Making News
As the communities hit by Hurricane Florence fade from national coverage, EducationNC staff visited Lenoir, Jones, and Robeson counties this week to report on their recovery. Over the coming weeks, we will continue to report on the communities, schools, and people who in many cases are facing their second major flood in less than two years. Read the following two articles on the road to recovery for schools and communities in these counties:
https://www.ednc.org/2018/09/28/dont-forget-us-robeson-county-deals-with-aftermath-of-second-flood-in-less-than-two-years/
https://www.ednc.org/2018/09/27/schools-communities-bear-the-burden-of-two-500-year-floods-in-less-than-24-months/
Food for Thought
A new National Bureau of Economic Research working paper (paywall) challenges assumptions that STEM degrees lead to high wages throughout one’s career. The authors find that the economic return to applied STEM degrees like computer science decline by more than 50 percent in the first 10 years of a career. They attribute this to rapidly-changing technology:
“Applied STEM degrees provide high-skilled vocational education, which pays off in the short run because it is at the technological frontier. However, since technological progress erodes the value of these skills over time, the long-run payoff to STEM majors is likely much smaller than short-run comparisons suggest.”
A Real Clear Policy article provides a good summary of the paper.
Need to Know
Mebane Rash is headed to Seattle for the next week to document a leadership exchange led by the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, a member of the Governmental Research Association. Read the Weekly Insight to learn more about it and follow her on Twitter @Mebane_Rash.
The Golden LEAF Foundation is now accepting applications for hurricane relief. From their website:
The Golden LEAF Foundation is now accepting grant applications for the N.C. Hurricane Florence Relief Fund. The fund was activated by Governor Roy Cooper to respond to unmet needs of survivors including housing, food, clothing, and other expenses. All funding will be used for grants to support local governments and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations providing direct assistance to survivors. Governor Cooper has asked Golden LEAF to administer the N.C. Hurricane Florence Relief Fund grants.
What we're reading
Exploring chronic absence from the ground up in Edgecombe County
The final article in EdNC's series on chronic absenteeism looks at how our assumptions about why kids aren't coming to school can be wrong. ... Read the rest-
Want to boost test scores and increase grad rates? One strategy: look outside schools and help low-income families
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"Gut Sense" is Hardwired, Not Hormonal
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Boys Don’t Read Enough
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'There Will Be Evictions': New Smoking Ban Roils Public Housing's Oldest Residents
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How a Hurricane Is Still Punishing Special Ed Kids a Year Later
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Florence Adds to Stress for Seafood Industry
