COLLEGE STATION, Tx – The pandemic upended normal college life causing mental-health challenges that are now being studied at Texas A&M University for their prevalence and severity. Students participating in a research project have been fitted with a smartwatch, or what researchers call a “wearable continuous monitoring tool.” Assistant Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering Farzan Sasangohar […]Read More
AUSTIN – Starting the school year off on the right foot has probably never been more important as Texas kids return to classrooms. New research found students are an average of four to five months behind in their learning due to the pandemic. It also showed the hardest-hit students include those living in poverty and children […]Read More
Texas A&M University’s new president M. Katherine Banks said this spring that she anticipated a “fall [semester] of joy” when the university reopens after 15 months of lockdowns and remote learning. She wasn’t alone. As coronavirus case numbers dropped throughout the spring, higher education leaders across the state excitedly announced the return of in-person classes, […]Read More
AUSTIN – Texas is one of only three states to automatically treat 17-year-olds as adults when they are arrested, and the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition said that can often lead to a lifetime of involvement with the justice system. Since 2007, advocates to “Raise the Age” have encouraged state policymakers to change laws, so teens […]Read More
AUSTIN – One million, or 13%, of Texas children went without health insurance in 2019, a significantly higher number than the national average of 6%. The information comes from the 2021 Kids Count Data Book produced by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and shows the number is even higher for Hispanic children at 17%. Amy Knop-Narbutis, […]Read More
HOUSTON – News this week about a breakthrough treatment for Alzheimer’s disease is getting mixed reactions from some researchers, including in Texas. The drug attempts to treat a possible cause of the neurodegenerative disease, rather than only treating the symptoms. Dr. George Perry, professor and Semmes Foundation Distinguished University Chair in Neurobiology at the University of […]Read More
AUSTIN – West Texans who support the Biden administration’s commitment to conserve 30% of the nation’s lands, waters and ocean by 2030 want this to be the year Castner Range is declared a national monument. Ángel Peña, executive director of the Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project, said the area’s status should be elevated to protect its […]Read More
AUSTIN – Many folks have acknowledged dealing with more anxiety since the pandemic hit. But even before that, seniors were experiencing increased mental and behavioral health challenges, according to a new report. The annual report from the UnitedHealth Foundation found that between 2016 and 2019, people age 65 and older have seen increases in drug-related deaths, […]Read More
AUSTIN – When Michael Hinojosa was a government teacher, he encouraged students to read and study various sources from multiple perspectives, but a bill being considered by the Texas Legislature would discourage that approach. House Bill 3979 would ban Texas schools from requiring that teachers discuss controversial events or difficult social issues in the classroom. Hinojosa, […]Read More
AUSTIN – Community colleges offering apprenticeship programs are poised to get a $12 billion boost from President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan. In Congress, members of both parties have expressed support for targeting funds for community college-based apprenticeship programs – typically used to train workers on the job, allowing a person to earn wages while also […]Read More