Society News
The Absenteeism Spike That Never Ended
Chronic absence roughly doubled after the pandemic to affect more than a quarter of U.S. students, and the recovery, now five years on, remains far behind the slide.
Sofia Lindqvist · May 2, 2026
Society News
Current developments in labor and social policy logged with dates: wage floor changes, leave entitlements, strike ballots and settlements, inspection penalties and employment rulings. Each entry states who is covered and from when. Useful to employers, union representatives and benefits administrators tracking obligations.
Society News
Eviction Data Rewrote the Housing Debate
Court-record tracking documented filings running above three million a year, concentrated among renters paying half their income for housing.
David Jordan · April 9, 2026
Society News
How to Read the Homelessness Count
HUD's point-in-time tally hit a record 771,000 people in January 2024, and the January 2026 count now underway will be graded against the housing decisions of the past two years.
David Jordan · March 17, 2026
Society News
Two Poverty Numbers, Two Different Americas
Every fall the Census Bureau releases the official poverty rate and the Supplemental Poverty Measure, and the distance between them is a document of what government programs actually do.
David Jordan · February 23, 2026
Society News
The Last Food-Insecurity Report: 13.7 Percent, Then Silence
USDA's October 2025 report found 18.3 million American households food insecure in 2024, and it will be the final one, because the department ended the survey that produced it.
David Jordan · January 31, 2026