The U.S. Department of Education recently announced new federal guidelines for states and school districts across the country to better serve students that do not have a permanent home. The new guidelines were mandated by federal legislation and will become effective on October 1. According to federal data gathered during the 2013-2014 school year, there are 1.3 million homeless students in the U.S. This population is also among the country’s most vulnerable. “Struggling to survive was a constant battle, but having your entire support system, your entire family, stripped from you so quickly and completely – it's an experience I will never be able to fully and accurately articulate,” said Levi Bohanan, special projects manager in the Office of the Secretary of Education and ...
According to a new report, the United States ranks ninth among the world’s 19 wealthiest nations in terms of overall child well-being. According to the Save the Children report, the U.S. has this dubious ranking despite having “the world’s largest economy.” The Child Prosperity Index looks at indicators in eight areas that affect children throughout the world; these indicators include: health, education, income, safety, employment, and gender equality. The index doesn’t directly report on child poverty data, but it does emphasize the prevalence of the issue in many high-income countries. According to research, 22% of American children live below the poverty line. “The U.S. really needs to make sure every child benefits from the economic growth of the country,” said ...
The U.S. Department of Education has compiled a checklist of 7 things every high school graduate needs to do before leaving for their first semester of college. Make sure your school has your financial aid ready. Many students fill out an application for financial aid. Early and/or mid-summer is an opportune time to check with the financial aid office to make sure all your paperwork is complete. It is also important to make sure that you have enough money to cover any gaps between the cost for school and your financial aid award. Find a part-time job. If this is something you’d be interested in, it would be a good idea to start checking out opportunities in the area of campus before classes start. Working during school can not only provide extra income, but I can also teach ...
A new survey determined that four out of every 10 University of California system students do not have a consistent source of high-quality, nutritious food. Nearly 9,000 students were surveyed in what is believed to be the largest look ever at campus food security. The survey also determined that 19% of students “went hungry at times” and 23% were able to eat, but lacked regular access to a “good-quality, varied, and nutritious diet.” In conjunction with the release, University President Janet Napolitano announced a $3.3 million effort to expand the campuses’ fight against student malnutrition. Each campus in the University of California system will receive $151,000, adding to the $75,000 the campuses received last year. The effort will go toward building what school ...
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health will present a special From Coverage to Care (C2C) webinar on Wednesday, July 20 at 1:00pm ET. The event will serve as an opportunity to learn more about C2C as well as discuss how to best get involved in the community to help people get the most from their health coverage. Participants will be invited to share their input and discuss the best strategies available. Tools for health care professionals will also be shared as part of the event. The overall goal is to ensure people live the best and healthiest lives possible. This Spanish-language webinar will last 60 minutes in total. There is no cost for the webinar. You can register online at the C2C Spanish webpage. Share this story on ...
It has been a long-held belief that, if you have a college degree, you have a better chance of landing a job. A new study from the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University has all but confirmed that. Of the 11.6 million jobs created after the Great Recession, nearly 8.5 million went to those with at least a bachelor’s degree. Another 3 million of those jobs went to individuals with an associate’s degree or some college education. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, for millions of Americans, a steady job in safe working conditions means more than a paycheck; it also comes with potential benefits (such as health insurance), and stability necessary for good health. Americans with only a high school diploma represent a shrinking share of the ...
Latinos represent nearly 25% of all public high school students. It has been projected that this is a trend that will continue increasing for years to come. Latinos have made progress in terms of college and career readiness, but more work still needs to be done. A new brief, authored by Excelencia in Education and ACT, Inc., offers recommendations that policymakers and schools can implement to increase Latino college and career readiness. The report, entitled College & Career Readiness 2015 – Hispanic Students provides a snapshot of the academic performance of Latino high school students that graduated in 2015 and took the ACT college readiness assessment. Key findings from the brief include determining that Latino students have high postsecondary aspirations. Parents are ...
A unique group of community leaders in San Antonio, Texas (63.33% Latino population) has recently come together to fund an innovative solution to help students compete in the rapidly changing job market. Regional grocery chain H-E-B and its Chairman and CEO, Charles Butt, are helping to create a new charter school that will use “groundbreaking curriculum and technology” to prepare students for a career in the technology field. The new schools, called the Centers for Applied Science and Technology (CAST), will be the first of its kind in Texas. Students will receive hands-on experiences through college-level coursework, jobs, internships, mentorships, and “project-based learning.” Students will ultimately have an opportunity to earn an associate’s degree and industry ...
At the University of Texas, a new program called Project Mentoring to Achieve Educational Success (MALES) launched recently. The goal of the program is to “combat the disappearance” of Latino males in higher education. The program is an initiative of the university’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement. The plan is to create relevant mentoring program for young males of color in the Austin Independent School District. In June, a three-day program began with a tour of the university campus and two days of workshops. During the program, prospective students learned leadership and communication skills that are necessary for college and beyond. “Latino and African-American boys do not have teachers who they can see as role models in the classroom. As mentors, we ...
