them being chicken feed. The lack of food for birds was detrimental to the cost of eggs, being that production will cost more. This was one of the major factors. Additionally, the Avian flu that spread amongst most bird species in the recent year has drastically lowered the number of chickens that can be used for egg production. Together, these issues made an impactful and noticeable difference in the price of eggs that we are seeing today.

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Inflation, avian flu and war have made a food staple much more expensive.

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The environmental factor of climate change and global warming which affects many different part of the United States. We have rising temperatures in several places and stronger hurricanes that causes negative effects. There are strong hurricanes in Florida, Texas and Louisiana in where they cause destruction to several cities.

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Five Biggest Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S.

We take a closer look at the current environmental issues in the U.S., how it may be exacerbating these problems and what the country may do to resolve them.

The environment plays a crucial role in the sustainability of life as we know it here on Earth. All living things depend on the planet's resources to survive and, if humans continue to pollute and over-use these resources, they may be completely destroyed or depleted in a matter of years. Recently, a number of environmental issues have risen to new heights, affecting economies and policies worldwide.

The U.S. is just one of many countries suffering from-and contributing to-these effects. From air pollution to the depletion of non-renewable resources, the nation is beginning to recognize and address environmental issues within its borders. Below, we'll take a closer look at the current environmental issues in the U.S., how it may be exacerbating these problems and what the country may do to resolve them.

1. Deforestation

Each year, the U.S. population grows by more than 1,700,000 people. And each person, statistically speaking, requires an additional acre of land and highways. This rapid influx of people has increased the demand for urbanization, resulting in a troubling rise in deforestation as we seek to find more land on which to build. Of course, using the land to house more and more people means less open land and farmland, more overcrowding and a huge loss of biodiversity and animal habitats all over the country.

2. Air Pollution

While air quality has improved greatly in the last 50 years, it still remains an issue in many major cities with large populations. Sunny California is particularly pressed to improve its air quality. Last year, the top 12 U.S. cities with the most polluted ozone were all located in California. And, by year-round particle pollution, three California cities tied for first place as the most polluted. So, while the U.S. may not struggle with air pollution as much as India or China, we still have much room for improvement.

3. Global Warming

Of all the current environmental issues in the U.S., global warming may be the most notable because its effects are so far-reaching. From melting glaciers to more intense hurricanes, Earth's rising temperatures are causing any number of negative effects on both local climates, weather patterns, and nearly every community in the U.S. and on the planet as a whole.

The issue even contributes to air pollution as spikes in temperature spark wildfires across the nation. Just take a look at Australia's recent blazes and its struggle with air pollution. These fires burn for months, releasing carbon and particulate matter into the air. Moreover, wildfires destroy crops and wildlife habitats, exacerbating food shortages and the loss of biodiversity.

4. Water Pollution

While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does a relatively good job of regulating drinking water quality, our lakes, oceans and rivers are still suffering a great deal of water pollution. On a global scale, people dump two million tons of sewage into waterways every single day. Plus, pesticides and other chemicals on land often add to water and drainage runoff that funnels into these waterways, putting chemicals in our main bodies of water and drinking sources.

And some pollutants, like microplastics and dissolved metals and medications, are difficult to remove even through industrial wastewater purification processes. Additionally, abandoned U.S. mines continue to release pollutants into waterways. In Colorado alone, mines have polluted 2,300 kilometers of streams.

The Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) enforces the regulations for water safety. However, some controversial EPA policies and federal protection changes are currently receiving pushback for risking dangerous water pollution and wetland damage.

5. Natural Resource Depletion

The demand for resources will only grow as the U.S. population continues to increase. Energy and water demand, in particular, are set to grow by 50 percent in the next 10 years, intensifying resource stresses and bringing new uncertainties to our sustainability as a nation and international relations. Agricultural commodities will also remain tight over the next decade as the U.S. turns farmland into urban communities. Non-renewable materials like oil, minerals and metals will also continue to vanish over time. How much longer until there are no more of these resources left?

Worried Enough to Do Something?

If the U.S. carries on with urbanization at its current breakneck pace, biodiversity, natural resources, trade agreements and the economy will likely continue to suffer. However, as Americans become increasingly aware of environmental issues and their effects on their personal well-being, more people are beginning to take action to slow these effects.

One viable solution is the Paris Agreement, which Obama signed in 2016. Within this agreement, nearly every country pledged to cut carbon emissions. But the Trump administration has since begun to dismantle climate change policies, even announcing a U.S. withdrawal from the accord in June of 2017. Some policy makers don't think renewable energy management is the answer to these issues. Others, like Donald Trump, simply don't believe in climate change at all.

So, at the federal level, policymakers aren't currently introducing many solutions to environmental issues.

Thus, the fate of the U.S.-and the planet-continues to fall into the hands of the general public. Luckily, corporations, organizations and the average citizen have all proposed and enacted solutions to these environmental issues. Individuals are putting the EPA in the spotlight, and businesses are receiving legal assistance for conservation and environmental law compliance. In addition, universities and major corporations commit to net-zero emissions or major reductions in energy usage.

Community members frequent farmer's markets, support small businesses and work to reduce, reuse and recycle plastics and other materials. Others are eating less meat or buying repurposed clothes to reduce their carbon footprints. Organizations reforest barren lands and actively fight for change. Together, the people are a force to be reckoned with. And, working as one, we may incite worldwide change.

About the Author

Jenna Tsui is a Texan journalist who co-owns The Byte Beat blog. She writes about the latest news in sustainability, culture, technology and more. Check out her work on TBB or follow her on Twitter @jenna_tsui .

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Five Biggest Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. -- Environmental Protection

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We take a closer look at the current environmental issues in the U.S., how it may be exacerbating these problems and what the country may do to resolve them.

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Olamide Akinsowon: Shortage of Health care workers in the U.S.

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Olamide Akinsowon: Shortage of Health care workers in the U.S.

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It has been made apparent that the number of health care workers in the U.S. has to increase reasonably to meet demand in the coming years. In a study presented by firm Mercer established that the U.S. would soon have numerous healthcare worker shortages in the coming decade. The firm examines that by 2025 we would have more than 400,000 home health aides and 29,000 nurse practitioners; as well as shortages in other health care professions. The reason to why there are so many shortages are contributed to the aging population which includes the Baby Boomer Generation. In the coming years we will face shortages in Healthcare Educators, Nurses, and Physicians. Although there are some solutions to help fix this shortage issue. Here are few strategies that can help lower this situation. Provide Online healthcare degrees and certificates, Collecting Reliable data for health databases, and Giving health care workers a voice.

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The Shortage of Healthcare Workers in the U.S.

The number of healthcare workers needs to increase dramatically to meet demand in the coming years. A study by consulting firm Mercer projected that the U.S. would face significant healthcare worker shortages in the coming decade.

By 2025, the firm forecasts a shortage of more than 400,000 home health aides and 29,400 nurse practitioners. There will also be shortages in other healthcare professions.

The shortage concern is not new. A summary of a 2009 National Academy of Sciences workshop on the oncology workforce raised concerns about a shortage of physicians, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals a full decade before the Mercer study.

There is no easy solution to this problem. Healthcare workers need extensive training and specific qualifications, so providers cannot simply hire new workers off the street.

There have been different responses and plans that seek to address healthcare worker shortages.

Why Is There a Shortage of Healthcare Workers?

The problem has become especially acute recently due to the aging population, including the so-called Baby Boomer generation. People in this demographic often require more medical care, often from physician specialists.

Advances in medicine also mean that people are living longer overall, and managing more chronic conditions as they age, so those who reach retirement age will still need healthcare for a more extended time than previous generations. This need for more gerontologists and other specialists is in part behind a growing drought of general care doctors to serve the rest of the population.

The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) predicts a shortage of as many as 122,000 physicians by 2032. The report that made this dire prediction also pointed out that the over-65 population will grow by 48% by 2032. Unfortunately, many working physicians will also be reaching retirement age along with the rest of the Baby Boomers.

Rural areas could experience more problems because of the physician shortage than urban areas. According to current data for Healthcare Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), mostly-rural states such as Utah, Vermont, Tennessee, as well as remote territories like Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, have the highest shortages in medical professionals per capita.

Where Is the Shortage of Healthcare Professionals Most Dramatic?

As the demand for quality healthcare professionals increases, there are shortages or projected shortages across the industry. However, workforce deficits are most apparent and dramatic in certain professions. The shortages are one of the most immediate issues confronting the modern healthcare industry.

Physician Shortage

The AAMC projects a dramatic shortage of physicians in 2032. However, this shortage is even more problematic when you consider physician specialties. More physicians choose to enter specialized fields when they complete medical school, as opposed to primary care or family medicine. They specialize by undertaking an internship and residency in a specific area. These specialties are often more lucrative and prestigious than general medicine, so medical school graduates consider pursuing them to be worthwhile.

Since primary care physicians who practice general internal medicine are in the highest demand (because they are the ones that see the most patients), the lack of qualified people in this area is especially problematic.

One solution is for healthcare providers to fill the role of general practitioner physicians with qualified nurses or physician assistants. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants can perform some of the duties that a general practitioner doctor performs.

Depending on state laws, they may have to work under the supervision of a physician, but the physician can also oversee multiple healthcare workers. Though physician assistants and nurse practitioners need a master's degree and supervised clinical experience, these jobs require less schooling overall than a doctor.

Furthermore, nurse practitioners can start their career with a lower degree and obtain additional qualifications while working.

Nurse Shortage

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for qualified nurses will increase much faster than the need for all professionals in the coming decade. This increase is especially true for nurses with a bachelor's of science in nursing (BSN).

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) points to data that suggests that the country will need more than 200,000 new nurses each year until 2026 to fill new positions or replace retiring nurses.

Though enrollment in nursing programs is increasing, it is not sufficient to meet demand. This shortage is especially acute in areas such as education and for certified family nurse practitioners who can provide primary care without a doctor's direct supervision.

In some cases, healthcare providers can resort to hiring travel nurses, who go to different clinics or hospitals to fill temporary shortages.

Some nurses move to specialized areas rather than remaining in primary care, where there is the highest need. While family medicine and general practice are looking at a shortage, there is also an acute need for specialist nurses like forensic nurses, where shortages create backlogs that slow investigations into crimes such as rape and abuse.

Healthcare Educator Shortage

The nursing shortage also includes educators. Some schools may even need to restrict enrollment because of a lack of nursing faculty. More people want to become nurses, but there are not enough teachers to meet demand.

In their article about nursing shortages, the AACN said that nearly two-thirds of nursing programs did not accept qualified applicants because they did not have enough faculty to teach them.

The need is not only for nursing facilities to teach in associate's or bachelor's degree programs. Nursing assistants and health aides also need training. Furthermore, a need for nurse practitioners means that schools need faculty members who can teach in master's degree programs and oversee clinical practice for aspiring nurse practitioners.

Nurses who wish to help close the provider gap by training the next nurse workforce need to earn a nurse educator certification before they can start teaching.

Midwife Shortage

The U.S. also needs more midwives to provide proper care during childbirth. Midwives can address a shortage of O.B./GYNs and issues such as an abnormally high rate of cesarean sections in the U.S.

Currently, midwives only attend about 8% of births in the U.S. They are qualified, with a master's degree and two years of clinical training, to provide care during and after childbirth. Childbirth overseen by a midwife is cheaper than birth with a physician.

Furthermore, midwives can provide more personal attention, which could lower the mother and infant mortality rates, which are higher in the U.S. than in other wealthy countries.

Strategies for Restoring the Healthcare Workforce

There are many strategies for increasing the number of healthcare workers and addressing shortages so that they do not cripple the healthcare industry.

Promote Public Health and Preventative Measures. By giving people the resources and knowledge to remain healthy, you lower their need for medical services.

Attract More Nurses to Primary Care Roles. Primary care nurses can help alleviate physician shortages by offering basic care to patients who do not necessarily need a physician's care. They can help manage chronic conditions and offer self-care advice that can help people manage their conditions and general health so that they require less medical attention in the future.

Provide Online Healthcare Degrees and Certificates. Online healthcare degrees can make healthcare careers more accessible to more people. Of course, these careers still require clinical training, but students can complete classroom work online.

Increasing Policy Initiatives Aimed at Supporting Human Resource Development. Policies can make it easier for healthcare human resources professionals to find qualified personnel, offer on-the-job training, and make training more accessible to people who want to enter the healthcare field.

Collecting Reliable Data for Health Databases. Having access to more data can lead to more streamlined healthcare services. Providers can improve outcome performance and make data-driven decisions about care and treatment if they have access to more information.

Giving Healthcare Workers a Voice in Shaping Legislation and Policies. Healthcare workers are the most qualified to make decisions about how to change their industry for the better. If they can offer insights to government lawmakers and industry leaders, they may be able to bring about changes that make their jobs easier and make them more effective in clinical settings.

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The Shortage of Healthcare Workers in the U.S. | Duquesne University School of Nursing

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The healthcare worker shortage in the U.S. represents a deficit in professionals that includes physicians, nurses, healthcare educators, and midwives.

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Research supports the idea that people who grow up in high-opportunity communities tend to have better economic outcomes as adults. There needs to be an increase in housing near cities and neighborhoods with good schools. People There needs to be land reform to allow smaller and affordable housing and expanding on housing subsidies to low-income households.

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Executive Summary

Housing affordability is a financial stress on American families

Housing costs are rising faster than incomes, putting greater financial stress on U.S. families. In 2017, nearly half of renter households spent more than 30 percent of their income on rent, meeting the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) definition of being " cost-burdened." While affordability has long been a problem for poor renters, even middle-income households are facing greater challenges, particularly in urban areas with strong job markets. And where people can afford to live has important implications. Research shows that children who grow up in high-opportunity communities have better economic outcomes as adults. Cities and neighborhoods with strong labor markets and good schools--exactly the places in highest demand--are not building enough new housing, contributing to worsening affordability. Because housing near jobs and transit centers is so expensive, low- and moderate-income people are pushed to cheaper housing on the outskirts of metropolitan areas, requiring them to spend more time and money commuting.

Why better alignment of three housing policies would help

Just as health care reform under the Affordable Care Act was designed as a " three-legged stool," improving housing affordability will require better alignment of three policy tools: reforming land use regulation to allow smaller, more compact housing; increasing taxes on expensive, underused land; and expanding housing subsidies to low-income households. Each of these changes are described in more detail below.

First leg: zoning reform

The U.S. needs to build more housing, and less expensive housing, especially in high-opportunity communities. To accomplish that, local governments must reduce regulatory barriers that limit the market's ability to build small, lower-cost homes on expensive land. For example, local zoning regulations prohibit building anything other than single-family detached houses on three-quarters of land in most U.S. cities. Townhouses, duplexes, and apartment buildings are simply illegal. Even where multifamily buildings are allowed, zoning rules like building height caps and minimum lot sizes often limit the financial feasibility of developing new housing. Single-family houses use more land per home than other housing types. Therefore, in places where land is expensive, building multiple homes on a given lot is the most direct way to reduce housing costs, because it spreads the cost of land across multiple homes.

A simple numerical example illustrates how redeveloping existing single-family lots with more compact housing types can improve affordability (Table 1). A typical single-family lot in Washington, D.C., is large enough to accommodate three side-by-side townhomes or a three-story, six-unit condominium building. Based on prevailing construction costs and financing terms, a developer could profitably build three new townhomes that would sell for just under $1 million each-about the same price as an older, poor condition single-family home on the same lot. Or the developer could build six two-bedroom condos, each priced around $580,000-roughly 40% cheaper. While the numbers used for this analysis are for Washington, D.C., the financial implications-adding more homes to a single lot reduces per-unit costs-are similar in other high-priced markets across the U.S.

Redeveloping older, low-density buildings with new, high-density buildings is quite common in expensive cities-except in the wealthiest neighborhoods where affluent homeowners use their financial and political resources to block most new housing. City-wide zoning reforms that open up those neighborhoods to townhomes, duplexes, and small apartment buildings would substantially increase the supply of housing, while also making those communities financially accessible to many more families.

Several of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have proposed plans to address housing affordability through relaxing exclusionary zoning. The issue has bipartisan appeal: the White House has issued an Executive Order to reduce regulatory barriers to affordable housing. Making progress on this issue will require cooperation across federal, state, and local governments.

Second leg: land value tax

Removing barriers to developing apartments would eventually lead to more housing in expensive neighborhoods over time. However, the transition would happen faster-and more equitably-if that effort were paired with higher taxes on land. The concept of taxing land dates back to the 19th century, when Henry George proposed it to prevent wealthy landowners from artificially limiting the supply of homes. Unlike typical property taxes, which charge the same rate on both land and structures, taxes that charge a higher tax rate on land and a lower rate on structures encourage owners of expensive land to build more intensively. Pure land value taxes that exempt structures altogether are quite rare in practice, compared to "split rate" taxes.

For example, consider the development incentives for the owner of a downtown parking lot in expensive cities like Boston or Los Angeles. Under a typical property tax regime, the owner would owe more taxes if she built an apartment building on the lot. But under a land value tax, the owner would face the same tax bill whether the land was developed for parking, apartments, office space, or any other use.

One concern about zoning reforms that allow higher density development is that such upzoning increases property values, creating windfall gains for existing property owners. Upzoning could also encourage landowners to delay development as they await the opportunity to build larger, denser buildings. Assessing taxes on the increased land value not only incentivizes more development more quickly on expensive land, but also allows local communities to capture some of the returns on additional land value. This feature of land value taxes is especially attractive in locations where the local government has made investments that increase land values, for instance by building public transit. Imposing a land value tax in locations already developed to maximum capacity without relaxing zoning would hand landowners a larger tax bill, but not enable more housing supply.

Land value taxes paired with upzoning would similarly change incentives for owner-occupants of large single-family homes in expensive locations. Zoning reforms that allow higher density housing would increase land values and, under land value taxes, yield higher tax bills. Current owners who treasure their yard space could keep their single-family homes as-is and pay the taxes. But some homeowners might decide to subdivide their homes (for instance, turning garages into accessory dwelling units) or sell their properties to developers. From the upzoning example, a land value tax bill would be the same if the lot remained a single-family home or was redeveloped as townhouses or condos. But the tax bill would be split across three households under the townhouse scenario, or six households under the condo scenario, just as the land costs would be shared.

Land is most expensive in city centers, near job clusters and transportation nodes. Land value taxes primarily change financial incentives for owners of expensive land with low density structures. The increased density encouraged by shifting to a land value tax would enable more people to live near work, reducing commuting distances. If all communities within a state adopted land value taxes, single-family homes on inexpensive land far from city centers or in low-cost metros would be less affected.

Third leg: More housing subsidies

Building more housing, especially smaller housing, will over time bring down housing costs (or at least keep them from rising as quickly). But expanding the supply of market-rate housing is not enough to help the poorest families. For the 14 million low-wage workers with median income around $20,000, HUD guidelines suggest they should spend no more than $500 per month on housing costs. That's less than the operating expenses for minimum quality apartments in most of the U.S. For low-income families, the only way to bridge the gap between incomes and housing costs is through public subsidies.

The federal government could reduce financial stress for low-income families by expanding housing subsidies, like vouchers or the National Housing Trust Fund. Unlike food stamps or Medicaid, federal housing subsidies are not an  entitlement: currently around  one in five eligible renter households receives federal assistance. Alternatively, supplementing incomes through the Earned Income Tax Credit or higher minimum wages would help poor families pay the rent.

In one sense, more subsidies for poor families is independent of zoning and tax reforms-housing affordability has been an urgent concern for many years. But upzoning and moving to land value taxes could worsen affordability pressures. In hot real estate markets, these two policies would likely prompt redevelopment of older, low-density, low-rent apartments into new, larger buildings that are out of reach for existing renters. Expanding housing vouchers to cover more families would therefore help protect low-income renters from displacement. It is also possible that expanding housing subsidies without enabling more supply through zoning reform would push up rents in some markets.

Implementation questions and challenges

The economic intuition behind zoning reform, land value taxes, and increased housing subsidies is straightforward, but implementing these policies poses some challenges. Single-family-exclusive zoning benefits long-term homeowners, also known as highly engaged voters. Mayors and city councils face stiff opposition from their constituents from proposing zoning reform. State and federal policymakers are increasingly interested in how to encourage zoning reform, but have limited direct control. This raises the question: are there financial or legal levers that could effectively encourage local governments to reform their zoning-especially when the most exclusionary localities are wealthy?

Like zoning, property taxes are largely the domain of local governments, although states create the legal framework under which localities operate. Some states might have to amend their constitutions to permit a "split" property tax, with different tax rates applied to land and structures. One technical challenge is that accurately assessing market values for land, separate from structures, is not easy. But a new dataset created using appraisal data from the Federal Housing Finance Administration is highly promising.

Expanding vouchers is legally and procedurally simple. It just requires Congress to demonstrate the political will to spend more money on poor people. Low-income families who receive federal housing vouchers rent apartments from private landlords. Families pay thirty percent of their income toward rent, with the remainder picked up by HUD. Vouchers reduce financial stress, crowding, and the risk of homelessness among low-income families. Recent research shows that with relatively inexpensive program changes, vouchers can also help poor families move to neighborhoods that offer better economic opportunity.

In conclusion, better housing policy has the potential to improve the efficiency of local housing markets, create more homes in high opportunity locations, and provide financial relief to low-income families. It represents a way to gain substantial payoffs for people and a way to tackle big challenges in America.
Thanks to Sarah Crump for outstanding research assistance.

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To improve housing affordability, we need better alignment of zoning, taxes, and subsidies

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Housing costs are rising faster than incomes, putting greater financial stress on U.S. families. In 2017, nearly half of renter households spent more than 30 percent of their income on rent, meeting the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) definition of being " cost-burdened."

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The Los Angeles' ozone pollution is the worst its been since 2015. The LA-Long Beach region ranked highest for ozone pollution in California. Particle pollution resulting from wildfires is worst on the West Coast, where wildfires have become more frequent, intense and catastrophic.

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Los Angeles and other California cities have the most polluted air in the country, according to the newest State of the Air report from the American Lung Association. The LA-Long Beach region ranked highest for ozone pollution, fifth for annual particle pollution and eighth for daily fine particle pollution, the 2022 report found. Bakersfield, Visalia, Fresno and San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland also scored among the nation's top 25 most polluted cities on the list.

What You Need To Know

Los Angeles has the worst ozone pollution in the United States, according to the 2022 State of the Air Report from the American Lung Association

Fresno, Bakersfield and San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland also scored among the nation's 25 most air polluted cities

Transportation emissions and wildfires are the main causes

Ozone and particle pollution can cause premature death and lead to adverse health effects including asthma and cardiovascular disease

Released Thursday, the 23rd annual ALA analysis is a national report card on air quality throughout the nation, ranking communities based on ozone (or smog), annual particle pollution (also known as soot) and short-term harmful particle pollution. Numerous scientific studies have shown that ozone and particle pollution can cause premature death and lead to adverse health effects, including asthma, cardiovascular disease and development and reproductive harm. Particle pollution is known to cause lung cancer.

"Too many Americans on too many days of the year are breathing unhealthy air," said American Lung Association National Senior Director of Clean Air Advocacy, Will Barrett.

The 2022 report found that 137 million Americans, or 40% of the population, live in counties with unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution - 2.1 million more people than last year's report.

The ALA compiled its findings using the most recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency monitoring data from 2018 to 2020. Barrett said reduced commuter traffic during the early days of the pandemic during 2020 did not show any obvious improvement in air quality.

"In fact, Los Angeles saw one of the worst ozone seasons in recent memory in 2020," Barrett said.

The report noted significant disparities in the communities that are most impacted. People of color are disproportionately exposed to unhealthy air, the report found. A person of color in the United States is 61% more likely than a white person to live in a county with a failing grade for at least one pollutant and more than three and a half times more likely to live in a county with failing grades across all the report's metrics.

Lower-income communities and communities of color are more likely to live near sources of harmful truck, train and shipping pollution and to be most affected by it. Eleven of the 25 most polluted American cities for ozone are in California; six are in the top 10. Los Angeles ranked first, having the highest number of unhealthy ozone days since 2010.

While Fresno, Bakersfield, Sacramento and San Diego showed improved ozone levels compared with last year, the report found that 11 California cities ranked in the nation's top 25 for short-term particle pollution, with Fresno ranking first. Nine California cities were most polluted for year-round particle pollution, with Bakersfield ranking first. Bakersfield ranked among the top three nationally for all pollutants, largely due to transportation.

Transportation represents about 50% of the state's greenhouse gas emissions, according to the California Air Resources Board. It also generates 80% of the state's oxides of nitrogen emissions - the compound that forms ozone and leads to secondary particulate pollution.

"The fact is, we can't get to clean air for all Californians or reach our greenhouse gas reduction targets without transitioning away from burning petroleum," said California Air Resources Board Executive Officer Richard Corey. "The data doesn't lie. This is the fact."

Corey said his agency is advancing regulations and incentive programs to electrify all aspects of the transportation sector, from cars and trucks to marine vessels and railways.

Last month, the American Lung Association released a report that found the state could experience $95 billion in public health benefits between 2020 and 2050 by transitioning the entire transportation sector and electricity generation to zero emissions. Doing so would prevent premature deaths, asthma attacks and lost workdays, the report said.

While transportation is the leading source for ozone pollution in California, particle pollution is increasing because of catastrophic wildfires. The 2022 State of the Air report saw major short-time spikes in particle pollution as a result of the record-breaking 2020 wildfire season. That year saw four out of the five largest wildfires in California history, resulting in 41 of the state's 45 counties whose data was reflected in the report showing increased particle pollution days. More than 30 of those counties had higher year-round particle pollution than last year's report.

The report also found that climate change is degrading air quality across the country. Rising temperatures and other impacts associated with climate change contribute to increased ozone pollution and more frequent and intense wildfires, blanketing millions of Americans in smoke and particle pollution with increasing frequency, Barrett said.

Particle pollution resulting from wildfires is worst on the West Coast, where wildfires have become more frequent, intense and catastrophic. This year's report found that 9 million more people were impacted by deadly particle pollution than the last State of the Air analysis.

"We saw more days with very unhealthy and even hazardous air quality levels than ever before in the two-decade history of the report," Barrett said.

Nearly every city in the report's top 25 most polluted by short-term spikes and particle pollution is in the Western United States.

"Climate change is making the job of cleaning the air much more difficult," Barrett said.

The American Lung Association is advocating for the federal government to speed the transition to zero-emission transportation and electricity to help reduce air pollution. Specifically, it is advocating for stronger national policies on particle pollution and ozone standards to clean up pollution sources, including a strong federal standard for heavy-duty truck pollution. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is scheduled to set those standards later this year.

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Los Angeles ozone pollution is the highest it's been since 2010

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Los Angeles and other California cities have the most polluted air in the country, according to the newest State of the Air report from the American Lung Association. The LA-Long Beach region ranked highest for ozone pollution, fifth for annual particle pollution and eighth for daily fine particle pollution, the 2022 report found.

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https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/patient-support-advocacy/5-ways-improve-access-health-care
The U.S has the most expensive health care system in the world. Their should be better access to health care, those without insurance tend to die younger compared to those who do. We should reduce the insurance industry, that is the cause of minimal patient care and increases in costs/debt.

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Because the evidence clearly shows that people without insurance live sicker and die younger, the AMA stands firmly with patients and is committed to expanding their health care coverage and protecting them from insurance industry abuses.

While coverage alone doesn't guarantee access, it is an essential first step. Improving access to health care means taking a broad approach that includes these five steps.

Ensure adequate funding of the Children's Health Insurance Program and retain Medicaid expansion and implement expansion in more states. As of Sept. 1, 2016, there were more than 76.1 million beneficiaries enrolled in Medicaid, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation report.

This includes almost 12 million newly eligible enrollees living in the 31 states and District of Columbia that expanded Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Another 3.2 million new beneficiaries enrolled who were previously eligible but had never signed up.

Virginia's recently enacted expansion begins Jan. 1, 2019, and will cover an additional 400,000 people. Maine voters approved Medicaid expansion, but the state's governor has blocked implementation. About 70,000 residents could gain coverage. There are another 2.2 million people in the remaining 17 states who would be eligible if expansion were implemented where they live.

Stabilize individual insurance marketplaces and retain ACA market reforms. The AMA advocates these actions to foster a stronger health insurance marketplace and ensure that low- and moderate-income patients are able to secure affordable and adequate coverage:

Support expanding eligibility for premium tax credits up to 500% of the federal poverty level. Support providing young adults with enhanced premium tax credits while maintaining the current premium tax credit structure that is inversely related to income.

Encourage state innovation, including considering state-level individual mandates, auto-enrollment and/or reinsurance, to maximize the number of individuals covered and stabilize health insurance premiums without undercutting any existing patient protections.

Support the establishment of a permanent federal reinsurance program.

Oppose the sale of health insurance plans in the individual and small-group markets that do not guarantee pre-existing condition protections along with coverage of essential health benefits and their associated protections against annual and lifetime limits, and out-of-pocket expenses (with the exception of short-term, limited duration insurance offered for no more than three months).

Address physician shortages. Grow the clinical workforce by expanding the number of available graduate medical education residency slots, expand medical school loan-forgiveness programs, and remove barriers to physician immigration for foreign-trained physicians to practice in the U.S.

Telehealth and remote patient monitoring will become an essential, cost-effective and reliable means to expand capacity in a health system marked by significant and persistent specialty shortages and geographic disparities. Physicians should get assurances that digital health solutions are cost-effective and provide a path to payment.

Increase efficiency of the existing workforce by instituting common-sense medical liability reforms and reducing government and insurance industry regulatory burdens-such as prior authorization -that detract from patient care and increase costs. Also, there should be advancement of new physician-led payment models to achieve better outcomes at lower cost.

Essential Tools & Resources

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Because the evidence clearly shows that people without insurance live sicker and die younger, the AMA stands firmly with patients and is committed to expanding their health care coverage and protecting them from insurance industry abuses. While coverage alone doesn't guarantee access, it is an essential first step.

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Immigrants arriving from different countries are facing multiple problems, like language barriers. The language barrier, especially for Asian immigrants, they have to speak English which is hard because of the transition from one language to another. This in term then causes daily life, to be a challenge because of the language barrier. Especially since most Asian immigrants have to self-teach themselves English.

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In the United States every student is given free education in school. It is mandatory to go to primary and higher level school. When it comes to college it is everyone is one there own. There are scholarships and internships that can help people out but it is so limited. In any way when one finished college they left with a huge pile of debt that puts on stress and pressure on people. In cause of the high prices, it causes the people to focus more on careers that do not require a college degree and move on straight out of high school. The high prices of college influence the decisions of the young adults.

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This is a watershed moment for colleges across the U.S., requiring them to rethink what they offer, what they charge, and how they operate.

Today's colleges and universities face an unprecedented array of challenges and threats.

These include enrollment declines, rising costs and student debt, emerging college alternatives, and political interference.

Historically, higher education has weathered crises and disruptions, but this time feels different.

Colleges must reinvent themselves quickly or risk alienating a generation of students seeking different options.

Higher education frequently makes the news these days, and most of the news is bad.

A new report says enrollments continue to decline. That's not surprising given rising tuition costs, mounting student debt, and emerging alternatives to college promising quicker and cheaper pathways to careers. The pandemic didn't help, either.

But there's so much more to the story.

Colleges have created an unstable financial model, and dozens have closed in recent years. Faculty are burned out and leaving. Politicians are meddling in higher education's business. A sensationalized scandal exposed hidden backdoors reserved for the wealthy. A skeptical public seeks greater transparency around admissions and finances.

Never before have colleges faced such stiff headwinds. Is this convergence of circumstances a temporary situation, or has higher education reached a tipping point beyond which lies a dangerous precipice?

In other words, is higher education in real trouble?

Let's take a closer look at what's going on.

Enrollment Declines Signal Changing Student Preferences

Perhaps the most distressing trend is that fewer people want what higher education offers. A recently released report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows that total enrollment for spring 2022 was down 4.1% - 685,000 students - compared to spring 2021.

This dip continues a trajectory dating back to 2011. Since then, enrollment has declined by 12.3%. Yes, the pandemic accelerated this trend: From 2019-2021, undergraduate enrollment dropped 6.6%, losing about a million students. Community colleges were hit especially hard, experiencing a 13% decline during that period.

Male students, in particular, are becoming increasingly scarce.

They now constitute 41% of students, an all-time low. From fall 2019 to fall 2020, the drop in enrollment of first-time male students was seven times greater than that for female students. Theories abound as to what's causing this phenomenon, one being that young men are becoming more attracted to careers in trades that don't require a college degree.

And if all that's not depressing enough, bear in mind we're headed toward a demographic cliff that threatens to tank enrollments even further. Thanks to a lower birth rate during the Great Recession, the population of prospective students will decrease around 2025, at which point prognosticators are projecting an additional 15% drop in new college enrollments.

Spiraling Costs Make College Unaffordable

Another factor driving would-be students away is rising costs. Since 1980, the cost of full-time attendance at a four-year college has risen more than 180%. At public four-year schools, tuition increases have outpaced inflation by 171% over the past 20 years.

It's not just tuition. Room and board charges have also risen dramatically.

Instead of curbing costs, many colleges are instead discounting tuition - returning a portion of each tuition dollar in the form of financial aid. A National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) study revealed that among private universities, the discount rate for first-time undergraduates reached a record-high 54.5% in 2021-22. This figure has grown almost 10 percentage points over the last decade.

Private colleges are returning to students more tuition income than they're keeping. That means they increasingly have to do more - or at least the same - with less. It's an unstable model trending in the wrong direction.

Even with such discounts, many families, especially those on the low-income end of the economic spectrum, find traditional higher education is no longer a viable option.

Student Debt Reaches Record Levels

Those who do choose to attend are taking on more and more debt. Since 1970, the average student loan debt has mushroomed by an astounding 2,807%. Even adjusting for inflation, that figure is 317%.

All told, some 44 million Americans owe more than $1.7 trillion in student loans.

Graduating with an average debt balance of more than $37,000 financially cripples young Americans hoping to buy a home, get married, and raise a family. The Biden administration has floated the idea of erasing $10,000 in student loan debt for eligible graduates, which will help but not address the crux of the matter - the high cost of college.

In fact, a recent NPR poll showed that the majority of Americans want the government to prioritize reining in college costs over forgiving loan debt.

Meanwhile, millions of prospective students are weighing their post-high school options more carefully and, increasingly, choosing paths other than college.

New Alternatives to College Abound

What other paths do they choose? New options abound these days.

Take bootcamps, for example. Those looking to get into computer coding don't have to spend four years in college and pay four years of tuition. They can grab a certificate in a few months, spending roughly $13,500. Salaries are generally good, offering a solid return on investment. And placement rates rival or exceed those of top traditional universities.

Major employers such as Google and Microsoft offer their own in-house certifications. Students can earn a Google certificate in six months, becoming a data analyst or UX designer making more than $60,000 a year. Kent Walker, Google's senior vice president of global affairs, said the company considers these certificates equal to a four-year college degree in the hiring process.

Additional pathways include apprenticeship programs and trade schools for entry into fields such as healthcare, information technology, cybersecurity, hospitality, law enforcement, financial services, and graphic design.

All of these options offer a quicker and cheaper path to good careers. A burgeoning generation of " new collar" workers equipped with alternative, marketable credentials have discovered that college is no longer the only point of entry into the job market.

Dozens of Colleges Closing and Merging

Given the high-cost, high-discount financial model, sagging enrollments, and cheaper alternatives, it's no wonder so many colleges are closing their doors, some after hundreds of years of operation.

Over the last six years, 70 colleges have closed or merged with other institutions. Most of these were private colleges with low enrollments and modest endowments. For many, the pandemic pushed them over the financial cliff, but they were inexorably heading in that direction anyway.

Colleges in the Northeast and Midwest, where populations have been shrinking for some time, are especially vulnerable. The demographic downturn expected after 2025 doesn't bode well for institutions in those regions.

Tenure Is Threatened, and Faculty Are Dissatisfied

Full-time, tenured professors are going the way of the dodo. Driven partly by economics and partly by politics, tenure is eroding on college campuses, and faculty life isn't what it used to be.

Today, part-time faculty members account for 40% of the academic workforce, compared to just 24% in 1975. If you include part-time adjuncts, full-time instructors not on the tenure track, and graduate teaching assistants, that figure swells to roughly 75% of the instructional staff.

Adjunct faculty - higher education's migrant laborers - cost colleges far less and provide more flexibility. Having a faculty brimming with full-time, tenured professors is a luxury only the wealthiest institutions can afford.

What's more, tenure has come under attack from politicians. Numerous state legislators have sought to eliminate tenure, claiming the outdated practice protects lazy professors and facilitates student indoctrination.

The faculty route isn't as attractive as it once was. For newly minted Ph.D.s, the chances of landing a tenure-track position grow increasingly slim. The pay is relatively low given the amount of education required, and last year saw a 5% decrease in salaries, the largest in 50 years.

It's no wonder a 2020 Chronicle of Higher Education study found that more than half of college faculty said they were "seriously weighing options" outside of higher education. Many have already quit.

Can universities continue to attract the brightest minds and most dedicated teachers under these conditions?

Politicians Meddle, and Public Opinion Wanes

Beyond the tenure debate, politicians are busy sniffing around higher education's business. Last year, lawmakers in 16 states sought to limit the teaching of critical race theory at public institutions. Others want to further tax large endowments. Those initiatives are led by Republicans, 73% of whom believe "the higher education system in the U.S. today is generally going in the wrong direction."

Democrats, on the other hand, think colleges cost too much and don't adequately prepare students for jobs.

In fact, a Pew study breaking down public opinion of higher education by party affiliation showed that only half of Americans believe colleges benefit the nation. Positive feelings about higher education among both Republicans and Democrats have declined by 12 percentage points since 2012.

Recent media coverage hasn't helped higher education's image, either.

The much-ballyhooed "Varsity Blues" case exposed the ugly truth about wealthy individuals greasing palms to worm their kids' way into elite colleges through backdoor channels. Yet other stories tell how children of rich alumni gain advantages through " legacy admissions" policies.

All this comes at a time when the name-brand colleges the media pays inordinate attention to have become so highly rejective that they're accepting 1 in 20 applicants.

Can Higher Education Emerge From These Threats?

Throughout history, higher education has faced numerous disruptions and emerged stronger.

The Civil War caused upheaval, as college men left to fight battles. But during that time, the federal government passed the Morrill Act of 1862, establishing land-grant colleges nationwide and democratizing higher education.

World War I disrupted campuses, as universities participated in the war effort, and the relationship between higher education and the government grew stronger. A similar pattern continued during and after World War II, when the federal G.I. Bill sent millions of returning veterans to college.

During the 1960s and 1970s, campus protests over the Vietnam War, free speech, civil rights, and gender equality shook the core of American universities, while elsewhere community colleges were popping up at a rate of one per week, creating avenues to educational opportunity for new populations.

Amid every dark cloud, higher education has realized a silver lining.

Yet this time feels different.

The threats are too numerous and trending in the wrong direction. Perhaps it's more evolutionary than revolutionary, and we're simply seeing new realities take shape in real time.

What we do know is that colleges and universities cannot continue to operate the same way and expect their lot to improve. How they reinvent themselves in the coming decade will determine their ultimate fate.

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7 Challenges Threatening the Future of Higher Education | BestColleges

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This is a watershed moment for colleges across the U.S., requiring them to rethink what they offer, what they charge, and how they operate. Today's colleges and universities face an unprecedented array of challenges and threats. These include enrollment declines, rising costs and student debt, emerging college alternatives, and political interference.

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The coronavirus pandemic has had substantial impacts on the housing market. House flipping and residential real estate investing have risen drastically, with real estate analytics firm CoreLogic established that investors bought a record high 28 percent of all single family homes in the first quarter of 2022. With the accumulation of being stuck inside our houses after a year, has led to an extremely high housing market.

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Healthcare in the United States has become increasingly expensive with there having been a 5% increase in costs just this year. However, there is expected to be a 6% increase in healthcare costs in 2023 and the years following, which has led to empolyers attempting to find new ways to cut costs.

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Fears of a recession are on the rise due to the state of the economy currently. Inflation is a big problem and workers are struggling to make ends meet.

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A recession might be coming. Here’s what it could look like

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From a mild recession to a so-called hard landing, we sift through the wild array of recession predictions.

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Many schools in America have crowded classrooms that affect learning and health. With more students, there are greater chances of distractions and chances of catching illnesses as the average classroom is supposed to have 15 to 20 students but many classes contain double that.

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Overcrowded classrooms can have a harmful effect on both teachers and students. A 2021 article for The Tech Edvocate listed classroom overcrowding as one of "20 reasons why the American education system is failing." ¹ The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) defines classroom overcrowding as "when the number of students enrolled in the school is larger than the number of students the school is designed to accommodate" and notes that a classroom is considered overcrowded when it exceeds 5% of the building's designed capacity. ² Factors such as teacher shortages, increased enrollment, and decreased funding have, unfortunately, made overcrowded classrooms a common feature of American schools. ³

As an experienced educator, you know how classroom size correlates to learning outcomes. And you know how much more difficult crowded classrooms can make your life as a teacher. From less individualized instruction to greater distractions and disciplinary issues, filling classrooms with more students than intended can affect teachers' ability to teach effectively and students' ability to learn. Here are several ways overcrowded classrooms affect learning.

Greater Noise and Distractions
Having more of anything can lead to chaos. An ideal classroom would be limited to 15 to 20 students, but many classrooms today have over 30 or even 40 students. ³ Naturally, the more students there are, the noisier it gets-even in classrooms that are effectively managed. The increased noise level can make it harder for kids to concentrate, affecting learning outcomes, and more difficult for teachers to focus, leading to more stress and possible burnout. ³

Less Personalized Instruction
The greater the number of students in a classroom, the less attention each student can receive from the teacher. This particularly affects students who are struggling and need the extra attention. This impacts learning outcomes, as these students are more likely to have lower test scores and grades as a result. ³

Increase in Disciplinary Problems
Overcrowding can lead to a chaotic classroom environment that is more difficult for the teacher to manage. The increased number of students leads to a greater likelihood of disruptive behavior and conflicts among students, especially with fewer resources to accommodate the extra students. Teachers in overcrowded classrooms often devote more time to dealing with behavioral issues and less time to teaching-something no teacher desires. ³

Poor Building or Environmental Conditions
Schools with overcrowded classrooms are also more likely to have poor building or environmental conditions, as noted by the NCES, which cited a study claiming that overcrowded schools "were more likely than schools that were either under enrolled or within 5% of their capacity to have at least one building feature in less than adequate condition." ² This could include poor air conditioning and heating systems, lighting, ventilation, indoor air quality, acoustics or noise control, and physical security. ²

Increase in Illness Risk
The poor building conditions found in overcrowded schools also pose health risks for students and teachers. Poor ventilation, lighting, acoustics, and classroom temperatures can expose students toallergens, pollutants, and even chemicals that affect health, attendance, and performance. ⁴ Of course, in terms of the ongoing fight against COVID-19, overcrowded classrooms don't lend themselves to social distancing and therefore make it easier for germs to spread. This has become a major concern for parents, teachers, and students.

There are solutions for school overcrowding, but they are not simple ones. Major repairs, renovations, and even total building replacements are sometimes necessary. ⁵ To ease overcrowding, many schools implement strategies such as staggered student schedules or the use of portable classrooms. ²

As an experienced educator, you know that schools need your experience and commitment to make a positive impact. You may not be able to control overcrowding, but you do have control over the investment you make in yourself as a teacher. With a MS in Education from Walden University, you'll be better prepared to face the issues of today's schools and to make a greater difference in the lives of your students.

Walden's graduate program in teaching is structured around the busy lives of teachers like you. Choose from a traditional, accelerated, or intensive one-credit format depending on what works best for you. With more than a dozen specializations to choose from, you're bound to find a path that matches your passion.
Walden University is an accredited institution offering the online MS in Education program. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.
¹Source: www.thetechedvocate.org/20-reasons-why-the-american-education-system-is-failing/
²Source: https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/frss/publications/2000032/index.asp?sectionid=8
³Source: www.thoughtco.com/teaching-in-an-overcrowded-classroom-3194352
⁴Source: https://www.epa.gov/schools/about-state-school-environmental-health-guidelines
⁵Source: https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2014/2014022.pdf

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.

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5 Ways That Overcrowded Classrooms Affect Education

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Schools aren't typically viewed as technology incubators, but as K-12 schools embrace artificial intelligence more widely, they may. Helping school systems prevent dropouts and teachers streamline and personalize instruction while reducing time spent grading are among the ways AI is improving today's and tomorrow's classrooms.

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Latinos seeking a better future Anthony Garcia

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Latinos seeking a better future Anthony Garcia

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An area that I see needs to change would be the immigration laws that America has. The reason why they should be more lenient when it comes to these immigration laws is because families try to come and make a new life in the US because their mother country is dangerous an that's not the life they want for their kids. They should be allowed to come here when they are trying to give their kids a good life and be able to offer them a life in which they weren't able to have.

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Most Latino immigrants say they would come to the U.S. again

For many Latinos, the United States offers a chance at a better life than the place their Latino ancestors came from in several ways. A strong majority say the U.S. provides more opportunities to get ahead than their ancestors' place of origin. Majorities also say the U.S. has better conditions for raising kids, access to health care and treatment of the poor, according to a Pew Research Center national survey of 3,375 Latino adults conducted in March 2021.

Hispanics hold these positive views of the U.S. whether they were born in Puerto Rico, in another country, or in the 50 states or the District of Columbia.

However, Latinos do not see the U.S. as better on all measures. About half of Latino adults (48%) see family ties as better in the origin place of their ancestors (Puerto Rico or another country) than in the United States. About another quarter (27%) say the strength of family ties is about the same in both places, while 22% say family ties are better in the U.S.

Hispanics are split on whether the U.S. or the origin place of their Hispanic ancestors treats immigrants better. About one-third (34%) say immigrants are treated better in the U.S., while 38% say there is no difference between the treatment of immigrants in the U.S. and their treatment in Puerto Rico or another country. Another quarter (25%) of Hispanics say immigrants are treated better in the place of their Hispanic ancestors.

Hispanics hold similar views about the treatment of immigrants whether they are U.S. born or not. However, views vary depending on how long those born in Puerto Rico or another country have lived in the 50 states or the District of Columbia. For example, among those who arrived in the last 10 years, 33% say immigrants are treated better in the place of their birth than in the U.S., a greater share than the 24% who say the opposite. On the other hand, nearly four-in-ten (39%) of those who arrived more than 20 years ago say immigrants are treated better in the U.S. Views also vary depending on legal status among those born in another country - roughly half (51%) of Hispanic immigrants who are neither U.S. citizens nor hold a green card ( and are likely in the country without authorization) say the treatment of immigrants is about the same in the U.S. as in their place of ancestry.

Among U.S.-born Latinos, three-in-ten second-generation Latinos - the U.S.-born children of immigrants or Puerto Rico-born parents - say immigrants are treated better in Puerto Rico or the birth country of their parents. By comparison, 16% of third or higher-generation Latinos say the same.

The survey also asked Hispanics born in Puerto Rico or another country about discrimination based on race or skin color in the U.S. and their place of origin. Four-in-ten (40%) say there is no difference on this measure between the U.S. and their place of origin. Another 26% indicate discrimination based on race and skin color is not an issue in the place of their birth. However, some Hispanics born in Puerto Rico or another country see differences between their place of origin and the U.S. - 17% say this type of discrimination is better in their place of origin than in the U.S., while 15% say it is worse.

Despite these mixed views about life in the U.S., most Latinos born in either Puerto Rico or another country (84%) say that if they had to make the choice again, they would migrate to the U.S. Mostly similar shares also say so across immigrant groups by legal status, including 78% of those who are not U.S. citizens and do not have a green card.

Much smaller shares of Hispanics born in Puerto Rico or another country say they would not come to the U.S. again. Some 8% say they would stay where they were born, and another 7% say they would migrate to someplace other than the U.S. Among Hispanic immigrants who do not hold U.S. citizenship or a green card, a group likely in the country without authorization, 13% say they would stay in their home country if they had to do it again.

Latinos born in another country were also asked whether they had considered leaving the United States since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in February 2020. About nine-in-ten Latino immigrants (88%) say they have not considered this. Meanwhile, 5% say they did consider returning to their home country and 4% thought about leaving the U.S. for another country.

The arrival of millions of immigrants from Latin America over the past half century, and an ongoing migration from Puerto Rico, continues to shape the demographics of the U.S. Hispanic population. In 2019, 19.8 million Hispanics living in the U.S. were born in another country, accounting for one-third (33%) of the U.S. Hispanic population. The share of Hispanics born in another country rises to 45% among Hispanics ages 18 and older, according to Pew Research Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. In addition, 1.9 million people born in Puerto Rico were living in the 50 states or the District of Columbia in 2019, making up 3% of all Hispanics and 4% of Hispanic adults.

Since 1965, people from Latin America have accounted for about half of the 59 million immigrants who have come to the United States from around the world. In 2019, Hispanic immigrants living in the U.S. made up 44% of the nation's 44.7 million immigrants. A quarter of the U.S. immigrant population, or 11.4 million, is from Mexico alone, far more than any other country. And over the past decade, growing numbers of immigrants have arrived from countries like Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. More recently, many immigrants from Central America and elsewhere have arrived seeking asylum, with border crossings reaching half-decade highs in the past year.

Hispanics say the opportunity to get ahead is better in the U.S. than in place of ancestry

About eight-in-ten U.S.-born Hispanics (79%) say the opportunity to get ahead is better in the U.S. than in their ancestors' place of origin, with large majorities across generations saying so. The share rises to 87% among Hispanics born in Puerto Rico or another country.

Among the U.S. born, 85% of second-generation Hispanics say the U.S. provides better opportunities than Puerto Rico or their ancestors' home country, a similar share to Hispanics born in Puerto Rico or another country. Meanwhile, third- or higher-generation Hispanics are less likely than other groups to say opportunity is better in the U.S. than in the origin place of their ancestors. Even so, nearly three-quarters (72%) hold this view.

Latinos see U.S. as better for raising kids than origin place of ancestors

About three-quarters of Latino adults (76%) say the U.S. has better conditions for raising children than the origin place of their ancestors. Another 14% say conditions are about the same, and about one-in-ten (9%) say conditions are better in their place of ancestry. Latinos share this view regardless of birthplace or immigrant generation.

A majority of Hispanics say access to health care is better in the U.S. than in their family's place of ancestry

Over two-thirds of U.S. Hispanic adults (69%) say access to health care services is better in the U.S. than in the origin place of their ancestors. Meanwhile, about one-in-ten (12%) say access to health care services is better in the place of their family's ancestry than in the U.S., while 17% say that access is about the same in both places.

A majority of Latinos share this view no matter their nativity. Some 71% of Latinos born in Puerto Rico or another country say health care access is better in the U.S. than in the place of their ancestry, while 67% of U.S.-born Latinos say the same. Views vary only slightly across generations. A higher share of second-generation Latinos than third- or higher-generation Latinos say that access to health care is better in the U.S. (70% vs. 64%).

Regardless of when they arrived, a majority of Hispanics who came from Puerto Rico or another country says the U.S. is better for access to health care. However, only 56% of those who arrived 10 years ago or less say this, compared with 76% of those who arrived over 20 years ago. About a quarter (26%) of more recent arrivals, 10 years or less, say health care is better in their origin place. This view is shared by only 9% of those who arrived over 20 years ago and 16% of those who arrived between 11 and 20 years ago.

These findings come amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a large personal and health impact on the lives of U.S. Hispanics.

Among Latinos, those born in Puerto Rico or another country are more likely than the U.S. born to say the poor are treated better in the U.S.

More than half of all Hispanic adults (56%) say treatment of the poor is better in the U.S. than their family's place of ancestry, while 30% say it is about the same and 12% say it is better in Puerto Rico or in the country of their ancestors.

Hispanics born in Puerto Rico or another country are more likely than those born in the U.S. to say treatment of the poor is better in the U.S. than in the place of their ancestors (61% vs. 50%).

Hispanics say strength of family ties is better in ancestors' place of origin than in U.S.

Nearly half (48%) of U.S. Hispanics say the strength of family ties is better in their family's place of ancestry than in the U.S. Large shares of both Hispanics born in Puerto Rico or another country and Hispanics born in the 50 states or D.C. hold this view, though those born in Puerto Rico or another country are more likely to do so (54% vs. 42%).

Notably, only 28% of third- or higher-generation Hispanics say family ties are better in the origin place of their ancestors than in the U.S., significantly less than the share of second-generation Hispanics and Hispanics born in another country or Puerto Rico who say the same (52% and 54% respectively).

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Latinos See U.S. as Better Than Place of Family's Ancestry for Opportunity, Raising Kids, Health Care Access

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Most Latino immigrants say they would come to the U.S. again.