Now at least 16 of the 20 largest U.S. public school districts are offering online therapy sessions to reach millions of students, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. In those districts alone, schools have signed provider contracts worth more than $70 million.
New Albany School District Superintendent Lance Evans says they've hired someone to direct workforce development not for their teachers, but for students.
Motivated by some of the most pressing issues among parents, like book bans, classroom conversation and instruction, this week was an opportunity for many to take hold of leadership roles in their communities and spark change.
Move comes as part of a lawsuit settlement after an evangelical preacher held a revival assembly during the school day in 2022 that some students were required to attend.
Several school boards are filling a seemingly continuous string of vacancies with first-time superintendents. Many of the new leaders, moreover, are female.
An Associated Press analysis suggests that many districts spent tens of millions of dollars on various tech company services, including licenses for apps, games and tutoring. The question is whether it's made a real impact on students.
"We need to address K12 cybersecurity issues at its foundation by ensuring schools and administrators have access to technology and software that is safe and secure right out of the box," CISA Director Jen Easterly in a statement.
The Tempe Union High School District, the Columbia School District and the Laramie County School District 1, are among the systems experiencing sudden turnover in the early days of the 2023-24 school year.
And levels grew in every other state as families took matters into their own hands to ensure their child's needs were met, whether academically or emotionally. "Districts now have more staff than ever and fewer students," said Marguerite Roza, director of Georgetown University's Edunomics Lab, in June. "So what happens next?"
