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** RAND research and commentary on the issues that matter most
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Feb 10, 2022
In U.S. Schools, Concerns About Mental Health, Political Polarization, and More
In November, RAND surveyed school district leaders about problems facing America's schools. Their top three concerns: mental health, mental health, and mental health - of students, teachers, and principals, respectively.
Here are some other key findings:
* Three-quarters of district leaders said that political polarization about COVID-19 safety or vaccines was interfering with their ability to educate students.
* Forty-three percent said the same about polarization related to critical race theory.
* Compared with other school district leaders, roughly two to three times more leaders from urban districts, high-poverty districts, and districts serving mostly students of color expressed "major" concerns about declined enrollment and low student and teacher attendance.
To help ease the burden on educators and students, districts could consider creating contingency plans that reflect ongoing staff shortages; investigating alternative staffing arrangements; developing in-person school COVID-19 safety policies; and planning for future pandemics.
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How to Break the Cycle of Conflict with Russia
Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has encouraged former Soviet republics to distance themselves from Moscow and deepen ties with the West. According to RAND's Samuel Charap, this strategy may have worked too well. "Many former Soviet republics, and especially Ukraine, now want to join the Western camp - and Russia is prepared to go to war to stop them," he says. And until all parties involved agree to a new regional order, Russia's backyard will remain a flash point.
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What Satellite Images Reveal About China's Uyghur Population
When China kicked off the Winter Olympics in Beijing last week, it selected two athletes - one of whom is reportedly a Uyghur from the Xinjiang region - to light the Olympic cauldron. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, called this an attempt to "distract" from China's human rights abuses of the Uyghur people. Evidence from a recent RAND analysis of satellite data suggested that Uyghur detention camps - which Beijing claimed were closed - remained open and active.
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Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking: Final Report
The Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking was charged with developing a consensus on a strategic approach to combat the illegal flow of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids into the United States. RAND experts supported the commission in its research, analysis, and report writing. The commission's final report, released this week, identifies recommendations to address the overdose crisis, which claimed the lives of more than 100,000 Americans between June 2020 and May 2021.
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Preventing the Next Civilian Casualty Horror
Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued new guidance - informed by RAND research - to improve the military's procedures on preventing civilian harm. Our report emphasizes the need for institutional reforms, including devoting more resources, improved systems for managing data, and creating an infrastructure for learning. "Civilian protection should become the singular priority for a critical mass of people across the organization," the authors say.
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How Expanding the Child Tax Credit Tackled Child Poverty
Americans' incomes can vary a lot from month to month, causing many families to continually rise above and dip below the federal poverty level. Such income volatility can undermine the programs designed to help these families, says RAND's Kathryn Edwards. But the expanded child tax credit, which lapsed in December, accounted for this challenge. "It was uniquely well-designed to address the increasingly precarious economic reality that millions of Americans experience," she says.
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U.S. Strategic Competition with Russia
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** RAND in the News
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Synthetic Opioids Contribute to the Rising Rate of Drug Overdoses
NPR
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As Russia's Cyberattacks on Ukraine Mount, the Risk of Impact in Other Countries Rises
CNET
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U.S., South Korea and Japan to Discuss North Korea Following Missile Tests
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