All summer, Dr. Marvia Jones worried over the data.

Jones, director of the Kansas City Health Department in Missouri, read reports showing that not enough public school students were up-to-date with their vaccinations in time for back to school. She knew kids risked being sent home when classes resumed in late August — a scenario that would disrupt not just their learning but create a logistical nightmare for working families.

So Jones scheduled more vaccine clinics, which she brought to church picnics and community events, saving residents a trip to the health department. She extended clinic hours to welcome parents with non-traditional work hours.

But by mid-August, traffic for back-to-school vaccinations was still down between 20 and 30 percent, according to Jones. She scheduled a last-minute news conference with nursing staff from Kansas City Public Schools to plead with parents to immunize their children. The speakers also clarified from President Donald Trump aimed at reducing the number of recommended childhood vaccines had not actually changed school mandates in Missouri.

“I understand having a deluge of information from many sources and just being confused and having concerns,” Jones said at the news conference. “There’s no judgment in that.”

Within days, the department saw a spike in vaccinations. Jones felt relieved.

“I was happy and just really elated to know that some aspects of our public health work — despite all the stuff about lack of trust and disintegration of faith in the government — that we can do some things that still speak to people,” she told The 19th.

As children around the country return to the classroom for a back-to-school season that typically runs , public health officials like Jones are helping families navigate how best to prepare for the surge of back-to-school illnesses. But they’re doing so while countering misinformation from the Trump administration about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, which medical groups worry is contributing to declining vaccination rates among school-aged children.

“Right now, local health departments are literally standing in the gap as our state health departments are taking on roles usually led by the federal government, and especially [the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention],” said Dr. Michelle Taylor, commissioner of health for the Baltimore City Health Department and chair of the , a national organization that coordinates with officials from major metropolitan health departments.

from the CDC shows that vaccination rates for routine vaccines continue to decline among kindergartners — including rates for the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, which remain below those needed for herd immunity. Requests for vaccine exemptions are also rising, with 4.2 percent of kindergartners receiving them compared with 3.6 percent the previous year.

“Overall we’re not seeing what we want to see,” Jones said. “We are not going in the right direction.”

The respiratory virus season — which starts in the fall and ends in early spring — is expected to include the circulation of flu, COVID-19 and RSV. Nearly 200 children died last season from flu-related complications, and most cases involved unvaccinated children.

Already, some school districts are on high alert. Last month, one in South Texas as its reason for canceling classes for two days. In Louisiana, a middle school after dozens of teachers and students reported having COVID. 

Lynn Nelson is president of the National Association of School Nurses, an organization that provides guidance, resources and professional development to nearly 20,000 school nurses across the country. She said it’s not unusual for students to get sick within the first few weeks of school after a summer or spring break that often involves travel.

“The difference now is with the reduced vaccination rates — and they’re significantly reduced for almost everything now, to below what we call herd immunity level — we’re going to be seeing more vaccine-preventable illnesses come back to school as kids come back,” she said.  

The number of confirmed in the United States has reached more than 3,100 this year. That figure toppled the number of cases reported in all of 2025, and some public health experts believe it may be an undercount.

“For some diseases like measles, even a small decrease in vaccination rates can lead to more outbreaks of disease because community immunity requires over 95 percent of susceptible individuals to be immunized,” said Dr. Andrew D. Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), after the CDC data release. “This risk is real: The United States is experiencing a 35-year high for measles cases as federal officials continue to elevate misleading and disproven information about vaccines, inserting unnecessary fear and confusion into families’ decision making.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who co-founded an anti-vaccine organization before being appointed by Trump, announced plans in January to recategorize some childhood vaccines. Shots used to protect against flu, COVID and RSV — previously recommended for all children — would now be recommended only for high-risk children or after extra consultation with doctors. An ongoing lawsuit brought by AAP and other medical groups challenged the changes, which did not go into effect. AAP still recommends all of those vaccines.

Kennedy has recommended the MMR vaccine, but also shared misleading information about its safety. with Pennsylvania officials, including Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, after the state health department reported two measles-associated deaths involving infants. Kennedy cases, which are the first deaths involving measles reported in the country this year.

Dr. David Margolius, director of the Cleveland Department of Public Health, said public health officials are “swimming against a strong current” of misinformation from the White House and the back-and-forth headlines around vaccines and measles that ensue. During an executive order signing last month, Trump and expressed interest in splitting the typically two-shot series — a proposal that is not logistically possible anytime soon.

“The current against us is strong, and we’re paddling as hard as we can,” Margolius said. “It would just be a heck of a lot easier to make progress if the White House started speaking the truth and helping to be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem.”

While vaccination rates in Ohio have fallen, Cleveland is making improvements — rates for children entering kindergarten there have jumped from 68 percent a few years ago to 76 percent this past school year. The rate for the MMR vaccines for children entering kindergarten is in the low 80s, still below herd immunity. Margolius credits building community trust and bolstering federally qualified health centers for expanding access to vaccines. There are also more embedded .

“We’ve improved, but obviously have a long way to go to where we want to be,” he said.

Public health officials and major medical groups recommend that parents continue to consult with their pediatrician or family physician about vaccines, including about their plans for flu and COVID shots as the respiratory virus season begins in earnest in a few weeks. New polling data released in August indicated that .

Nelson, who is also a nurse administrator in Washington state, said most parents vaccinate their children in the end, once they get solid information from their healthcare provider or school nurse. But the lag time is having a real impact on public health, especially in rural communities with reduced urgent care services.

“There’s just so much misinformation about [vaccines] out there, that it slows everything down and people wait longer,” she said. “And when influenza or COVID hits your community, or RSV or pertussis, it might be too late.”

Illness or the threat of disease exposure can be disruptive to schooling and working families. Quarantine rules can send a child home for days or weeks, causing a ripple effect on childcare responsibilities for parents in a country that does not have federally mandated paid sick time. Jones in Kansas City worries about the fragility of a system that relies on children never getting sick.

“What happens when your child is sick for four days?” she said. “Does another older kid have to stay home and care for them? Does someone have to miss work? Does someone lose pay? Does someone else get sick? Does an older relative that’s living with them now have to be the childcare provider? And how does that put them at risk, particularly for families that are already unstable in some way — whether it’s due to health or socioeconomic status. So all of these things are interplaying together.”

was originally reported by Barbara Rodriguez of . .

There is perhaps no clearer sign that summer is drawing to a close than the arrival of school supplies in big box stores and school supply drives in most counties.

On Wednesday, Gov. Josh Stein delivered school supplies collected over the summer to W.M. Irvin Elementary School in Concord. It’s the eighth year the governor’s office has partnered with the State Employees’ Credit Union, the North Carolina PTA, the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Carolina, and Communities in Schools of North Carolina to distribute supplies to students in need.

“This year’s state budget had a lot of good news for education, but to truly support our public schools and our students’ futures, we need to better support teachers who pay for school supplies out of their own pockets,” Stein said in a statement.

The state budget Stein signed in July provides the largest average teacher pay raise in 20 years, the governor said. It also provided a 3% raise and a bonus of at least $1,000 for all other school staff and non-certified employees.

But that modest boost in pay diminishes quickly when teachers dip into their own pocket to pay for school supplies. A 2025 study by CouponBirds revealed teachers in the Tar Heel state shell out more than $1,600 annually to outfit their classrooms, the second highest average in the country. Only Pennsylvania teachers spent more out of pocket than North Carolina teachers.

In the state’s largest public school district, Wake County teachers are invited to fulfill their back-to-school wish list at the Tools4Schools store near downtown Raleigh.

The idea of a free supply store just for public school teachers was created four years ago by the nonprofit . Since then, about 6,000 of the county’s 10,000 public school teachers have taken advantage of the assistance.

WakeEd CEO Keith Poston said the goal is to remove some of the financial pressure that educators feel at one of the most important times of the school year.

“Regardless of political perspective, folks understand intuitively that a teacher trying to teach children should not also have to worry about bringing in classroom supplies. We’re talking about the things they need to do their job,” said Poston in an interview with NC Newsline.

Poston said the “good-heartedness” of teachers prompts them to use their own money to make sure all the children in their classroom start the year on a level playing field.

A survey by the nonprofit found in 2025, Wake County teachers were spending on average $1,200 on back-to-school supplies. With inflation, many teachers are able to afford less than they did just a year ago.

“We’re gonna try to take that burden off as much as we can. It’s not a substitute for adequate funding, but I like to think we’ve made a difference,” said Poston.

On Wednesday, the storefront, designed to look like a small Staples, opened its doors to Wake County teachers, who scanned the well-stocked shelves for items their students might need.

Highlighters, pencils, glue sticks, backpacks, and hand sanitizer are among the most sought-after items. Laptops and Chromebooks are provided by the school district, but Poston says teachers need a lot of basic supplies for their students to start out the school year.

“I remind folks, this is a classroom supply store for teachers, but these are going to students,” said Poston. “Something that we are keenly aware of here is that not every family can afford to go out and make sure that their child has a new backpack full of all the things they are supposed to have or need to have when they walk in the door.”

A recent analysis from the Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation, two progressive think tanks, finds a typical basket of school supplies will cost families 7.7% more this year, outpacing inflation.

According to new data released by Intuit Credit Karma, more than half of parents with kids under 18 are entering back-to-school shopping season with credit card debt. Nearly two-thirds of those parents (63%) expect that they will add to their existing balance to cover this year’s school purchases.

Corporate sponsors and community groups can help make sure students have what they need to start the school year, but individuals can also play a role. Poston said an makes it easy to see which items are the highest priority, and people can then donate at any level that fits their budget.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Hundreds of thousands of Oklahoma children returned to school this week for their first academic year under . It will be their final school year before reading scores carry even higher stakes.

More than 21,100 Oklahoma third graders, or 44%, scored below a basic level on statewide reading tests this past spring, according to . Future third graders, starting in the 2027-28 school year, would risk being held back a year for scoring below basic, which the state defines as failing to demonstrate even partial mastery of grade-level expectations.

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State leaders enacted more rigorous this year in hopes of emulating Mississippi, which progressively rose in national academic rankings after implementing similar regulations.

Mississippi, though, retained only 6% of its third graders in the 2024-25 school year, . The Magnolia State , or 3,000 students, in its first year of retentions in 2014-15.

The fact that Oklahoma could have significantly more students at risk of retention indicates that “our state tests are not the same” as Mississippi’s, said Chris Brewster, superintendent of Santa Fe South Charter Schools. That’s a signal Oklahoma might have more work to do on its methods of assessing students, he said.

“There are certain schools where the vast majority of all of their third graders, historically speaking, haven’t met that standard,” Brewster said of the potential statewide impact. “I don’t know if that’s the intent of the law, but it seems very punitive to children and not really a way to progress the work.”

Brewster, though, said he’s not at all against holding schools accountable for ensuring all children learn to read. His charter district, based in south Oklahoma City, had 46% of its third graders score below basic in reading in 2026, but he said he’s optimistic about future growth.

How are schools accelerating learning?

This past spring, 66% of Santa Fe South’s first graders, who will be among the initial third graders to take the high-stakes literacy test, scored at or above their grade level in reading on districtwide benchmark assessments.

That’s the result of six years of steady improvement since spring 2020, when 34% of the district’s first graders performed near or above their grade level, Santa Fe South leaders said. Rather than making significant changes this year, they plan to continue with the methods behind that success.

Santa Fe South students, many of whom come from low-income and non-English-speaking homes, take a mix of assessments that test specific reading skills.

Once students’ weak points are identified, they begin a three-week cycle of daily small-group instruction focused on the skills that need improvement, said Missy Stotler, Santa Fe South’s content and curriculum coordinator for early childhood. That’s in addition to daily class time dedicated to literacy.

“It’s the idea of short bursts of intense, very focused work with a group of kids, and then quickly assessing, ‘Did they move the needle? Where are the needs now?’ And then, quickly putting them back into new groups that meet their new need of learning,” Stotler said.

Key pieces of reading law still undefined

Still, “there’s a lot of question marks” for schools about the new reading laws, said Meg Wheeler, executive director of elementary education at Santa Fe South. Right now, the number of students scoring below basic is one of the only clear indicators school leaders have of how many of their students might face retention, she said.

Under the new law, students would have to score below basic on state reading tests and fail a second literacy assessment to be held back in third grade, unless they meet limited criteria for an exemption. State officials haven’t decided yet what that second test will be.

Also, all districts will have to implement the same reading screener to check students’ literacy levels and determine how much intervention each child needs. The universal screener hasn’t been chosen yet, either.

“For schools who have not previously used that screener — (it) could be us, we don’t know — we won’t have any historical data to pull from,” Wheeler said. “We don’t get very much information (from state tests) about why a student is scoring at below basic at the third grade level, and we don’t know that we’re going to have any historical data from the screening assessments to help us understand what is happening with a student.

“So, there’s a lot of blindness in the data that I think we have some fear of right now.”

Districts prepare for high-stakes testing

The question in Edmond Public Schools Superintendent Josh Delich’s mind, he said, is how training and staffing can support the literacy initiative — and whether the state will help with the cost of educators’ professional development.

The state already began rolling out teacher academies for educators who want to earn a reading specialist credential. The state Department of Education’s .

Edmond schools continue to focus on building teachers’ capacity for literacy instruction, Delich said. A major emphasis has been the quality of general classroom reading lessons, which are provided to all students in a class regardless of their performance level.

Thirty percent of Edmond third graders scored below basic in reading, according to 2025-26 state test results.

“What is that first level of teaching and learning instruction that students receive in the classroom, and how do you support that?” And then through that, you look at how do you spiral in learning objectives that students may struggle with. How do you reteach areas and content in which students are struggling?” Delich said. “We want to make sure we’re moving every single student through individual growth.”

Oklahoma City Public Schools found reason for optimism during the 2025-26 school year when after only the fall semester. Adding a second reading curriculum on top of the district’s original lesson plans helped accelerate learning, administrators said.

But, “there are many students who would fall in that retention window,” said Jason Galloway, the district’s chief of academics.

Sixty-six percent of third graders in the district scored below basic, according to state test results.

So, Oklahoma City schools made further changes following the new reading law.

Daily reading instruction time has increased to 150 minutes in many elementary schools from the previous standard of 90 to 120 minutes, said Alisha Suffield, Oklahoma City’s chief of schools.

The district also added more reading interventionists, paraprofessionals and teaching aides to work with students in small groups, Suffield said. All kindergarten and first grade classes will be staffed with a certified teacher rather than someone holding an emergency certification, who might not have traditional classroom training.

“Emergency certified teachers have a very valuable place in our system, but we don’t want them to be placed in those early primary reading years of kinder and first grade,” she said. “So (we’re) just trying to protect those reading spaces and ensure that our kids get the strongest start possible with a certified staff person.”

Reporter Emma Murphy contributed to this report.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. —  can conjure a familiar scene: adults crammed into child-size chairs, listening to teachers run through a list of students’ achievements and struggles.

For many families, they can also mean frustration. Today’s school conferences are sometimes 15 to 20 minutes, with little time for parents to ask their own questions. Adults may arrive with their own baggage about their time in school. They may be worried about being judged or dreading what a teacher may say about their child. 

For teachers, conferences can mean pressure to give a snapshot of a child’s progress, with the next opportunity to connect months away — if at all.

The conference may be brief, but it can set the tone for a family’s relationship and partnership with the teacher. Parents, teachers and school administrators have these tips to make the conference productive and help build a stronger connection between home and school.

Communicate early and figure out what works

Schools typically offer several early opportunities for parents and teachers to connect, from meet-the-teacher events and  nights to open houses. By the time conferences are on the calendar, parents and teachers should already be communicating.

But sometimes it can take weeks, or even months, to hear from your child’s teacher, who must establish relationships with dozens of families. Don’t wait, say parents and teachers alike. Take the initiative and reach out yourself.

“Do you want to set your child up for success? It’s a yes or no. And if it’s a yes, then you have to be very involved,” said Bell White, a Houston mother of two.

When her son Lennox, now 8, was in preschool, four teachers came and went during the school year. White quickly learned how important it was to stay engaged with the school.

Since then, she has introduced herself to each of her son’s teachers at the first opportunity, even if virtually. She tells them how she prefers to communicate — whether over email, phone or via a school app — and when she’s most reachable. 

Technology can make it easier for parents with multiple children or busy schedules to stay connected and for teachers to send quick messages or reminders. But with , some parents say it helps to establish a preferred way to communicate.

Early in the relationship, parents and teachers should focus on building trust, said J.B. Robinson, a clinical psychologist and dean of students at National University in San Diego. Positive interactions are like putting money into a relationship bank that can be drawn on when challenges arise, he said. For parents, that can mean showing interest in the classroom and recognizing the effort that goes into creating a positive learning environment. Teachers can similarly begin with questions about the individual child, rather than immediately moving into classroom expectations or academic performance.

Whatever the nature of your first communication with a teacher, try not to worry that you’re bothering the teacher. Your child’s growth is the priority, and communicating with you is part of the teacher’s job.

Make the time count

Parent-teacher conferences are designed to address students’ academic and social progress, identify concerns and discuss what comes next, but there may not be time to cover everything parents or teachers want to discuss.

“The teacher and the parent need to go in with realistic expectations as to what can actually be accomplished in one parent-teacher conference and see that more as a starting point for a conversation,” said Robinson, the psychologist.

The meetings can also be ripe for tension. Teachers may be having dozens of back-to-back conferences, while parents may arrive with weeks’ worth of questions, all seemingly valid. Depending on the school and the child’s grade, some teachers follow a set agenda, with presentation slides, packets or lists of topics to cover.

Emily Henderson, who teaches first and second grade at BASIS Charter School in Flagstaff, Arizona, says her conversations are mostly individualized, with some focusing more on academics and others on social-emotional needs.

“We use parent-teacher conferences to really talk about strengths, talk about weaknesses of students, and then come up with a plan together to address those concerns or address those needs,” Henderson said.

Given time constraints, parents should come with just a few thoughtful questions, teachers say. But remember this is a starting point. It’s totally reasonable to set up another conference later in the year, even if your school doesn’t have one scheduled. Or you can continue the conversation online or over the phone.

What to do if your kid is present

Some schools recommend that students join the conference, and in other cases, a parent may want to bring them along — or need to, if they lack child care. For younger students, teachers recommend asking in advance whether they should attend, if that is an option. If you do plan to bring the student or younger siblings, let the teacher know ahead of time so they can prepare for a more engaging meeting or set up a few distractions.

If younger students are present, it is up to administrators and teachers to engage them and speak directly to them, said Kellie Hintze, head of school at BASIS Flagstaff.

“When I have younger students at a meeting, we typically have a mini meeting with the student and the parent,” she said. “Then we can dive a little deeper or have those long, drawn-out conversations that a student wouldn’t want to be a part of or be able to focus through.”

Older students have more agency over their learning and are better positioned to contribute to discussions about their progress, challenges and possible next steps, experts say.

“We’re doing students a disservice when we’re not teaching them how to advocate, when we are not teaching them those communication skills, to have the tough conversations when they need to be had,” said Kendrick Friendly, who is a high school assistant principal with Denver Public Schools. “This is a safe space for those conversations to happen.”

Questions to consider

Parents don’t need to arrive with a long list of questions. A few thoughtful ones can help clarify what a teacher considers success, what they are seeing in the classroom, what support is available and how to stay connected throughout the year.

Consider asking:

1. How do you prefer to communicate with parents, and how often should we check in?

2. What does success look like for my child this year?

3. How do you identify when a student is falling behind, and who should I speak with about getting additional support?

4. What are you noticing about my child that I might not see at home?

Leave with a plan

Parent-teacher conferences do not resolve every concern, but they should identify next steps, whether those are regular check-ins, strategies for improved behavior or additional resources, such as tutors, specialized instruction or extracurricular activities.

Before leaving, make sure everyone knows what happens next, who is responsible for it and when you’ll check back in. Don’t be afraid to request another conference later in the year. Remember: Your child’s growth is the priority, and it will take everyone in the room to get there.

This story was originally published by The Associated Press

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s  for working with philanthropies, a  of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Backpacks can be fashionable and functional, but they can also be too heavy — weighed down by , musical instruments, sports equipment and more. Some kids carry home a laptop or tablet and textbooks, too.

It’s good to be prepared, but kids who walk to school or participate in extracurricular activities may be lugging more than their bodies can handle. Lockers and classroom storage aren’t available everywhere — and a child carrying too much weight might not be ready to learn.

As families begin  shopping, here’s how to know if your child’s backpack is too heavy, and how to lighten their load.

How heavy is too heavy?

The modern school backpack has evolved, but it hasn’t necessarily gotten lighter. Whether students have textbooks, digital devices or both, they often are accompanied by notebooks, water bottles, lunch containers, workout clothes and more. Individually, those items may not seem heavy, but together they can add unnecessary strain to children’s bodies.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, signs a backpack may be too heavy include a child leaning forward to support its weight or having difficulty walking. Straps should not dig into shoulders.

Don’t wait for a child to express discomfort or pain to lighten the load, experts say.

Dr. Sadika Kendi, a physician who chairs the academy’s injury-prevention efforts, says back injuries are uncommon but possible, particularly if a child falls while carrying a heavy backpack.

“It’s worse if, for example, they trip and fall and they have a huge, heavy backpack on their back. Then that’s just more weight that could increase the severity of an injury,” she said.

Although 10% to 15% of a child’s body weight is often cited as a backpack guideline, there isn’t enough evidence to establish a one-size-fits-all approach, Kendi said. Because children vary in size, strength, physical development and daily routines, caregivers should consider their child’s individual needs and, in general, keep backpacks as light as possible.

Teachers say leave this stuff at home

After families receive back-to-school checklists for , they should take an audit of what a child really must carry every day.

Samantha Ness, a history teacher in Phoenix, said parents should focus on making sure children have basic supplies rather than getting caught up in trendy, decorative or expensive items. Her students have access to classroom textbooks but are still expected to carry a laptop and charger each day. As technology becomes more central to schoolwork, some students have stopped bringing paper, she said. They rely instead on their devices, which can also become distractions.

“When considering the things going into their backpacks, how is it going to help them be successful in the classroom?” said Ness, who has been teaching for about 10 years.

In Fairfax County, Virginia, the school district is bringing back math textbooks after a . That was a win for the group Fairfax County Parents for Intentional Technology, but it also means hard decisions about weight in backpacks.

Parents should think carefully about whether a child really needs to carry both books and a laptop every day, said mom Alix Fetch, a spokesperson for the parents group. For example, a student might not always need their laptop at home. Parents of elementary school students in Fairfax County can now opt out of having the device come home in backpacks. For older students, block scheduling means they don’t need every textbook every day.

Fetch said her 7-year-old typically carries lunch, a water bottle and occasionally a folder with homework or notes from the teacher. Even that can feel burdensome, she said, particularly when students move between classrooms for activities such as art or music. And the inside of the bag can still be messy.

“Kids are still kids. There’s food in their backpack and water, and they’re scrunching up papers,” Fetch said.

As students get older, Ness said, backpacks can become more personal storage than school storage, carrying items such as makeup, nail polish and hair dryers.

“They’re using their backpacks more as purses and like storage than they are actually using them for school,” she said.

How to carry the load safely

Experts recommend choosing a backpack that fits the child and has two broad, padded shoulder straps, a padded back, compartments to distribute weight and a waist or chest strap to redistribute the load. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends teaching children to pick up and carry backpacks safely, including bending at the knees rather than the waist when lifting heavier bags to avoid strain.

Backpacks with wheels can be helpful, especially for children with injuries, but experts say they may be problematic in schools with stairs or crowded walkways, where they can pose a tripping hazard.

Children should remove their backpacks before riding in a moving vehicle, Kendi said, because wearing one can interfere with how a seat belt works during a crash or sudden stop. Instead, place the backpack beside the child, even if leaving it on seems more convenient during drop-off.

“Don’t wear it in a car or any form of transportation while that car is moving,” Kendi said. “It’s just incredibly dangerous.”

Regularly cleaning out backpacks can also help reduce unnecessary weight and keep track of notes, permission slips and assignments. Some teachers recommend doing it weekly to catch missing work, spills from leaky water bottles and accumulating crumbs.

This story was originally published by The Associated Press

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s  for working with philanthropies, a  of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Screen time limits for Los Angeles Unified School District’s youngest students begin in August.

“My hope and expectation is that most families will see a dramatic reduction in screen time during the school day, but also in the evenings, as mandated by school,” said Nick Melvoin, who represents the Westside’s Board District 4.

While LAUSD was the , the policy, along with , is part of a nationwide trend toward limiting young people’s exposure to tech during the school day.

Many parents have embraced — and advocated for— less technology in the classroom, but questions remain about how LAUSD will enforce the screen time limits and the potential for unintended consequences for students who have less access to devices outside of school.

What part of the screen time limits start in August?

The  eliminates digital device usage for students in early education (preschool), transitional kindergarten (TK), kindergarten and first grade.

There are several exceptions, including:

Students will not be automatically issued devices to take home. However, there is still a process for families to request one.

The policy also requires the district to block all students from accessing YouTube, social media and streaming platforms without teacher approval.

The type of work students bring home may change, too. The policy encourages educators to provide off-screen assignments.

“Homework should prioritize reading, writing, problem-solving, hands-on activities, observation, and other learning experiences that can be completed without the use of a device,” .

Andrés Chait, the district’s superintendent, said at a July 21 news conference that implementing the new policy will take time.

“On Aug. 12, you may not necessarily see in the immediate all of the changes that the policy calls for, but they will be implemented methodically and transparently,” Chait said.

Where did the screen time policy come from?

A group of Los Angeles parents organized a group called  in 2025 and started , collecting petition signatures and .

Melvoin brought forward the resolution that ultimately led to the new policy .

“We had not recalibrated or reset our relationship with technology post-COVID,” said Melvoin, at the time. “Six years ago, we sent every kid in L.A. home with a device, which was a lifeline. … But when they came back, I’m still seeing kids as young as preschool on devices all day.”

The board adopted the policy  after staff conducted research and outreach to parents, educators and community members.

How much does it cost to limit screen time?

District staff  up to $4 million in one-time funds to purchase carts to store laptops in elementary school classrooms and an annual $1 million to pay for software to track screen time and block content.

The district has yet to spend this money, according to a statement from a Los Angeles Unified spokesperson.

“Conversations with schools will take place in the early part of the upcoming school year to assess needs on a school-by-school basis,” the statement read.

Was there any pushback to the new policy?

The board voted unanimously to adopt the screen time policy with the exception of Board President Scott Schmerelson, who recused himself from the vote.

However, there was some discussion about whether the limitations would have unintended consequences for teachers and students.

Board Vice President Rocío Rivas cautioned that the minute limits may discourage teachers from assigning multimedia projects, and adds the burden of monitoring student technology use.

“Schools may end up focusing on counting minutes, documenting usage, auditing classrooms instead of evaluating learning outcomes,” Rivas said.

LAUSD staff’s  noted a “risk of slowing access to technology and its advancement for students to compete with the world.”

During public comment in June, Mireya Garcia, a mother and grandmother, told the board that her family shares a single computer at home.

“I don’t want them to lose access to tools that can help them read, to learn and to be successful,” Garcia said.

How are teachers preparing for the changes?

LAUSD adopted the screen time policy when most teachers and students were off-campus for the summer.

A Los Angeles Unified spokesperson wrote in a statement that training has started with “dedicated sessions” for principals and administrators and that more resources will be available to educators before Aug.12 and throughout the school year.

“This approach allows us to be respectful of educators’ time while ensuring schools are prepared and supported for a successful rollout,” the spokesperson wrote.

The first opportunity for most teachers to return to their classroom is on Monday, Aug. 10, two days before school starts.

Stephanie Levinson, who’s taught at San Fernando Elementary for 28 years, said she has not received any additional guidance from the district since the policy was passed this summer.

This year, she’ll teach a combined first- and second-grade class. Under the new policy, first graders do not have access to digital devices and second graders can use them for up to 20 minutes per day this year.

“It’s stressful because we don’t know,” Levinson said. “It’s hard to plan a school day when we’re not sure what’s gonna be mandated, how things are gonna work.”

Levinson said that, in the past, she’d assign students to use interactive learning programs like ABCmouse while she worked with their peers in small groups. She also fundraised to bring laptops and tablets to her classroom, where most students come from low-income families, before the devices were widespread in the district.

“If a kid hasn’t learned how to even use a computer or type, how are they going to…not be disadvantaged against kids that have computers?” Levinson said.

How can families get access to a digital device?

Parents and guardians can request a take-home device  or through the district’s .

The Los Angeles Public Library has a for adults.

What’s next for screen time in LAUSD?

The policy requires the board to review the screen time rules at least once a year during a public meeting.

“One of the reasons we crafted this policy is because we didn’t see a policy that we could just adopt nationally,” Melvoin said. “But that also means that it’ll be iterative and that we’re working out the kinks.”

The district has also created an ad hoc committee to provide recommendations on how the district is using AI.

• District- and state-mandated assessments. 
• Students enrolled in the LAUSD Virtual Academy program. 
• To help students with disabilities learn, as mandated by their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan. 

This was originally published by .

Pencils are more expensive. So are notebooks, scissors, glue sticks — just about every back-to-school item that families will load into their literal or virtual carts this summer has gone up in price at a time when American families already feel crushed by rising costs.

of the 21 most common school supply items by the Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation, two progressive think tanks, prices are up about 7.7 percent with parents paying an average of $173.45 for their school supply haul. That’s an even bigger jump . Add to that an 11 percent hike in prices for school lunch essentials — from the literal needed to feed young children to apple juice — and costs balloon to nearly $4,000 a year to cover supplies and meals. 

That data was first shared exclusively with The 19th. The analysis is based on weekly retail transaction data on millions of products collected by NielsenIQ from about 50,000 retailers.

With school supply costs outpacing inflation, many families — and especially the women who do the majority of purchases in American households — are going to feel the sticker shock, said Lindsay Owens, the president and CEO of the Groundwork Collaborative.

“Women in this country are rip-roaring mad about the price hikes that they’re absorbing. They’re trying to manage household finances and budgeting. They’re trying to feed their kids healthy food,” Owens said. “The work is getting harder of providing for your family.”

Here are the school supplies with the biggest spikes in price: 

• Lunch boxes are up 27 percent
• Notebooks, notebook paper, tissues and index cards are all up about 20 percent
• Scissor costs rose 14 percent
• Dry erase markers and glue sticks are up 8 percent
• Headphones, binders, crayons, colored pencils and No. 2 pencils increased between 5 and 7 percent

On the lunch side: 

• 12 ounces of blueberries are up a whopping 48 percent
• A loaf of sandwich bread is up 22 percent
• Apple juice prices have risen 20 percent
• A pound of oranges has risen 17 percent
• A box of packaged animal crackers will run you nearly 16 percent more 
• A package of chocolate chip cookies is up 14 percent

Driving up some of these costs are tariffs and the war on Iran. 

Take blueberries, which American families have every year, particularly those with berry-aged children who pop them like M&Ms. About half of the berries Americans eat are imported, many from Peru, which is now instead of the United States because of tariff increases. 

The other half of America’s blueberries are grown domestically, a good portion of them in Maine, the top producer of wild berries in the country. But tariffs on steel and aluminum have made it more costly to purchase the equipment needed to harvest the crops. 

“Our consumers, our manufacturers, our blueberry growers, and more will all continue to pay the price,” Sen. Susan Collins, the Republican from Maine,  

Similarly, many school supplies are produced overseas, like , which are predominantly imported from Brazil, China, Mexico and India. The war in Iran, which has raised fuel and shipping costs, has directly and those price increases are being passed on to consumers. Though , oil prices hit a in late July.

“Gas prices filter through to everything, but especially food,” Owens said. “The cost of transporting food goes up. The cost of farming goes up because the cost of diesel is up. The cost of plastic goes up, so the packaging around pencils or deli ham, that gets more expensive. All of that is going to filter through to higher food prices and higher prices for consumer goods like back-to-school staples.”

The problem is parents don’t have a lot of wiggle room on the matter, said Julie Margetta Morgan, the president of the Century Foundation. Kids need the supplies to be successful during the year, and parents, whether they’re low- or high-income, want to ensure their kids can thrive. 

of parents expect to take on debt to cover back-to-school shopping this year, up from 34 percent in 2024, according to a survey of parents with kids under 18 conducted this summer by Intuit Credit Karma. One in five parents say they also to keep up with what other parents are buying their kids, a June NerdWallet survey found.

“There’s a really strong actual cost — but also emotional cost — to having to make really impossible choices about caring for yourself and caring for your family in order to bear the costs of tariffs and of a war that seems impossible to explain why we’re involved in it,” Morgan said. “It is weighing particularly heavily on mothers.” 

It’s around this time every year that Victoria Albano starts to cut back on any expenses for herself to make sure she can cover all the back-to-school items for her 6-year-old daughter, who is entering first grade this year. A to get everything on her list — among the items, two packs of wired headphones, Band-Aids, eight folders and four composition notebooks — cost about $230.

Albano, her husband and her daughter moved to Duluth, Georgia, three years ago because housing costs squeezed them out of New Jersey. They swapped their $2,500-a-month, two-bedroom apartment there for a $2,000-a-month, three-bedroom home in Georgia. But even with the savings, utility and gas prices remain high, Albano said. School supplies are another stressor. 

Recently, she said, “I was up all night trying to figure out what to buy and what not to buy.”

“I’m not struggling, but I’m not where I want to be,” Albano said.  

When Albano, a full-time content creator, , a deluge of messages come in from moms desperately asking Albano to donate items to their kids.

Many families cite living under that financial stress, said Ailen Arreaza, the executive director of ParentsTogether, a national nonprofit that works to engage parents politically. In the organization’s surveys, about 70 percent of parents cite experiencing financial strain, with little relief in sight.

It’s all further complicated by the loss of government benefits over the past year. More than 4 million Americans, , have lost their benefits through SNAP, the food assistance program that helps low-income people buy groceries. That makes family budgets even tighter going into the new school year.

“It feels like we are a little bit at a breaking point,” Arreaza said. “The concern and the situation just feels untenable right now.”

To get by, parents are searching their local back-to-school fairs for supplies, or seeking out backpack giveaways and school supply distributions. Some families are working more over the summer to cover increased costs. 

By the time November’s midterm elections roll around, some of this pressure is likely to be on parents’ minds in an election that will no doubt center affordability. Both parties .

Right now, Arreaza said, “parents are so busy and focused on their day-to-day and November feels far away and the election can feel far away for parents, but the reality of what is happening everyday feels very real for families.” 

Even if folks aren’t thinking about the election, she said, “they’re thinking about the system that is making it harder for them and they’re noticing the differences.”

was originally reported by Chabeli Carrazana of .

Since 2003, Missouri has set aside a when families won’t pay state tax on new clothes and school supplies as they prepare for the start of the school year.

For just as long, every city, county and special district that imposes its own sales tax has had the authority to opt out of the Back to School tax holiday. With local sales taxes often matching or exceeding the state charge, the impact of the discount was limited.

This year, for the first time, there will be no sales tax at all from 12:01 a.m. Friday until midnight Sunday on any sales of the exempt items like backpacks, calculators and jeans. The repeal of the opt-out provision was one of the changes in that allows Missouri and local governments to collect tax on online purchases.

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Not being able to opt out is expected to cost local governments , but it’s offset by additional revenue from online sales in communities that have rolled out what is called a use tax. Of the that opted out in 2022, 79 have these use taxes, including regional shopping destinations like Cape Girardeau, Columbia, Joplin and Springfield. Among counties, opted out in 2022, and 31 of those now have use taxes.

An interstate agreement requires that tax collection for online purchases be as simple as possible, said Richard Sheets, executive director of the Missouri Municipal League. Even without the holiday, the state sales tax table is because of various local add-ons to the state’s 4.225% tax. The combined state and local tax rate exceeds 11% in several communities.

The U.S. Supreme Court determined five years ago that states , even though the companies don’t have a physical presence within state lines. It’s known as the Wayfair fix because the case was .

“To make Wayfair work, we have to standardize those sales tax holidays,” Sheets said. “We can’t have various rules that out-of-state vendors have to abide by.”

In Missouri, the bill that ended Back to School holiday opt-outs also nixed local opt-outs on the “,” which exempts purchases of energy-star rated appliances costing $1,500 or less for a week in April.

Keeping up with which communities opted out and those that participated in the tax holidays was confusing to consumers, said state Sen. Andrew Koenig, R-Manchester. Cities, counties and special districts all have the authority to impose sales taxes with voter approval, and the top rate is above 11% in a number of communities.

“Consumers think there is a holiday, and they didn’t realize they have to pay the local tax,” Koenig said. “Also, I heard from some businesses that they weren’t sure what part was opted in and opted out.”

Oftentimes, cities and counties with large shopping districts would opt out together. That is how it worked in Springfield and Columbia, for example, meaning that only the state tax was not collected.

In Cape Girardeau County, the county government did not opt out while the city of Cape Girardeau did, so the only tax retailers collected was the 2.75% city tax.

Enacting the Wayfair case language was a priority for Missouri retailers, because it meant goods purchased online — often discounted already compared with in-person retailers — would no longer receive the additional advantage of untaxed sales.

The law has boosted sales tax revenues, which were nearly stagnant. Sales tax receipts only grew 1.7% in fiscal 2020, a rate that jumped to 7.6% in fiscal 2023, which ended June 30.

With Koenig’s legislation, Missouri agreed to abide by the , which has a governing body that decides if state policies meet requirements. Ending opt-outs on sales tax holidays was an important piece of that, Koenig said.

“I didn’t want to take any chances of us being out of compliance,” he said.

Before local governments can collect the online taxes, voters must approve the levy. So far, voters in 281 municipalities across the state have approved the tax.

The opt-out provision was included originally as a compromise because local governments zealously guard their revenue sources when threatened by the legislature. So far, Sheets said, cities have accepted the trade-off of lost revenue from the tax holidays for new revenue from online purchases.

“We haven’t had any major complaints,” he said.

is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com. Follow Missouri Independent on and .

“Community reform by nature does not have to be protracted or slow, it can be quick,” said Carvalho in his at the event titled “Imagine the Possibilities” where he committed to “swift and unapologetic” change to how LAUSD operates. 

 “It is with great pride that I welcome all of you to a new school year,” he said. “More importantly, welcome to a new day.” 

Carvalho promised everything from $7 billion in facilities and classroom upgrades to telehealth in schools (via a robot named Pepper) and new magnet programs in a speech that was both encouraging and rooted in real challenges the district faces.

Carvalho acknowledged LAUSD’s declining enrollment, widespread student mental health struggles and concerns about the district’s long-term financial outlook.

“There are very few urban superintendents who know how to do it as well as he — that is he lays out what are the challenges facing the district and ‘what are we going to do about it?’ ” said Dr. Pedro Noguera, Dean of the USC Rossier School of Education. “He struck a good balance between a sobering message of where we are and some inspiration.”

At the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles, there was certainly an air of inspiration and flair.

Before Carvalho spoke, performances from students and student groups, including a marching band and mariachi band, filled the room with proud notes. 

When Carvalho took to the stage, he did not initially speak. Instead, the spotlight shone on him while he took slow steps across the stage, arms crossed over his chest. His walk was accompanied by swelling violins, crescendoing from a video intended to galvanize the audience about the importance of education. 

Throughout his speech — crammed with pop culture references (top contenders: Kylie Jenner’s three minute plane ride and Bridgerton season two) — the @LAUSDSup Twitter account pushed out tweets with main points from the address. 

Some Twitter users expressed qualms in replies, heavily juxtaposing the celebratory tone of the event. 

“Teachers feel discourage[d] because they are used and taken advantage of by parents and the district,” Twitter user @JeanettePanthen said in response to this Tweet.

Others felt more promise from Carvalho’s words, especially when he walked through the five “pillars” — “academic excellence, joy and wellness, engagement and collaboration, operational effectiveness and investing in staff — in the . 

Advocates offered generally positive reactions to the speech, but also wanted more details about how Carvalho’s lofty goals would be achieved. 

“The speech clearly conveyed vision and goals,” said Ana Ponce, executive director of GPSN in a statement. “ How this becomes actualized will be important. We are looking forward to the details of implementation, especially implementation at full scale across the whole district.” 

Here are seven key takeaways Carvalho communicated in his speech and at a press conference: 

1. Education will start early …

Carvalho asserted his prioritization of early education, saying LAUSD will transition from a district with a “K-12 possibility” to a “B-14 promise,” birth through at least two years of post-secondary school.

Starting in October the “Born to Learn” campaign will match more than 100,000 newborns with welcome packages and an LAUSD graduation date, so parents will know when to enroll their child. 

This fall, there’s also a plan for 360 new Universal Transitional Kindergarten classrooms to open up, with spots for up to 19,000 4-year-olds. 

2. … and continue past high school

In-person courses for college credit will be available for 225 recently-graduated students. Adult education vocational and apprenticeship preparation programs will soon be launched as well, including a nursing program producing 15 graduates annually. 

3. Closing the Digital Divide

Through a $50 million investment, LAUSD will bring high speed internet to every student and family that needs it, Carvalho told reporters — a plan rolled out in May that advocates have expressed apprehension about. The investment targets more than 60,000 students who don’t have access to high speed internet at home. 

On the commute to school, children will stay connected, too. Over the summer, Wi-Fi was installed on all buses, a move intended to help over 30,000 students maximize the time they can spend studying and completing homework. 

4. What will the district do about the “lost children?”

LAUSD is grappling with high rates of chronic absenteeism, dipping enrollment and an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 students on LAUSD enrollment rosters. 

Carvalho said in the week before school starts on Aug. 15, he, his staff and thousands of other individuals will call and knock on doors to get unenrolled and chronically absent children signed up for the school year. The district is also launching a campaign called iAttend, which will focus on promoting high attendance by eliminating barriers to attending school.

Fifteen schools will now offer transportation for students living less than five miles from school, a distance that has not been included in past bus routes. Mobile laundry services, so families can have clean clothes, will be available in each district one to four times a month.

5. Boosting parent engagement and ties to LAUSD

A new Parent Academy will serve 100,000 parents with webinars and resources to equip them with skills and information to support their children. The Adult Education Virtual Academy will also serve about 1,000 students, including working parents, who may not be able to attend in-person classes.  

6. LAUSD staff will get additional support 

Carvalho said there will be a focus on recruitment, development and retention of staff. Through a partnership with the LA County Office of Education, staff will be provided with free counseling services via telehealth, a 24/7 hotline, referrals, and one-on-one therapy. 

The contract with United Teachers Los Angeles, the district’s teachers union, expired at the end of June. Carvalho said he hopes to soon reach a new contract agreement — although he declined to give an estimate for when. 

Twitter users responded to Carvalho’s tweets from the event with more pressure on contract negotiations:  

In a response to one Carvalho tweet, user @writersgrind wrote: “Thanks for the pep talk. I would love a contract that includes a competitive salary, smaller class sizes … Quality teachers will continue to leave the classroom because we have nothing left to give in these conditions.”

7. Upgrades to facilities and classrooms – including eco-friendly changes

Carvalho announced more than $7 billion to upgrade over 2,000 classrooms and nearly 1,000 schools. Projects are either in design or already under construction, providing earthquake safety, accessibility, and “21st century upgrades.”

A $50 million investment will go toward environmental and sustainability upgrades at approximately 20 schools identified, through a “greening index,” with upgrades such new playgrounds and shading. 

This article is part of a collaboration between �鶹��Ʒ and the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Cari Spencer is a senior at the University of Southern Califo

“I feel like the most expensive thing is literally clothing, new backpacks and lunchboxes,” Aguião said of her search for supplies this month.

Aguião is not alone in feeling the pinch.  

As prices have surged on everything from technology to clothing to backpacks, parents and teachers nationwide are scrambling to afford classroom necessities for kids.

A found 57% of back-to-school shoppers are concerned about inflation anticipating spending surges to reach a new high of $661 per student – an increase of $53, or 8%, from the 2021-22 school year.

The Deloitte survey also found K-12 spending is expected to focus on clothing and accessories compared to last year’s pandemic-fueled technology spree.

According to the , clothing prices are expected to grow 2.9% for girls’ apparel and 3.4% for boys’ apparel compared to 2019. In addition, technology-related items will grow 2.2% and educational books and supplies will grow 4.5%.

But experts say parents are willing to spend the extra funds for their children.

“Even as economic and inflationary pressures sit top of mind, parents seem resilient and determined to ensure their children get the school supplies needed to succeed this coming year,” said Nick Handrinos, Deloitte vice chair and U.S. retail and consumer products leader. 

To ease costs, many parents plan to reuse school supplies, skip travel plans or dip into savings, according to .

“Generally speaking, American shoppers are still spending a lot on back-to-school supplies — certainly more than before the pandemic,” NPR found. “But financial anxiety is now a common part of the experience.” 

This rings true for Sabrina Ortiz-Santos, an incoming 1st grade Spanish and math teacher at Bancroft Elementary School in Washington, D.C., who, like many teachers across the country, has often drawn from her own salary to purchase classroom essentials.

The bulk of Ortiz-Santos’s back-to-school spending has been cleaning supplies and other COVID-19- related items.

“The school I was previously at was very helpful in the beginning, but as the weeks went on I found myself having to repurchase a lot of the things that were running out,” Ortiz-Santos said. “To get the classroom ready and prepared for the first day, I’ve definitely spent more than $500.”

However, this experience does not always resonate with families in her community.

Ortiz-Santos also works as a teacher at D.C.’s Theodore Roosevelt High School and often supports newcomer students.

“It gets progressively harder each year for these families to provide the resources their kids need,” she said. “But schools like [Theodore Roosevelt High School] are mindful of the economic circumstances their students face and go to great lengths to provide them with things like a hotspot and a tablet.”

Aguião said parents in her community are not always eager to accept help from their school.

“It’s kind of embarrassing,” Aguião said. “So I always tell my son’s friends that if they can’t get supplies let me know and I’ll get supplies for them too.”

Although the Deloitte survey found technology-related purchases have reached a saturation point, , a project-based website for teachers, technology-related items continue to be a high priority request, said organization spokesman Juan Brizuela. 

According to Brizuela, DonorsChoose fully funded 342,108 projects in the 2021-22 school year — a significant hike compared to the 261,282 projects in the 2020-21 school year and the 262,959 projects in the 2019-20 school year.

“Since the pandemic hit, we saw quite a big jump in instructional technology,” Brizuela said, adding that included requests for items such as digital software for the classroom, and headphones for students while they’re at home doing school work and hoping to avoid distractions.