IOWAWATCH COLLABORATION BLOOMFIELD, Iowa - America s rural population decline has been well-documented, with more people flocking to urban centers. But a report in Iowa says that isn t happening in all small towns. Iowa Watch, a collaborative investigative news group, reviewed nearly 60 towns of 5,000 or fewer people. .
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - American kids are returning to school an average of four to five months behind in their learning, according to a new study. Groups that support children s well-being have said the pandemic has exacerbated the disparities in education that have existed for years. .
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - American kids are returning to school an average of four to five months behind in their learning, according to a new study, and it s worse for low-income students and students of color who on average are five to seven months behind. Save the Children is among the nonprofits trying to help students across the country catch up. .
PIERRE, S.D. - South Dakota lawmakers tasked with redrawing the state s legislative boundaries will soon meet following the release of census data used for the maps. A nonpartisan group says the current process allows for gerrymandering, and hopes to prompt a major change. .
MS MAGAZINE COLLABORATION By Katie Fleischer for Ms. Magazine Broadcast version by Lily Böhlke for North Carolina News Service/Public News Service While the pandemic didn t start economic inequalities in the United States, it s certainly responsible for exacerbating them, including race and gender disparities in unemployment, working conditions and poverty levels. Almost two-thirds of Americans have been living paycheck to paycheck during the pandemic, and women have been forced to bear the brunt of additional challenges like child care and other domestic work that limit their ability to work outside the home. .