A Recap of This Week’s Top News – November 10, 2023

Changes to policy, scientific discovery, and expert recommendations and opinions all have the power to rapidly influence the landscape of a sector. Whether you’re a leader at a non-profit, a member of a university’s marketing department, or a stakeholder for a public health agency, being informed about the latest industry happenings can be the difference between exceeding and falling short of organizational goals. At Hager Sharp, our experts vigorously scan media coverage to identify areas of opportunity. And now, with the introduction of the Sharp Round-Up, you too can review what we consider to be some of the top news of the week.

Below you will find a compilation of news spanning the health and education, labor, and economy sectors. This list includes mainstream, DC-focused, and trade publication coverage from Saturday, November 4, to Friday, November 10. Let these clips serve as a resource when developing thoughtful strategies and use them to further foster organizational innovation and adaptability.

Here’s what you need to know.

Education News:

• Chronic absenteeism continues to plague students across the country following the COVID-19 pandemic. A new story in The 74 Million delves into the factors that are perpetuating the issue at hand, including worsening mental health, remote learning, and absenteeism in teachers.
• New data published this week by the National Center for Education Statistics revealed that the number of students participating in summer academic programs or after school remedial or enrichment activities has declined in the last school year.
• A recent report by the Brookings Institution is claiming that the Supreme Court’s recent decision to ban race-based admissions in the United States will “not affect admissions at most colleges and universities,” according to an article by Inside Higher Ed. The article’s claim comes from the fact that the decision only affects universities that used affirmative action prior to the decision—which mostly applies to highly selective universities.

Health News:

• With the Thanksgiving holiday rapidly approaching, health officials are recommending that those who haven’t received their flu and/or COVID-19 shots get them before joining their family for celebrations. According to an article by CBS News, the CDC is expecting the winter season to bring more cases of the flu, COVID, and RSV—all of which could be combatted by increased vaccination rates. Similarly, a Kaiser Family Foundation article notes that experts are recommending that infants under 6 months old or with underlying medical conditions receive the new RSV shot to protect them.
• Black children are historically underdiagnosed for ADHD, signifying a “deepening inequity for Black children, and especially Black males,” said a CBS News story on the topic. Children who don’t receive treatment of ADHD through therapy and/or medication are at risk of facing more difficulty later in life, including drug addiction and self-harm, said the story. In order to address the problem, experts cite culturally sensitive screening as a necessary part of the diagnosis.
• Two recent studies found that regular marijuana use may have a link to heart attacks. The data reflected a 34 percent increase of daily users developing some sort of heart failure, said an article by The Hill.