Community responder programs offer an additional option for first response. Composed of multidisciplinary profes¬sionals trained to address behavioral health and quality-of-life concerns, community responder programs provide a person-centered response to 911 and other emergency calls for service. Inte¬grating community responder programs into first response systems ensures that all calls for service can receive the most appropriate response. These programs have emerged as an effective mechanism for reducing client distress, providing timely support, and reducing the burden on police and hospitals across the U.S. Now, as state leaders look to sustain these programs, they are seeking guidance on how to improve the vital partnerships that programs need to expand and thrive. The Expanding First Response Commission—which includes advocates, first responders, policymakers, researchers, state and municipal officials, and people with other personal and professional experiences—met between January and March 2025 to develop actionable guidance for state leaders interested in supporting local community responder efforts. Three of their recommendations include: foster an environment for ongoing partnership development and advocacy, establish mechanisms for collaborative learning and feedback loops, and encourage innovative partnerships.

The Supreme Court has revitalized the jury’s role in criminal sentencing over the past quarter century, reaffirming that the Sixth Amendment right to trial by jury extends to factfinding that increases the punishment range for a conviction. But one class of sentencing findings—those related to a defendant’s criminal history—has been excluded. The Supreme Court has upheld an exception to the jury right where the fact to be found is whether a defendant has a prior conviction. Relying on that prior-conviction exception, many jurisdictions have continued to allow judges to increase the possible sentence based on their own preponderance-of-the-evidence findings about disputed details of defendants’ criminal histories, even where the evidence is ambiguous, contradictory, or unconvincing. The prior-conviction exception is a subject of continuing criticism from legal scholars and a substantial segment of the current Supreme Court. Yet even as the Supreme Court has declined to revisit those precedents, it has in recent years made clear that the exception is narrow—too narrow, in fact, to allow judges to make many of the factual determinations that recidivism enhancements require. This article argues that today recidivism laws across jurisdictions often require findings beyond the mere fact of a prior conviction, and therefore constitutionally require a jury. Those laws were enacted, however, with the expectation that judges could apply them in summary sentencing proceedings. Involving juries presents new challenges for prosecutors, defense attorneys, and courts, because jury trials about past offenses—sometimes distant in time and place—raise unfamiliar issues of proof, competency of evidence, and procedural fairness. Fully realizing the possibility of recidivism jury trials will require procedural accommodations, most notably bifurcated proceedings that ensure evidence of prior crimes does not taint the jury’s consideration of new criminal allegations. And the costs of recidivism trials could prompt pushback by courts, prosecutors, and legislators, raising the possibility that spillover effects from these legal developments could significantly reshape sentencing laws and procedures in the United States.

This report presents selected results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2024 mathematics assessment at grade 12. The report includes national results on the performance of twelfth-grade students. Results are presented in terms of an average overall mathematics score, change in performance compared to previous NAEP Mathematics administrations at grade 12, and as percentages of students performing at or above three NAEP achievement levels: NAEP Basic, NAEP Proficient, and NAEP Advanced. The average mathematics score for twelfth- graders in 2024 was 3 points lower than in 2019, and was also 3 points lower compared to 2005, the start of a new trendline marking the first administration of the assessment based on a new mathematics framework. Compared to 2019, the 2024 mathematics score was not significantly different for higher-performing students at the 90th percentile and decreased by 3 points for students at the 75th percentile. The score decreased for middle-performing students at the 50th percentile by 4 points. Scores decreased for lower-performing students at both the 10th and 25th percentiles by 5 points. Mathematics scores compared to 2005 were lower for lower-performing students at the 10th and 25th percentiles and middle-performing students at the 50th percentile. Scores in 2024 compared to 2005 were not significantly different for higher-performing students at the 75th and 90th percentiles. In 2024, 22% of twelfth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in mathematics, which was 2 percentage points lower compared to 2019 and not significantly different from the percentage in 2005.

Over the last 10 years, substance use has generally declined nationally among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders These same data indicated that as of 2023, school-aged children more commonly reported using drugs or alcohol than tobacco. Most states and territories (45 of 56) the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) surveyed required public schools to teach about at least two substances in grades K-12, with 39 states and territories teaching about all three (tobacco, alcohol, and drugs) in school year 2024–2025. Of the remaining 11 states and territories that responded to the survey, six did not have requirements for specific substances but had or were developing requirements that public schools teach about how substance use can affect students’ health in grades K-12. The other five did not require public schools to teach about substance use prevention. Overall, 28 states and territories reported that they provided information to school districts about evidence-based substance use prevention programs on state websites, according to GAO’s survey. For example, New York maintains a list of evidence-based substance use prevention programs appropriate for different age ranges that schools and others can use, according to officials from the state’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports. The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office of National Drug Control Policy administer grant programs that can be used to support substance use prevention activities in public schools. For example, HHS’s Substance Use Block Grant requires states to spend a minimum of 20% of their funding for substance use prevention activities, which can include school-based strategies.

In 2023, Fresno Unified School District launched a literacy initiative called Every Child is a Reader to ensure that every student in California’s third-largest school district learns how to read by the end of first grade. The district occupies a position of significant influence in a state that has long been at the crossroads of language, literacy, and multilingual education. More than 20% of the district’s 70,000 students are multilingual learners and more than 14% are students with individualized education plans (IEPs). Early literacy is a critical component of a strong academic foundation, which is a vital factor in long-term social and economic mobility. After two years, every grade in K–2 across the Fresno High Region has seen significant growth in early literacy. What’s more, that growth has accelerated over the two-year period. The gains achieved in the 2024–25 school year outpaced gains from the year before. For example, only 7% of first-grade students started the school year on grade level in both 2023–24 and 2024–25. By the end of Year 1, 43% of first graders were on or above grade level. By the end of Year 2, that number of first graders on or above grade level rose even higher to 52%. First graders in the Fresno High Region also experienced larger gains from fall to spring than other first graders across the district on average (+45 percentage points compared to +40 percentage points). The sustained and thorough implementation of literacy principles emerging from this collaboration resulted in significant impact in a short period of time.

Universities and colleges are data-rich environments. They’re also people-rich environments. Yet campus systems too often lack the design and connective tissue to empower people—students, faculty and staff—with the data and information they need when they need it. Streamlining information technology (IT) systems is a significant undertaking that requires coordinated work that goes far beyond central IT desks. It’s a multi-step process requiring the careful management of change and discrete, interconnecting projects. Staff members have limited capacity and can only transform an institution that works with them—and where they enjoy the clear support of leadership. Smarter campus systems provide immediate benefits to staff members and modern learners, and can also lead to a more innovative, efficient and futureproof institution. And when systems integration is accompanied by more robust and effective IT and data governance, it can better protect users’ privacy, fortify cybersecurity and supercharge the student experience, while paving the way for the adoption of productivity-boosting AI technologies.

Large states like California, Texas, and Florida almost always rank at the top of business lists because of the sheer size of their populations. But their business output in relation to their population size is often dwarfed by smaller states. In 2022, for example, Louisiana ranked 25th by population but number one in value of manufacturing shipments (revenue) per capita while Florida — the nation’s third most populous state — was in the bottom five. Louisiana ranked first at $59,217 per capita in revenue, fueled by its Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing. California, the most populous state, ranked 32nd ($16,763) per capita, predominantly due to its Food Manufacturing and Chemical Manufacturing subsectors. Indiana, the 17th largest by population, ranked second ($48,757), and Kentucky, 26th in population, ranked fifth ($36,999) in revenue, both driven by their Transportation Equipment Manufacturing. Iowa, 31st in population, was third in manufacturing revenue ($46,745) and Nebraska, 37th most populous, was fourth ($38,001) due to their Food Manufacturing. Texas, ranked 2nd in population, was 17th per capita in manufacturing revenue ($26,832) due to the state’s large Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing subsector.

The share of couples without any joint bank accounts rose by more than half, from 15% in 1996 to 23% in 2023. While still common, the share of spouses with joint bank accounts also declined. In 2023, 77% of householder married couples who owned any assets at financial institutions — such as checking, savings, money market or certificate of deposit accounts — held at least one type of account jointly with their spouse, down from 85% in 1996. In the survey, a householder is a person in a household who owns or rents the housing unit and is named on the deed or lease. Among couples with joint accounts, a growing share also used individual accounts. In 1996, just over half (53%) of couples held all their bank accounts jointly, compared to only 40% in 2023. During the same period, the share of couples with both joint and separate accounts rose from 9% to 17%. Couples with a mix of joint and solo accounts made up about half (49%) of all joint account holders in 2023, up from 37% in 1996. Marrying later – when finances are already established – may explain why fewer couples are merging accounts. In 1996, the median age at first marriage was 24.8 years for women and 27.1 years for men. By 2023, these ages had climbed to 28.4 and 30.2 years, respectively.Individual bank accounts were more common among couples who married later.

In this brief, the research team examines the extent to which working-age adults and their families lost Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in 2024 because of challenges with the eligibility recertification process. Drawing on nationally representative survey data, the research team finds that paperwork burdens were common, with one in eight working-age adults in families receiving SNAP reporting that their benefits were stopped or interrupted because they were unable to recertify their eligibility on time. This was a more common reason for losing benefits than being determined ineligible. Reduction and loss of SNAP benefits are associated with increased household food insecurity and worse health. In December 2024, nearly one in four adults ages 18 to 64 in families receiving SNAP (24%) reported that their benefits were stopped or interrupted during the last year. This share included one in eight adults (13%) who lost benefits because of problems recertifying their eligibility on time and one in twelve adults (8%) who were told they were no longer eligible. The most common reasons for benefit loss because of recertification challenges included not having enough time to recertify after getting a notice (40%) or not receiving a notice from the state (32%). Adults were more likely to experience benefit interruptions if they were working, living with children, or in younger age groups. The upcoming expansion of SNAP work requirements and increased administrative pressures for states are expected to increase the risk of benefit loss for families nationwide.

In 2023, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, with no change in ranking since 2021. At younger ages, suicide has a higher rank as a leading cause of death. Suicide was the second leading cause of death in 2023 for people ages 10–14, 15–24, and 25–44. This report provides final 2023 mortality rates for suicide and shows changes in rates by age group, sex, and state of residency between 2022 and 2023. Key findings include that the overall age-adjusted suicide rate increased from 2003 to 2018 but did not significantly change between 2018 (14.2 deaths per 100,000 standard population) and 2023 (14.1). The suicide rate increased for females age 75 and older from 2022 (4.6) to 2023 (5.1). The suicide rate decreased for males age 75 and older from 2022 (43.9) to 2023 (40.7). From 2022 to 2023, the age-adjusted suicide rate significantly changed for five states: increasing for Arkansas and decreasing for North Dakota, Iowa, Connecticut, and Arizona.

Across the world, men consume more alcohol and experience more alcohol-related harm from their own drinking than women. Men’s alcohol use also results in more harm to others, including harm to women and children. However, relatively few studies have focused on the scope and impacts that men’s harmful alcohol use may cause other people, and few studies or policies specifically address harms that women and children experience because of men’s alcohol use. Drawing on three recent reviews of the literature covering harm to women, harm to children, and policy options for reducing harmful drinking by men, the research team has synthesized the evidence to inform future alcohol, health, and social policy implementation; service and response system development; and directions for research. Findings suggest possible system changes to continue advancement toward health and well-being for women and children around the world. This landmark evidence review emphasizes the often-overlooked harms men’s alcohol use inflicts on women and children worldwide, calling for bold, gender-responsive policy action and rapid change to advance health, safety, and equality for families and communities everywhere.

Mental health is an important part of overall health, yet many Medicare beneficiaries with depression and anxiety face challenges affording needed care. Using nationally representative data, this report examines the prevalence of diagnosed and probable but undiagnosed depression and anxiety among people with Medicare. It also analyzes out-of-pocket spending, cost-related barriers to care, and policy options to address affordability challenges for this population. Nearly one in three people with traditional Medicare (32%) —almost 10 million individuals—were diagnosed with or reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both in 2021–22. Of this group, 84% were diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety by a health care professional; 16% were not diagnosed but screened positive for symptoms (“probable” conditions).Subgroups of Medicare beneficiaries who were more likely to have diagnosed or probable conditions include those under age 65 (59%), in fair/poor health (57%), and dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid (55%). Medicare beneficiaries with diagnosed or probable depression/anxiety spent $4,203 out of pocket annually for health care services and prescription drugs vs. $3,058 among those without these conditions. Medicare beneficiaries with diagnosed or probable depression and/or anxiety were more than twice as likely to have cost-related problems getting care than those without these conditions (14% vs. 6%). Medicare beneficiaries with probable but undiagnosed depression and/or anxiety were twice as likely to face cost-related barriers than those with a diagnosis (24% vs. 12%).