Anya Kamenetz

More states run by Democratic governors have announced plans to ease masking policies, including in schools. But the federal government is still urging caution.

A long-term study of a statewide preschool program tracked students through the sixth grade and found those who attended prekindergarten falling behind.

New Jersey's governor is calling for a return to "normal" as the state's COVID cases start to fall. As of the second week of March, students and school staff will no longer be required to wear masks.

A new poll from the nation's largest teachers union finds burnout is widespread, and more educators say they're thinking about leaving.

Should we put KN95 masks on children or take all masks off? A new camp of parents, doctors and advocates who are pro-vaccine but against mask mandates for children is getting louder.

While issues around masking remain polarized, there are growing calls for a post-omicron off-ramp for kids and masks.

A health communications expert has developed a free online course to help people talk to those who are vaccine hesitant — and to fight misinformation with empathy.

The people who take care of and educate children under 5 years old, who are too young to be vaccinated, are in a special kind of hell right now.

Children under 5 are still too young to be vaccinated for COVID-19, and that is leading to a lot of stress and disruption among their parents and their caregivers.

Thousands of schools around the country have once again shifted to remote learning as COVID cases rise. It's taking a huge toll on children.

Schools are just starting to get regular access to testing; teachers are still paying out of pocket for masks and air purifiers; and qualified substitutes and bus drivers can be hard to find.

As coronavirus cases and pediatric hospitalizations surge in the U.S., the majority of U.S. schools are staying open for in-person learning.

School leaders say the pressures of the pandemic had already made this school year the most challenging of their lives. Then came the omicron variant.

A new report from UNESCO estimates the potential lifetime earnings lost to the world's children due to school closings. But there are ways to prevent this from happening.

Closures from COVID-19 have affected 1.6 billion children worldwide. Nearly two years into the pandemic, experts say the economic costs are in the trillions and the social costs are incalculable.

New federal numbers show the nation's schools are hiring and training staff and expanding previous curricula to address student mental health.

After school "learning hubs" are helping some high school students in North Carolina catch up on academic time lost due to COVID — and stay on track for graduation.

The CDC is updating its guidance after studies show "test to stay" policies can keep more children in school without spreading the coronavirus.

The declines many school districts reported last year have continued, an NPR investigation finds. What educators don't know is where those students have gone.

School districts around the country have been announcing extra days off this fall to address staff shortages and mental health. For some families, the unpredictable schedule feels like a betrayal.