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November 17, 2023
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This report provides details on demographics and
certification of school resource officers (SROs) by the
type of law enforcement agency that employs them. It also
describes law enforcement, mentoring, and teaching
activities performed by the officers. The report found
that there were approximately 23,400 sworn SROs at the end
of the 2019–2020 school year. About 11,500 (49%) of these
SROs were employed by local police departments, 7,600
(32%) were employed by sheriffs’ offices, and 4,400 (19%)
were employed by school district police departments.
Nearly all sworn SROs received training on the use of
deadly force (99%), the use of less-lethal force (99%),
and de-escalation strategies (97%) at some point during
their career. Furthermore, more than 90% of sworn SROs
received training on handling juvenile offenders, mental
health issues, and conflict resolution during their
career. Additionally, the report found that about 69% of
sworn SROs had responded to an incident in a classroom
within the past 30 days. About 54% of sworn SROs had
arrested a student for drug possession within the past year.
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice
Statistics
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This report uses new analytical techniques and newly
available data to answer whether demographic factors are
associated with (1) the decision on whether to impose a
sentence of prison or probation and (2) the length of
imprisonment when imposing a prison sentence. The report
found that demographic differences in sentencing can
largely be attributed to the initial decision whether to
sentence an individual to imprisonment, rather than to the
length of a prison term once a decision to impose
imprisonment has been made. Additionally, the report found
substantial variation by gender and race in the likelihood
of a defendant receiving a probation sentence. Black males
were 23.4% less likely to receive probation compared to
White males. Hispanic females were 29.7% less likely to
receive probation than White females. Further, when the
analyses focused solely on cases in which the court
imposed a sentence of imprisonment (94% of the individuals
sentenced), the report found that the sentencing
differences were less pronounced than when probation
sentences were included. Black males received prison
sentences that were 4.7% longer than White males. Hispanic
females received prison sentences that were 5.9% shorter
than White females.
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Source: U.S. Sentencing Commission
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In 2021, New York State passed The Less Is More: Community
Supervision Revocation Reform This act transformed the
parole system, with the potential to generate substantial
cost savings that can be (re)invested into communities.
This report presents findings from a series of virtual
town hall meetings across the state, through which
community members shared insight into what resources
should be invested in, and how such investments should be
made. Specifically, the report identifies several areas
that community members who participated in the town halls
prioritized for investments including housing, behavioral
healthcare, employment and vocational training, reentry
supports, and community spaces. Additionally, the report
identifies key themes that arose from the community
members’ discussion of how they wanted funds to be
invested. The report found that community members want
funds to be invested in ways that: enhance equity, target
people and families who are affected by the criminal legal
system, and build on local community and organizational
capacity to meet community needs.
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Source: Justice Lab
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This report provides a summary of significant findings and
financial trends identified in the audits of the 67
district school boards (school districts) in Florida for
the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2022. The audit
reports for 43 of the 67 school districts included
findings addressing weaknesses in internal control;
instances of noncompliance with applicable laws, rules, or
regulations; or additional matters. Audit reports for five
school districts included findings considered to be
financial statement material weaknesses. In addition, 1 of
those 5, and 4 additional school district audit reports
included noncompliance and material weakness findings for
major federal programs. In comparison, for the 2020-21
fiscal year, audit reports for 8 school districts included
financial statement material weakness findings and 1
additional school district audit report included a
noncompliance and material weakness finding for a major
federal program. At June 30, 2022, the average financial
condition ratio (the financial condition measure used in
this report is the ratio of the general fund total
assigned and unassigned fund balance to the general fund
total revenues) for school districts statewide was 11.58%,
which was a slight decrease from the average financial
condition ratio of 11.98% at June 30, 2021. Of the 67
school districts, only 1 (Lafayette County School
District) had a financial condition ratio that was below
3% at June 30, 2022, and, consequently, this school
district had fewer resources available for emergencies and
unforeseen situations than other school districts.
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Source: State of Florida Auditor General
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Children and youth have benefited from afterschool
programs in terms of academic, physical health, school
attendance, promotion, graduation, and social and
emotional outcomes. Afterschool programming in general—and
science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)
afterschool programming in particular—is also popular
among school officials and parents. To obtain a national
picture of why and how principals and district leaders
partner with external organizations as STEM afterschool
providers, the authors administered a survey to a
nationally representative sample of public school
principals (kindergarten through grade 8) in November and
December 2022. Schools have direct access to youth and
families and, therefore, have great potential to influence
afterschool choices. The authors surveyed and interviewed
school and district leaders to understand their STEM
afterschool needs and interests, including the details on
how these leaders go about partnering with STEM
afterschool providers. The surveys and interviews
illuminated how administrators learn about potential
afterschool partners, what they look for in a partnership,
and why they renew them. Key findings include that the
number one factor about afterschool programming that
principals would change would be to offer more STEM
programming. Principals said that it is challenging to
find STEM program providers in general, high-quality STEM
program providers in particular, and the funding to pay
for them. According to the survey of principals, 65% of
the schools partnering with an external provider of
afterschool programming offered a STEM option, and
principals estimated that 14% of their students engaged in
this STEM programming. Of the eight factors provided on
the survey, principals reported that student interest in
the activity was the most important component in selecting
a STEM afterschool provider and in renewing a
contract—more important than either the quality or the
cost of the program. However, principals did report that
finding afterschool program funding is a challenge. Only
about one-third of principals said that they had more
funding for afterschool programming as of the 2022–2023
school year, when federal coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19) pandemic stimulus funds were still active, than
they did before COVID-19.
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Source: RAND Corporation
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This research examines the effect of the COVID-19-based
transition to online learning on the dual credit program
offered in Hawaii. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Hawaii
had been expanding its dual credit program, in which high
school students could take courses that would yield both
high school and college credits. These dual credit
programs require partnerships between high schools and
colleges. From spring 2020 to fall 2020, students took
some dual enrollment courses even though offerings and
enrollment declined; offerings and enrollment rebounded by
spring 2021. The percentage of course-takers earning both
high school and college credit remained about the same
during this transition. Examining outcomes for student and
school subgroups shows that male students struggled more
than female students did with enrollment during this
transition, and students in rural schools had a steeper
decline in the rate of earning both high school and
college credits. However, both groups did begin to recover
by spring 2021.
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Source: RTI International
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Using data from the International Database, the U.S.
Census Bureau estimates the world population hit 8 billion
on September 26, 2023. There are many sources of
uncertainty in estimating the global population, and it’s
unlikely this population milestone was reached on that
exact date. For example, the United Nations Population
Division estimates the world population reached 8 billion
on November 15, 2022. The rate of growth peaked decades
ago in the 1960s and has been declining since and is
projected to continue declining. While it took 12.5 years
for the world to go from 7 billion to 8 billion people,
the Census Bureau projects it will likely take 14.1 years
to go from 8 billion to 9 billion, and another 16.4 years
to go from 9 billion to 10 billion. Despite a slowdown,
projections suggest the world population will reach 10.2
billion by 2060. Nearly three quarters (74%) of the
earth’s population reside in countries where fertility is
around or below the replacement level. Around 15% of the
world’s population lives in a country with low fertility
of 1.6 to 1.8 children per woman. This includes a diverse
range of countries like Brazil, Mexico, the United States
and Sweden. Another 26% — about 1 in 4 people — lives in a
country with very low fertility at 1.5 children or fewer
per woman. Such countries include China, South Korea and
Spain. Another 23% lives in a country with moderately high
fertility between 2.3 and 5.0 children. This broad
category includes a diverse range of countries like Papua
New Guinea, Israel, and Ethiopia. Only around 4% of the
world population (all in Africa) lives in a country with
very high fertility — above 5 children per woman. Even in
countries with very high fertility, fertility is generally
lower than it was in the past. The world population is
projected to keep growing despite declining fertility
rates. In fact, the Census Bureau estimates the number of
infants already peaked in 2017. Instead, population growth
in the future will come from larger groups of people at
adult ages. The share of the population at young ages has
been declining. Today, 32% of people are 19 or younger. By
2060, that number is projected to slip to 26%. As the
share of young people declines, the proportion of people
at older ages increases. Today, 10% of the world is 65 or
older and their share is projected to double to 20% by 2060.
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Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau
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This research investigates retention and compensation in
the Early Care and Education (ECE) workforce using data
from three different government agencies in Texas. The
authors employ non-structural methods to compare turnover
and pay in ECE with those in other sectors that employ
similar workers. The authors use information on race,
ethnicity, eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch,
and scores in standardized tests to match ECE workers to
individuals with the same probability of ever working in
the ECE sector but who never did to identify non-ECE
workers for the analysis. The results indicate that
turnover in the ECE sector is 12% greater than in other
sectors of the economy. Additionally, the results show
that turnover rates increase with educational attainment.
Wages were nearly 20% lower in the ECE sector compared to
non-ECE workers. However, the disparity in earnings
decreases with educational attainment.
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Source: National Bureau of Economic Research
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This report examines data on developable land owned by
Nashville’s academic, faith-based, and health care anchor
institutions, and researched models of institutional
affordable housing partnerships that could be replicated
in Nashville. The authors also analyze housing development
opportunities under both current and alternate zonings, as
well as the transit-adjacency of developable parcels
(legally distinct pieces of land). The analysis indicates
significant potential for affordable housing development
on land owned by Nashville’s colleges and universities and
faith-based institutions, and for health care institutions
to leverage land, financing, and institutional
relationships to contribute to housing efforts. The report
finds that across 1,027 colleges and universities,
faith-based institutions, and health care institutions in
Metro Nashville, up to 5,539 units could be constructed on
986 parcels under current land availability and zoning
laws. Furthermore, 95% of these potential units (5,236
units) are developable on parcels owned by faith-based and
academic institutions. Additionally, subdividing available
institution-owned parcels that are zoned for single-family
residential uses could accommodate up to 14,151 new units,
10,183 of which could come from land owned by faith-based
institutions.
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Source: Urban Institute
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This report describes changes between 2021 and 2022 in
total, early, and late fetal mortality, as well as fetal
mortality by maternal race and Hispanic origin and state
of residence. Comparisons are made with findings from 2020
to 2021. Between 2021 and 2022, the overall fetal
mortality rate declined 5%, from 5.73 to 5.45 fetal deaths
at 20 weeks of gestation or more per 1,000 live births and
fetal deaths. The fetal mortality rate declined for fetal
deaths at both 20–27 weeks of gestation (early fetal
deaths) (6%) and 28 weeks of gestation or more (late fetal
deaths) (4%). The fetal mortality rate declined for White
non-Hispanic (8%) and Hispanic (5%) women from 2021 to
2022 but did not change significantly for all other race
and Hispanic-origin groups. Fetal mortality rates
decreased in 7 states and were not significantly different
for 43 states and the District of Columbia from 2021 to
2022. In comparison, from 2020 to 2021, fetal mortality
rates did not change significantly overall, for early or
late fetal deaths, for most race and Hispanic-origin
groups, or for most states, but the rate declined by 4%
for Black women. From the time period from 2020 to 2021,
only two states, Pennsylvania and Utah, experienced a
significant increase in fetal mortality rates. For
provisional data for the time period from 2021 to 2022,
seven states (Alabama, California, Florida, Maryland, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Utah) experienced a significant
decrease in fetal mortality rates.
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Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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The Medicare Care Choices Model (MCCM) tested a new option
for eligible Medicare beneficiaries to receive
conventional treatment for terminal conditions along with
supportive and palliative care from participating hospice
providers. Using claims data, the authors estimated
differences in average outcomes from enrollment to death
between deceased MCCM enrollees and matched comparison
beneficiaries who received usual services covered by
original Medicare. Enrollees were 15% less likely to
receive an aggressive life-prolonging treatment at the end
of life and spent more than five more days at home. MCCM
also reduced net Medicare expenditures by 13%, decreased
inpatient admissions by 26%, reduced outpatient emergency
department visits by 12%, and increased hospice use by
18%. Although the federal Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services did not expand the model, given concerns
about generalizability, these results provide evidence
that MCCM is a promising approach to transforming care
delivery at the end of life.
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Source: Mathematica
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The study examined temporal and geographic trends in
telehealth availability at U.S. behavioral health
treatment facilities and risk factors for not offering
telehealth. Using longitudinal data on outpatient
behavioral health treatment facilities from January 2020
to January 2021, the authors found that telehealth
availability increased by 77% from 2020 to 2021 for mental
health treatment facilities and by 143% for substance use
disorder treatment facilities. By January 2021, 68% of
outpatient mental health facilities and 57% of substance
use disorder treatment facilities in the sample were
offering telehealth. Mental health and substance use
disorder treatment facilities that did not accept Medicaid
as a form of payment were less likely to offer telehealth
in 2021, compared with facilities that accepted Medicaid.
Mental health and substance use disorder treatment
facilities that accepted private insurance were more
likely to offer telehealth in 2021, compared with
facilities that did not accept private insurance. The
authors note that despite an increase in telehealth
availability at behavioral health treatment facilities,
32% of mental health treatment facilities and 43% of
substance use disorder treatment facilities did not offer
telehealth in January 2021, nearly one year into the
pandemic.
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Source: RAND Corporation
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