Weekly Media Roundup: September 2, 2026

3 Things Districts Need to Know About the $17B Meta Social Media Settlement, K-12 Dive

On August 26, Meta announced a $17 billion settlement with 52 states and territories in a lawsuit that alleged the social media company illegally collected youth data and misled the public about the safety of its platforms. Youth advocates are urging states to use the settlement funds to invest in programs that help address the harms of screen addiction by helping students find connection, belonging and engagement in “real life.” Several state leaders mentioned afterschool and summer programs as potential uses of the funds in their comments on the settlement. “We encourage all states to use some of this settlement money to fund these essential programs, which give children and youth alternatives to screens and access to the real-life experiences they need to thrive,” Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant told K-12 Dive.

State Readjusts Childcare Assistance After Complaints About Rate Change, but Concerns Remain, KOTA (South Dakota)

A recent change to South Dakota’s Child Care Assistance payment system sparked concern among Sioux Falls families and afterschool providers after many families faced reductions of as much as 80% or more in monthly assistance. The state later adjusted payments for urban afterschool programs, offering three payment tiers based on hours enrolled, but providers say the overall payment model still does not reflect the true cost of care and that more support is needed for these critical programs. “If kids are going to an afterschool program, their grades will be higher, their self-esteem will be higher, their reading scores and math scores — everything we want for a child is going to improve,” Billy Mawhiney, South Dakota Afterschool Network Executive Director and an Afterschool Ambassador for the Afterschool Alliance, told KOTA. “The better opportunity, more affordability and more access we can get for afterschool care, the more South Dakota kids will have access to a better life.”

The Ocean Reef Community Foundation Just Awarded $60,000 To Miami Youth for Christ’s City Life KIX Program, Miami’s Community News (Florida)

For the 14th consecutive year, the Ocean Reef Community Foundation is providing financial support to Youth for Christ Miami and Broward’s City Life: KIX, an Indigenous leaders program that helps young people in West Homestead, Florida develop leadership, workplace and life skills. With this year’s $60,000 donation, the program will continue its afterschool program for younger students as well as its mentorship program for older participants to give back to the program and community. “What is encouraging to me is not only are we meeting many needs of children, but we are also seeing young adult leaders rise up to, in turn, guide and nurture the very same groups of youth they were once a part of,” Stacy Morales, the founder of City Life KIX, told Miami’s Community News.

Student Athlete of the Week: Semaj Morgan, Los Angeles Sentinel (California)

Semaj Morgan, senior wide receiver at the University of California, Los Angeles, gives back to his community by using funds earned through his name, image and likeness to invest in afterschool programs and wraparound supports in his native Detroit, Michigan. This summer, the Semaj J. Morgan Foundation funded the Summer Discovery program, which provided summer activities ranging from STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) to podcasting for about 250 students across four sites. Morgan told the Los Angeles Sentinel his philanthropy is inspired by Curtis Blackwell, his youth coach and an Afterschool Ambassador with the Afterschool Alliance. “He did the same thing for us. He took us on seven-on-seven trips; he took us to play the best competition,” Morgan told the paper. “He gave us a whole lot of gear. I like to give the kids gear.”