Education - Observer News Group

Household Debt Reaches $18.2 Trillion as Student Loan Delinquencies Trigger Credit Score Plunge

by Stefi Mar | Jun 17, 2025 | Bakersfield, Education, Front Page, Los Angeles, Valleys | 0

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s latest Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit reveals a sharp rise in total household debt, reaching $18.20 trillion in the first quarter of 2025. While some categories of debt, such as credit card and auto loans, experienced modest declines, student loan balances jumped by $16 billion to $1.63 trillion, with a notable surge in delinquencies following the end of federal student loan payment protections.

New Research Highlights the State of Early Childhood Education

by Stefi Mar | May 13, 2025 | Bakersfield, Education | 0

A new analysis of state-funded early childhood education programs for three and four-year-olds shows that preschool investments across the United States are at an all-time high. However, the increases in funding and enrollment are skewed by a small number of states making progress — and quality remains highly uneven from state to state.

The Department of Education is Collecting Delinquent Student Loan Debt

by Stefi Mar | Apr 29, 2025 | Bakersfield, Education, Los Angeles, Valleys | 0

The Department of Education, which the Trump administration is working to abolish, will now serve as the collection agency for delinquent student loan debt for 5.3 million people who the administration says are delinquent and owe at least a year’s worth of student loan payments.

HillmanTok University: The Digital HBCU Revolutionizing Online Education

by Stefi Mar | Feb 11, 2025 | Bakersfield, Education, Education K-12, Front Page, Los Angeles, Valleys | 0

A snow day in Georgia and a viral TikTok video unexpectedly set the foundation for what is now HillmanTok University, a virtual learning institution that has captured the attention of millions. It all started when Dr. Leah Barlow, a professor at North Carolina A&T, posted a welcome video for her African American Studies class. What she intended for just 36 students reached nearly 4 million viewers, sparking a movement that sixth-grade teacher Cierra Hinton helped shape into something much bigger.

HBCUs In Jeopardy of Losing Funding for Black Cultural Studies

by Stefi Mar | Feb 4, 2025 | African Americans, Bakersfield, Education, Education K-12, Front Page, Los Angeles, School reformers, State & Local Politics, Urban News, Valleys | 0

“This is only the beginning of a long fight,” according to Democratic North Carolina Congresswoman Alma Adams. She is addressing the Executive Order to pause federal loans and grants. There is an overwhelming concern in the Historically Black College and University community that many key programs focused on race and equity will be impacted. Adams, a ranking member of a House Subcommittee on Higher Education and the Founder and Co-Chair of the Bicameral HBCU Caucus, issued a statement to Black Press USA once a federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump’s funding freeze. Adams, whose state houses 11 HBCUs, the largest number in any given state, believes, “President Trump is dismantling equity in education with the stroke of a pen by rescinding federal initiatives for MSIs.”

Harvard Under Fire for Slashing Slavery Initiative Staff as Black History Faces Nationwide Attacks

by Stefi Mar | Feb 4, 2025 | Bakersfield, Congress, Education, Features, Los Angeles, National Politics, Urban News, Valleys, White House | 0

Harvard University abruptly terminated staff contributing to the research component of its Slavery Remembrance Program on January 23, leaving employees without notice and sparking outrage about the institution’s commitment to its $100 million Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery Initiative. The decision comes during a national wave of setbacks to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) efforts, widespread layoffs of minority employees, and actions by states and schools to diminish the teaching of Black history.

On MLK Day, Wise Words about Education

by Stefi Mar | Jan 28, 2025 | Bakersfield, Education, Valleys, World & Nation | 0

As we mark Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we recall what he said about education: “The richest nation on Earth has never allocated enough resources to build sufficient schools, to compensate adequately its teachers, and to surround them with the prestige our work justifies. We squander funds on highways, on the frenetic pursuit of recreation, on the overabundance of overkill armament, but we pauperize education.”

A Day Without Child Care

by Stefi Mar | Dec 31, 2024 | Bakersfield, Education, Los Angeles, Valleys | 0

As we end the year, we look back at some of the important viewpoints about early childhood education shared during 2024. Here’s one from leaders in North Carolina that applies on a national level. On May 16, we will be closing our childcare centers for a day — signaling a crisis that could soon sweep across North Carolina, dismantling the very backbone of our economy: childcare. This one-day action, organized by a coalition of partners under Child Care for NC: United for Change, is not merely a protest; it’s a stark preview of the devastating impact awaiting us as federal pandemic-era funding ends.

2024 In Review: 7 Questions for the California Association of Black School Educators

by Stefi Mar | Dec 24, 2024 | Bakersfield, Education, Los Angeles, State, Valleys | 0

The California Association of Black School Educators (CABSE) is an organization consisting of elected and appointed school officials, administrators and instructors from across California who are committed to advancing equity for Black students.

Kern Education Justice Collaborative Sheds Light on Educational Equity Issues

by Stefi Mar | Nov 19, 2024 | Bakersfield, Education, Local | 0

Educational disparities in Kern County are funneling students into a pipeline that critics say disproportionately targets students of color, guiding them toward the justice system instead of higher education. This pervasive issue, often called the “school-to-prison pipeline,” was a focal point at the recent School Equity Leadership Summit hosted by the Kern Education Justice Collaborative (KEJC).

Move, Play and Learn at Home

by Stefi Mar | Nov 12, 2024 | Bakersfield, Education, Education K-12, Local, Los Angeles, Valleys | 0

SHAPE America (the Society of Health and Physical Educators) serves as the voice for 200,000+ health and physical education professionals across the United States and recognizes the importance of early childhood education. It suggests these activities to help teach families the importance of physical activity for young children. SHAPE America offers a variety of ideas, strategies, information, and resources for parents to use the space within their homes, the materials they have, and their limited time to model and encourage physical activity.

How Research Can Help Us Better Understand and Support Early Childhood Educators

by Stefi Mar | Nov 12, 2024 | Bakersfield, Education, Education K-12, Local, Los Angeles, Valleys | 0

Experts have highlighted research for many years that stresses how the most important part of education success relates to the quality of the teaching in the classroom. RAND reports that “When it comes to student performance on reading and math tests, teachers are estimated to have two to three times the effect of any other school factor, including services, facilities, and even leadership.” Quality teaching matters as much in early childhood education as it does in K-12 classrooms. In fact, the effort to better understand and support early childhood educators is growing.

Category: Education

Household Debt Reaches $18.2 Trillion as Student Loan Delinquencies Trigger Credit Score Plunge

New Research Highlights the State of Early Childhood Education

The Department of Education is Collecting Delinquent Student Loan Debt

HillmanTok University: The Digital HBCU Revolutionizing Online Education

HBCUs In Jeopardy of Losing Funding for Black Cultural Studies

Harvard Under Fire for Slashing Slavery Initiative Staff as Black History Faces Nationwide Attacks

On MLK Day, Wise Words about Education

A Day Without Child Care

2024 In Review: 7 Questions for the California Association of Black School Educators

Kern Education Justice Collaborative Sheds Light on Educational Equity Issues

Move, Play and Learn at Home

How Research Can Help Us Better Understand and Support Early Childhood Educators

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