Wishing everyone celebrating Rosh Hashanah a sweet and happy new year filled with many blessings. L’shanah Tovah!
Top Three
Pfizer/BioNTech Seek FDA Nod for New Omicron-Tailored Booster for 5-11 Year Olds: Via Reuters.
Covid-19 Infection May Increase Risk of Type 1 Diabetes: Two new studies:
Study of 1.2 million children in Norway.
“Our nationwide study suggests a possible association between COVID-19 and new-onset type 1 diabetes”, says Dr Hanne Løvdal Gulseth, lead author and Research Director at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.”
“However, the absolute risk of developing type 1 diabetes increased from 0.08% to 0.13%, and is still low. The vast majority of young people who get COVID-19 will not go on to develop type 1 diabetes but it is important that clinicians and parents are aware of the signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes. Constant thirst, frequent urination, extreme fatigue and unexpected weight loss are tell-tale symptoms.”
"Several recent case reports have suggested a link between new onset type 1 diabetes and SARS-CoV-2 infection in adults. But evidence is more limited in children. A recent CDC report found that US children were 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes following a SARS-CoV-2 infection, but it pooled all types of diabetes together and did not account for other health conditions, medications that can increase blood sugar levels, race or ethnicity, obesity, and other social determinants of health that might influence a child’s risk of acquiring COVID-19 or diabetes."
"In this study, new T1D diagnoses were more likely to occur among pediatric patients with prior COVID-19 than among those with other respiratory infections (or with other encounters with health systems)."
"Respiratory infections have previously been associated with onset of T1D, but this risk was even higher among those with COVID-19 in our study, raising concern for long-term, post–COVID-19 autoimmune complications among youths."
"The increased risk of new-onset T1D after COVID-19 adds an important consideration for risk-benefit discussions for prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric populations."
School 2.0: How has the pandemic changed learning?
"Lakisha Young, a parent in Oakland, California, and CEO and co-founder of The Oakland REACH, an advocacy group, says parents in her city have the same goal now as they did in 2019: “Our community has never changed its fight and focus in terms of getting our babies to read,” she says, citing low literacy rates for students in Oakland Public Schools. Her group is recruiting community members to serve as “literacy liberator” tutors in the district."
"Better use of technology to engage with parents, such as offering remote participation for back-to-school nights and parent-teacher conferences, is one change Dr. Enfield cites. She hopes for bigger revisions, like reevaluating the traditional school calendar and finding ways to assess learning that happens outside of school – such as students spending more time with relatives to deepen understanding of home cultures."
"Chris Gaines, superintendent of Mehlville School District in suburban Missouri says his district used to offer virtual classes for high school students only, but now offers its own standalone virtual school for elementary and middle school students. The elementary school enrolls about 15 to 20 students per grade for kindergarten through fifth grade, he says. “The demand was there from parents and students for virtual school,” Dr. Gaines says."
"Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, the popular online company with free instructional videos, sees a future for virtual learning. In August he launched Khan World School, a virtual school, in partnership with ASU Prep Digital, an accredited online school at Arizona State University. Khan World School will start with 52 ninth graders this year and plans to expand up to grade 12."
"Amar Kumar says he believes learning pods will outlast the pandemic. In 2021, he launched KaiPod Learning, which operates in Arizona, Georgia, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire and has enrolled 124 students in grades three through 12. His company charges tuition and provides logistical support for families who don’t want to run a pod, or small learning group, themselves. Mr. Kumar envisions more partnerships with public school districts. In New Hampshire, the state education department pays the tuition for students enrolled in KaiPod learning centers."
"Declining enrollment in public school districts may compel them to experiment more, says Michael B. Horn, author of “From Reopen to Reinvent: (Re)Creating School for Every Child.” “That will put more pressure on traditional districts to say we’ve got to innovate. Otherwise we’re losing students, losing dollars, and the staff that comes with it,” Mr. Horn says."
Federal
ED: Launched a $1 million Future Finder Challenge to reimagine career navigation for adult learners.
IES: Two reports:
CBO: They estimate the student loan debt plan will cost $400 billion.
CNBC: "The CBO is a nonpartisan agency that calculates the costs of federal revenue and spending plans for Congress. Its latest analysis does not include the cost of adjustments to income-driven repayment plans. Biden’s executive order lowered the cap a borrower would have to pay on their student loans to 5% of their income, down from 10%. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a think tank opposed to Biden’s student loan plan, has estimated the change will cost an additional $120 billion."
Midterms: Washington Post - ABC News poll shows voters evenly spilt as to who they trust more to handle education.
Covid-19 Research
Five Things About Covid We Still Don’t Understand at Our Peril: Via the Washington Post.
Where did the virus come from, and why has it been so successful?
How is the virus evolving, and will there be new variants?
Can we develop a coronavirus vaccine that will protect against future variants?
Why do some people develop long covid?
Why does covid severity differ by age and from one person to another?
COVID-19 Latest Insights and Comparisons: Via the UK's ONS.
State
California: LAUSD makes push to bring chronically absent students back to school.
Connecticut: "There are nearly four times as many COVID cases among students this year than the same time last year, a review of state data shows, and though the state is logging a decrease in cases overall, hospitalizations are about on par with last year."
Maryland: Prince George's Co. schools launching free telehealth services for all students.
Hawaii: "An unexpected “disappearance” of thousands of students from school enrollment in Hawaii during the COVID-19 pandemic has some education officials concerned that parents might have withdrawn their children without following procedures mandated by state law, technically making them truant."
Missouri: 141 school districts are experimenting with 4 day school weeks.
Resources
Better Access to Data Helps Superintendents Make Decisions: DQC and AASA report.
America’s Education Emergency: Via Michael Strain.
A Lot of Tears Over The Weekend:
Roger Federer's final tennis tournament where he somehow hit the ball through the net.
He later tears up and tells his kids "I'm so happy. I'm not sad. ok?"
President Biden surprises Elton John with the National Humanities Medal. Tearing up, Elton John said he was “flabbergasted and humbled.”
Elton John sings “Rocketman” and "Tiny Dancer" at the White House.