Public News Service

#Massachusetts lawmakers are hoping a new teacher certification process will draw more diverse candidates to the classroom. The state recently?passed legislation?to create alternative pathways for #teachers who struggle to pass the?certification exam?but can otherwise demonstrate competence in their field. Jessica Tang, president of the AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS MASSACHUSETTS, said the effort is ultimately good for students. "You're going to run into a lot of diversity," Tang pointed out. "When you are exposed to diversity in our schools, that actually helps prepare you." Tang noted even some of the state's previous teacher of the year award winners have struggled to pass the certification exam. She argued academic outcomes improve when students have teachers they can relate to and who understand their histories and cultures. The legislation also requires districts to develop plans to recruit diverse educators and administrators, and collect diversity data. The state will also establish a teacher apprenticeship program to help support younger teachers and retain them. Tang stressed it is important the programs are now codified into state law due to potential upcoming changes in federal education policy. "Even though a lot of these initiatives were already happening in so many places, we can do better," Tang emphasized. "We can do more and we can protect that work through this legislation." Tang added educator preparation programs will also develop plans to increase the diversity of their graduates and she looks forward to seeing how students statewide will benefit from the legislation. She said it should help build a new pipeline of people entering the teaching profession, as the more students identify with their teachers, the more likely they will become teachers too. Disclosure: American Federation of Teachers contributes to our fund for reporting on Education, Health Issues, Livable Wages/Working Families, Social Justice.

With flu and COVID-19 cases increasing during the holiday season, a Georgia doctor said now is the time to take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones. Dr. Michael Satchell, family medicine physician at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, encouraged everyone to consider flu and COVID-19 vaccinations to reduce the risk of serious illness, especially for those most vulnerable. "Those who are vaccinated are actually 60% less likely to get a serious form of COVID or to be hospitalized," Satchell pointed out. "We're seeing that the vast majority and greater than 90% of those who are hospitalized are those who have not been vaccinated." Satchell recommended everyone six months and older think about getting?vaccinated, especially older adults and those with?existing health conditions, to stay safer during the holiday season. He acknowledged symptoms of flu and COVID-19 can overlap with a common cold but Satchell advised testing if you have symptoms like persistent cough, fatigue, or loss of taste and smell. He noted COVID-19 tests are still available online, and added it is important to consult with a provider if symptoms persist or exposure is suspected. "It's important because there are still people dying from COVID," Satchell emphasized. "In Georgia, almost 300 people died in the last 3 months. So we're still seeing a lot of hospitalizations last season, the 2023-24 season, we had over 900,000 people across the country were hospitalized with COVID. So it's still out there."

Researchers say increasing the police presence in schools isn't the best way to address classroom violence. One expert in #Iowa says?educators would do better to treat the underlying causes. Fifty years ago, just 1% of the nation's public schools?had police officers on campus. That number has jumped to more than 40% now. The 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Colorado prompted officials to harden schools with more police presence, thinking it would keep students safer. Iowa State University Associate Dean for the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Monic Behnken said academic?research shows that hasn't worked. "What the literature is clear about for the past 20 years is actually the thing that you want to do is, you want to soften your schools," said Behnken. "You want to increase access to therapists, counselors, social workers, community liaisons." Behnken said these professionals can address the emotional and social stressors among kids before they'd commit crimes. She added that although school shootings have increased and get huge media attention when they happen, they are still statistically rare. Behnken said data show that School Resource Officers (SROs), have next to no impact on stopping violence, bullying, or even schoolyard fights - but they do have a big impact in other areas. "The research shows that SROs are good at policing," said Behnken. "So, they are fantastic in a school that has a drug problem. They are fantastic at a school that has a gang problem." Behnken said otherwise, more officers on school campuses can do more harm than good - because school staff may learn to rely on SROs to solve discipline problems that administrators could handle without having to involve the police.

House lawmakers have passed a bill advocates said will be harmful to nonprofits in New York and nationwide. House Resolution 9495?passed with a 219-184 vote after failing to get a two-thirds majority in the chamber last week. The bill gives the Treasury Secretary power to rescind tax-exempt status for nonprofits considered "terrorist supporting organizations." On its first vote, it had strong bipartisan support. Jeff Ordower, U.S. Lead for the group 350.org, said President-elect Donald Trump's rhetoric about "the enemy within" makes this bill's return troubling. "They are trying to consolidate the number of tools in their toolbox," Ordower contended. "So they can move quickly to call some people the enemy within and shut down organizations that are supporting causes that are unpopular, supporting causes that are fighting corporate power, fighting structural racism." Voting in favor of the bill were 15 Democrats, including Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y. It could be due to its other provision giving tax breaks to Americans wrongfully imprisoned abroad or held hostage by terror groups. Ordower noted it is the result of a push by groups who want Israel and Gaza's status quo before Oct. 7 restored, which aid organizations could jeopardize. Beyond public concern, some experts feel the bill's primary goal is helping President-elect Trump consolidate power within the Executive Branch. Ordower pointed out it is one of the many battles with the second Trump Administration about what defines a healthy and sustainable democracy. "What we need in order to really have a good fight that defends civil society, that leads us towards and continues some of the ways that are flourishing democracy is to have lots and lots of groups that are able to push their agendas, and not just groups with particular ideologies or point of views doing that," Ordower stressed. Ordower is surprised by lawmaker's persistence to pass this bill given wars occurring across the world, as well as ongoing economic, climate and immigration issues at home. Some 150 groups including the ACLU?signed a letter?to House lawmakers urging them to oppose the measure.

Ten years ago today, 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot by #Cleveland police while holding a toy gun, sparking national protests for police reform. Today, a #Detroit man who spent nine years wrongfully imprisoned has turned his own experience into a force for change. Eric Anderson, wrongfully convicted of armed robbery in 2010 at age 20, was exonerated in 2019. He's now cofounder of the?Organization of Exonerees, a nonprofit supporting those who are wrongfully convicted. Anderson said his own testimony helps train police officers. "With the hope that them hearing our stories, they can approach their job cautiously," Anderson explained. "We also let them know, 'If y'all do nefarious things, it's going to come back and bite y'all.' Keep it clean across the board. Don't plant evidence, don't lie, don't try to take away stuff in order to get a conviction." At the time of the crime he was accused of, evidence revealed Anderson was more than 10 miles away at a restaurant, where he'd been shot in the foot as a bystander to an altercation. Experts believe 1% to 3% of people in prison nationwide could be innocent, which may mean up to 1,000 people in Michigan are wrongfully incarcerated. After a four-year effort, Anderson and other advocates for safer policing are making a final push in Michigan's lame-duck legislative session, for the?Police Improvement and Community Relations Bill Package, which includes guidelines for police use of force, would boost transparency in investigations and improve training on de-escalation and bias. Anderson loves the proposals, mainly for their focus on officer training and de-escalation. "Being an officer of the law and a person that's here to serve and protect us, you're supposed to be fluent in the skills of de-escalation," Anderson contended. "Trying to calm somebody down so you can come to the conclusion about what's really going on and the next course of action." As of 2023, #Michigan's compensation fund has given more than $50 million to exonerees, although delays persist for some in getting support.

State officials in #Maine said they are working to expand the number of registered apprenticeship programs to help counter a persistent worker shortage. The state hopes to add?75,000 workers?to the economy over the next five years by growing career pathways in clean energy, health care, and construction. Joan Dolan, director of apprenticeship and strategic partnerships for the Maine Department of Labor, said the number of available programs has doubled over the past few years and all are currently full. "There is huge interest and huge need," Dolan observed. "We've been working hard for years to expand our programming and it's really started to take hold and take off." Dolan said 90% of apprentices who complete their programs are still working for their employer a year after graduation. Studies show they'll earn at least?$300,000 more?over their lifetimes compared to their peers. The majority of apprentices in Maine are in the construction industry as federal dollars continue to boost the clean energy sector. The state has worked to recruit more women into the trade along with a growing number of new Mainers. Dolan pointed out even high schoolers are taking advantage, including in the town of Skowhegan, where a group of students is earning income and skills through electrical apprenticeships after class. "We also have developed bank teller apprenticeship programs," Dolan explained. "There's banks right in the school, so the kids are getting high school graduation credit as well as earning a paycheck and learning a job skill." Dolan stressed apprenticeships offer lucrative career pathways for students not interested in attending college or for the many rural students who simply cannot afford it. She added anyone can become an apprentice as long as they're at least 16 years old and are committed to furthering their education both in the classroom and on the job.

President-elect Donald Trump and Republicans in #Congress have promised to pass a new tax bill, and a?new report?breaks down the expected winners and losers. Joe Hughes, senior policy analyst with the nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, says based on #Trump's campaign proposals, the top one percent - those making more than $900,000 a year - will see their tax bill go down by more than $36,000, on average. "The top 5% of households make more than $360,000 a year. They will likely see their taxes go down. For the other 95% of Americans, they will likely see their taxes go up," he said. Hughes added that Americans earning between $55,000 and $94,000 a year would have to pay over $1,500 more in income taxes. The combined increases would further shift the tax burden - to pay for bridges, schools, health care and highways from corporations and higher-income individuals to low- and middle-income families. Trump has claimed, without evidence, that increasing tariffs on foreign goods would cover revenues lost due to tax cuts. Hughes says because companies pass the costs of tariffs along to consumers, Americans will also be hit with what is essentially a national sales tax. He added the incoming administration's proposals, if enacted, could increase the national debt by as much as $15 trillion over the next decade. "The proposals to increase tariffs are not going to raise enough revenue to offset the tax cuts that he's proposed to give to high-income individuals and to corporations," Hughes continued. Trump has called the election results a mandate for his policies. But Hughes noted a strong majority of Americans support a tax code that's fair, one that asks those who can afford it to contribute more. They don't think billionaires such as Elon Musk should pay less than working families. "Most Americans, even a majority of Republicans, support higher income taxes on the wealthy and on corporations," he said. "So, there is some disconnect here between the candidate that they voted for and the policies that actually poll well with voters."

A new annual?report?shows #NewYorkCity has more than 146,000 homeless students. The Advocates for Children of New York report finds this is an increase from last year when more than 119,000 students were homeless. It also finds more than half of students were temporarily sharing housing with others, while 41% lived in shelters. Jennifer Pringle, director of Project LIT with Advocates for Children of New York, says the city can help these students by addressing transportation delays. "Roughly 40% of students in shelters are placed in a different borough from where they go to school, which means that students in temporary housing often face long commutes and are disproportionately impacted by busing delays," she said. Other recommendations include eliminating the 60-day shelter limits and addressing shortages in staff supporting students in temporary housing. But, Pringle notes there's work the state can do too. More than 115 groups want the state to add a weight for students in temporary housing as part of the school funding formula re-evaluation. The biggest challenge to implement these recommendations is political will, although they have broad support. But, student homelessness has been a long-standing issue for the city. This is the ninth year in a row New York City's homeless student population has included more than 100,000 students. There are many reasons students become homeless. "Certainly we know there's a growing housing-affordability crisis," she continued. "Families indicate that domestic violence is one leading driver of family homelessness. And then also we have immigrant families, newcomers to the city as well, who are in temporary housing." Living in temporary housing significantly impacts students' education. The report finds most students in either temporary housing or a shelter were chronically absent. It also notes their English Language Arts proficiency was 20% lower than students in permanent housing.

November is #MilitaryFamilyAppreciationMonth. Service members and spouses alike can face challenges entering into the workforce once they leave the military. Progress is being made slowly, but experts said more needs to be done. About 200,000 service members a year transition from active-duty to civilian life and many experience rescinded offers, underemployment or inadequate preparation for their transition. Jonathan Pride, vice president of field operations for NPower, an organization providing skills training to veterans and their families, said uncertainty is one of their biggest challenges in the transition. "A lot of the time, it's the only job they've ever had and so, they don't know how their skills will translate on the other side with corporations and partners and employers," Pride explained. "Trying to translate their skills and their experiences into a resume, I think, is one of the hardest things." The National Veterans' Training Institute found veteran unemployment dropped by?more than 3%?in 2023 but Pride pointed out veterans also run into what he calls the "paper ceiling," a barrier keeping workers without college degrees from getting higher-wage jobs. Given the frequency of moves, service members often do not finish their schooling in one place. Price observed many times, they leave the military with some college, or maybe a couple classes away from a degree. "When an employer has a paper ceiling in place, where the minimum expectation is a college degree, sometimes that disqualifies many qualified veterans and veteran spouses who could do very well in these roles," Pride noted. "But because they don't have a college degree, they're barred from entry into that employer." Pride stressed NPower looks past the degree requirements to work directly with employers to place veterans in apprenticeships, so they can learn on the job, pursue an education and earn a paycheck. Normally, troops go through a Transition Assistance Program. Now, the?Employment Navigator and Partnership Program?provides one-on-one coaching to military members and their spouses. James Rodriguez, assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans Employment and Training Services, said he hopes to expand the program as it leaves the pilot phase. "We're going to look to build that out even more in the future, so we can hope to do the same type of support for every service member in the future, which would be ideal," Rodriguez emphasized. "However, it does take a lot more work and a lot more resources to make sure that this program can be successful in the future." As of August, the Employment Navigator and Partnership Program has helped more than 18,000 #veterans and family members.

#Ohio is among the many states where a majority of workers lack access to paid family leave. A?new report?by Groundwork Ohio finds three in four Ohioans are employed in jobs without the possibility of paid family leave. This means many parents of young children face difficult choices between work and family. Even other conservative states, like Florida and Texas, have developed voluntary systems allowing private market benefits. Lynanne Gutierrez, president and CEO of Groundwork Ohio, said the need for policies that support families and their workforce participation has never been clearer. "There is currently a mismatch in policy, and the desires of both policymakers and the people of Ohio, when it comes to both the needs of their young children and families and the workforce," she explained. The report was commissioned by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. While some people may take advantage of accrued vacation or short-term disability benefits, access to these options remains uneven. Nationwide, only about half of full-time employees have short-term disability benefits, and only one in five part-time employees. The report also highlights the economic and developmental stakes for young children in families without paid leave. Research shows that nearly 23% of new mothers in the U.S. return to work within 10 days of giving birth, driven by financial need and limited options that support newborn care. Gutierrez stresses the impact on childhood development when families lack adequate support. "We know that one in four children under the age of five across the state of Ohio live in poverty; they're among our most vulnerable. And so, the more support we can get to children and families in that unique period of time really sets a foundation for their lifelong success," she continued. Ohio is one of 29 states without a state-administered paid family leave law, but public support for a national policy is high. The report says 94% of Democrats, 83% of Independents, and 74% of Republicans favor a federal paid family leave policy.