By Dana Wormald | Editor
Good morning, New Hampshire, and welcome to a new week. Today, Maya Mitchell reports on proposed federal changes to Head Start rules and what it could all mean for New Hampshire programs. Also, Amanda Watford of Stateline looks at the latest data from the CDC’s youth behavior report — and what it does and doesn’t reveal. And, in the Monday commentary, David Edward DeMatthews examines the toll cuts to civil rights enforcement takes on students with disabilities. Thank you for reading, and for supporting our work. — Dana
The entrance to the Head Start building on Old Loudon Road in Concord. The Trump administration proposed sweeping rule changes to the program, aiming to cut administrative responsibilities, safety and health practices, and more. (Photo by Maya Mitchell/New Hampshire Bulletin)
By Maya Mitchell
When the Trump administration announced this summer that it would seek a rule change to reduce the “federal burden” of Head Start programs nationwide, it was concerning for state officials and childcare providers alike. “Head Start performance standards really set the bar for high-quality care,” said Jessica Carver, who leads the state Bureau of Child Development and Head Start Collaboration, during a Child Care Advisory Council meeting on Aug. 13. Stakeholders have described the federal proposal as a “sweeping overhaul” of the 61-year-old program.
Students leave William H. Wells Community High School at the end of the school day in Chicago. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest national survey of high school students focuses on diet, physical activity, sleep, digital behavior and mental health. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
By Amanda Watford
For more than 35 years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has surveyed American high school students every two years about their health and behavior. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey, established in 1991, draws a nationally representative sample of students in grades 9 through 12 at public and private schools. Over the years, it has tracked a broad range of issues affecting teenagers, from substance use and sexual behavior to violence, mental health and other health risks. But the CDC’s latest national report, a full-color publication with photos, graphics and high school success stories, offers a markedly different portrait of adolescent health than the one it published two years ago.
COMMENTARY
By David Edward DeMatthews
“For decades, the Office for Civil Rights, or OCR, served as a critical safety net when local schools failed to meet federal disability standards. Now, sweeping budget and workforce cuts have restructured the office, leading to the dismissal of thousands of complaints without investigation and raising urgent questions about who will enforce federal special education laws when states fall short.”
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