It is back-to-school time, and health experts are offering tips about improving children's physical and mental well-being.

The advice comes amid a recent global increase in anxiety and other behavioral health issues among kids. In Virginia, about one in five children have had a major depressive episode, according to a 2023 report.

Dr. Tierra Oseji, a pediatrician for Permanente Medicine, said social media use is a major factor in these trends and suggests finding ways to limit the time kids spend using it.

"The use of screen is a privilege and it's not a default," Oseji asserted. "It should be considered after chores are done. After family time has occurred over dinner. After we've done outdoor play."

For children aged 13-17, 95% report using some form of social media. Oseji also suggested deactivating apps while learning and using parental control locks to limit screen time. Gov. Glenn Youngkin has asked Virginia school districts to look for ways to restrict cellphones in classrooms.

Beyond screen time, experts said it is important to keep up with nutrition, dental hygiene and physical checkups.

Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer and executive vice president of UnitedHealthcare Employer and Individual, said having a routine like a good night's sleep and a sit-down meal can be beneficial.

"All of those things around consistency help your child feel more confident and secure and stable and also promote their health," Randall explained.

She suggested booking health checkups soon, as physicians are often busy this time of year. Virginia faces a shortage of doctors, nurses, psychiatrists and other health care workers.

Economic opportunities will favor workers with higher levels of education, according to a new report.

Researchers found 85% of good jobs will go to people with bachelor's degrees or other forms of postsecondary training by 2031.

Artem Gulish, senior federal policy adviser for the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce and the report's author, said even traditional blue-collar work, such as construction, will increasingly require apprenticeships or courses in fields like machinery and tech.

"While those jobs are going to be growing in part because of the infrastructure investments that the federal government and state governments have been making in recent years, those opportunities are going to be shifting to mental skills," Gulish pointed out.

Gulish noted a good job pays a minimum of $43,000 a year for workers between ages 25 and 44. He said over time it will be more challenging for those with only high school degrees to earn the same salary. About 40% of Virginia residents have a bachelor's degree or higher, which ranks it in the top 10 states in the country.

In general, college enrollment of young people is actually declining, especially among men. Gulish acknowledged the future labor market is not set in stone, especially as technologies such as artificial intelligence keep evolving. But having a postsecondary degree will often make you more employable.

"We see that the future is not going to look like the present," Gulish emphasized. "Having that ability to adapt and learn and upskill and re-skill and pick up new skills will definitely be beneficial."

Georgetown's report found there will be more good jobs on the market by 2031 compared to now, partly because policymakers are facing pressure to deliver higher job quality rather than just lower unemployment.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


get more stories like this via email

The Every Library Institute has just released a report contending the Republican Party's conservative agenda outlined in the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 takes aim at places where students can read, discover, and explore.

Conservatives call it a matter of accountability. Montana's public libraries hold almost 4.5 million items and the state library association said people visit an average of 4.5 times during the year.

Peter Bromberg, associate director of the Every Library Institute, said Project 2025, a 900-page strategy to overhaul the federal government, would take direct aim at libraries and the people who work there.

"Librarians and teachers are highly trusted and well known and well-loved in their communities," Bromberg pointed out. "It's really kind of a shocking and extreme attempt to twist our democratic society and our institutions into more of a totalitarian theocracy."

Republicans have said librarians need more accountability for what is on their shelves. A bill in Alabama, which would have criminalized librarians for allowing content defined as "obscene," narrowly missed becoming law this year. A similar measure has already been filed for next session.

Bromberg noted Project 2025 promotes book bans, restricts LGBTQ+ content and undermines the intellectual freedom and the inclusivity libraries are known for. He added it would ultimately threaten a student's educational quality and could presage the end of libraries serving as open and inclusive spaces for people who want to learn, especially when it comes to book bans.

"That's the bad news," Bromberg explained. "The good news is Americans are increasingly becoming aware of what's happening and organizing. And it doesn't often take very much in terms of organizing and pushback on -- whether it's school boards or county councils -- to get the books back on the shelves."

Project 2025 goes well beyond libraries. It would reshape the federal government and consolidate executive power should Donald Trump win this year's presidential election.


get more stories like this via email

Educators in Massachusetts say the MCAS high school graduation requirement is disproportionately affecting English language learners, the fastest growing student population in the state.

Failure to pass the required English, math and science tests means students do not receive a diploma, which can limit future college and career opportunities.

Kellie Jones, director of bilingual education for Brockton Public Schools, called it a barrier to students' civil rights.

"They're being identified as failures by the state," Jones contended. "I don't see English language learners as failures."

Jones noted a proposed ballot initiative for November would ask voters to keep the tests in place but allow students who fail to still receive a diploma if they have passed their required courses. Opponents of the measure, including Gov. Maura Healy, argued it would lead to a lack of uniform standards statewide.

Massachusetts is one of only eight states still requiring students to pass a standardized test to earn a diploma. Roughly 700 students fail each year and the vast majority are English learners and students with disabilities. Many have had their education experiences interrupted and face housing and food insecurity.

Jones pointed out their MCAS scores fail to reflect the challenge of mastering a new language as well as academic content on a limited timeline.

"If the students are not yet proficient in English, they may not have an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge on this assessment," Jones explained.

Jones added there is a critical shortage of qualified teachers to handle the influx of English learners who have arrived over the past year. A report from the Annenberg Institute notes the number of students who never pass the MCAS is likely to increase as more arrive and a higher passing threshold for the English test takes effect in 2026.