DENVER -- Back to school for some can mean planting one last crop of vegetables in school gardens before the first frost arrives - and boosting student health, according to a Johns Hopkins University study on the benefits of urban agriculture.

Anne Palmer, report co-author and program director for the Food Communities and Public Health Program at Johns Hopkins said gardening helps kids learn where their food comes from and promotes environmental stewardship.

"I think that experience can be a really important piece of their education,” Palmer said. "There is a fair amount of evidence that when kids grow their own food, they're much more likely to try different foods, and that can lead to some healthier eating patterns overall."

Especially for kids living in urban areas, the process of watching worms in the soil, seeds sprouting into flowers visited by butterflies, and eventually harvesting food they can taste, makes life cycles real to students in ways that are hard to achieve in a classroom, Palmer said.

The report also suggested that access to gardens and other green spaces can lead to better mental health outcomes for kids and adults. Palmer said when vacant lots are converted into community gardens, it changes how people feel about their neighborhood - and their neighbors - and has been linked to reduced crime.

"I encourage people to put a seed in the ground. Growing our own food engages us in the world in a way that nothing else does,” Palmer urged. "And I think we should not discount the importance of staying connected to our natural world."

She acknowledged that urban agriculture alone won't solve all the challenges facing the nation's food system. But the report concluded that it can help reduce food insecurity, get fresh produce into low-income neighborhoods, minimize pesticides and limit pollution from transporting food across the country.

However, Palmer says it will require long-term support from local, state and federal governments.



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Chronic absenteeism rates in Michigan schools have significantly declined, yet researchers warn the state's rate overall remains alarmingly high.

"Chronic absenteeism" is when a student misses at least 10% of the school year.

Michigan's rate dropped from nearly 39% to slightly more than 30% in the 2022-23 school year, but it's still higher than the 20% recorded in 2018. Climate change and extreme weather are now seen as factors that fuel absenteeism.

Veteran first-grade teacher Janice Rackozy from Hamtramck shares how her students face challenges during bad weather.

"Lot of the kids, if it's too cold, they won't come to school. If it's too hot, they call weather days. So, it interrupts the learning," she said. "One good thing out of it, we began to go online and the kids got used to going online because of COVID."

However, learning gaps because of the pandemic haven't closed.

Rackozy said her district has been proactive in making sure school buildings are updated and well insulated so students feel comfortable and safe when at school.

Many educators credit Michigan's Top 10 Strategic Education Plan, at least in part, for the decline in school absenteeism. The plan details key goals and strategies for better educational outcomes throughout the state, including support for struggling schools and promoting safe and healthy school environments.

Frank Donner, an elementary teacher in Detroit, said he tells parents at the beginning of the school year that if they do nothing else, just make sure their child comes to class.

"If they're here, we're going to work with them, and we can do a lot, and they will do a lot," he said. "But for every day that the student's missing, they're missing instruction, and it's not just that individual student that's missing out. It's also disrupting then the learning and routines and procedures for the rest of the class."

Donner said chronic school absenteeism affects students and staff equally, and that it's as big an issue in rural communities as it is in big cities or suburbs.


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The start of a new year of school in Minnesota has a new twist: intense focus from national media and voters across the U.S.

With Gov. Tim Walz running for vice president, many are trying to measure his impact from the classroom to policy decisions. On the campaign trail, Gov. Walz has talked about his career as a public schoolteacher. On the governing side, his push to help adopt free school meals for all students has drawn attention.

Bob Ihrig, a retired social studies teacher from Mankato, is among some of Walz' former colleagues from Mankato West High School speaking out. He said Walz exceeded their expectations when they hired him.

"He's just an outstanding role model for any future teacher," Ihrig contended. "There's a lot of hope and inspiration with Tim Walz."

Ihrig suggested it could help make the profession appealing to younger generations amid teacher shortages. In politics, Walz maintains strong support from unions, including the American Federation of Teachers, for actions like a taking a hard stance against private school vouchers. His opponents argued he kept schools closed for too long during the pandemic, subsequently hurting student test scores.

Walz' supporters countered he took proper steps to keep everyone safe and his administration is committed to reducing learning gaps.

Aaron Miller, a current social studies teacher at Mankato West High School, said student performance is a complex issue, along with education funding. Under Walz, public schools have received a big boost but many districts still have tight budgets. Miller pointed out it could be a lot worse.

"That money that was thrown out really just kind of helped us kind of catch up a little bit," Miller explained. "Public school funding is a hornet's nest of people demanding certain things. And there are a lot of things to consider when you're going into it; property taxes."

Miller feels the perception of public schools is too steeped in "culture war" issues often pushed by conservative groups. While he does not agree with every policy move Walz has made, Miller stressed a renewed focus on the mission aligned with being a teacher should stay in the limelight much longer.

"We need our administrations, we need our state Department of Education, to do some things to help re-instill that sense of support and respect," Miller emphasized.

Classroom supplies are taking a toll on teachers in North Carolina.

A new survey showed despite earning around 5% less than they did a decade ago, North Carolina teachers are spending the fourth-highest amount in the country on school supplies.

Tamika Walker Kelly, president of the North Carolina Association of Educators, said teachers are dipping into their own pockets due to insufficient state funding for instructional materials.

"Educators in North Carolina are spending about $1,300 of their own money, $400 more than the national average," Walker Kelly pointed out. "We continue to see that rise amongst our educators here in the state. "

She noted the association is urging state legislators to invest in school supplies and reinstate the state's Tax Holiday to help teachers and parents save money. There have also been calls from Attorney General and Democratic nominee for governor Josh Stein to introduce a plan to reduce back-to-school costs.

Walker Kelly emphasized the rising expenses are coupled with low teacher salaries. North Carolina, currently ranked 38th in average teacher pay, is projected to drop to 41st by the 2024-25 school year, according to the National Education Association.

She contended financial pressures have led to staffing shortages, which ultimately affect students' learning experiences.

"We know that our state Legislature could make that investment," Walker Kelly asserted. "That's why we are continuing to advocate for that because we see record numbers of educators flee to South Carolina and to Virginia and to Georgia because of that $10,000 pay difference."

She also highlighted the issue of salary stagnation for veteran educators with 15 or more years of experience. The top salary on North Carolina's teacher pay scale is just over $61,000, which teachers reach after 25 years. Between years 15 and 24, there is no growth in pay, leaving veteran teachers without raises for nearly a decade.