Homeschooling in America shot up during the pandemic — and it appears to be here to stay.

🖼️ The big picture: Homeschooling is now the fastest-growing form of education in the U.S., Axios' Sareen Habeshian writes from a Washington Post analysis.

• The report, which covers more than 60% of the American school-age population, found that the increase in the number of homeschooled students — born from pandemic restrictions — continued through the 2022-23 school year.

🧮 By the numbers: There are an estimated 1.9 million to 2.7 million homeschooled students in the U.S., according to The Post.

• Reality check: While the number has grown, it still represents a single-digit percentage of U.S. students.

👀 Zoom in: Many families tried homeschooling after witnessing the flaws of pandemic-era virtual learning. They have found a slew of reasons for sticking with it:

• Families with kids with developmental disabilities are choosing homeschooling because schools aren't always able to meet their children's needs.
• Families of color and those with religious affiliations want to avoid bullying and racism.
• Parents also cite the increase in school shootings as a reason to keep their kids home.

Go deeper.

No one has seen an exact map of Hamas' network of tunnels beneath Gaza, and few Israeli soldiers have even gotten a look.

• But some photos and videos, and a smattering of firsthand accounts, paint a picture of the tunnel system which makes it so difficult to fight Hamas, The New York Times reports.

Axios Explains: What to know about the tunnel network.

Wegovy, one of Novo Nordisk's weight loss drugs, can cut the risk of serious heart problems — like heart attacks and strokes — in patients with heart disease by 20%, according to a study published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

• Why it matters: The results of the study, which included 17,500 people from 41 countries, could change the way doctors treat certain heart patients, AP reports.

What to watch: We've known that weight loss is connected to healthier hearts, but this research is the first to show that an obesity drug can reduce the risk of heart-related deaths in patients with heart disease.

• The findings could shift perceptions that this new class of pricey drugs are cosmetic treatments and put pressure on health insurers to cover them.

Go deeper.

Hindus around the world today are celebrating Diwali, the annual festival of lights.

Above: Devotees light earthen lamps on the banks of the Sarayu River in Ayodhya.

Below: A police dog in Kathmandu, Nepal, gets a treat. On the second day of Nepal's festival of lights, Tihar, Hindus worship and celebrate dogs as loyal companions.

Three and a half years after many companies sent their workers home due to COVID, telecommuting has demonstrated its staying power:

• Some 70% of people who can do their jobs remotely still choose to do so some or all days of the week, The New York Times reports.

Zoom in: Some studies and surveys have shown that remote work is chipping away at company culture and employee engagement.

• But job satisfaction among Americans is the highest it has been since the Conference Board began tracking 36 years ago — and it's especially high among teleworkers, The Times notes.

Go deeper: States where remote work is thriving

The AFC North continues to dominate the NFL, with a composite win percentage of 67%, about 15 points higher than the next division, AFC South.

Zoom in: Current AFC North division leaders Baltimore Ravens lead the league in rushing yards, and a top-five defense in passing yards.

• Despite ranking 30th in points per game and 29th in yards gained per game in the league, the Pittsburgh Steelers managed a 5-3 record, squeaking out victories in the 4th quarter.
• Losing star running back Nick Chubb hasn't slowed Cleveland down: The Browns still hold the sixth playoff spot with a defense that's allowed the fewest yards in the league.
• Even with a 1-3 start, the Cincinnati Bengals won four straight games, including a sweep of the NFC West.

If the season were to end today, all four AFC North teams would have most of the seven AFC playoff spots.

• NFL standings ... Share this story.

One of Mike's favorite awards shows of the year ... The Sammies! For innovators and leaders in U.S. government.

• The Partnership for Public Service hosted the 22nd annual Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals® at the Kennedy Center last month.

Why it matters: The winners show "innovation, strong leadership and a passion for public service" as federal employees.

🥁 The medalists:

• Federal Employee of the Year: Laura Cooper, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia
• Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Medal: Melissa Emrey-Arras from the GAO's Workforce and Income Security Team (Boston)
• Management Excellence: Paul Nissenbaum, Gloria Shepherd and Maria Lefevre of the Department of Transportation's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Implementation team
• Emerging Leaders: Fletcher Schoen and Jennifer Harkins of the State Department, who played integral roles in the release of 11 American prisoners wrongfully detained in Russia and Venezuela (presented by White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients)
• Safety, Security & International Affairs: Joshua Mellor of the Department of Justice, Nicholas Cheviron and Stephanie Stevens of the FBI, and the Operation Trojan Shield team (San Diego), which led a worldwide investigation using information from a government-controlled encrypted phone platform that resulted in the arrest of 1,000+ drug traffickers and members of organized crime syndicates.
• Science, Technology & Environment: Brian Key and Scott Bellamy of NASA (Huntsville, Ala.)., who managed the team that successfully redirected an asteroid.
• People's Choice Award: Megan Meacham, Allison Hutchings, Sarah O'Donnell and the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program Team from HHS (Rockville, Md.) ... YouTube

Meet the winners ... Nominate someone for 2024!

Law professors across the country are increasingly drawing on celebritydom to engage a new generation of students, AP reports.

• South Dakota law professor Sean Kammer is offering a legal writing course that focuses on Taylor Swift. A Swiftie himself, Kammer wanted to draw on music and art to help his students reconsider legal language and craft persuasive arguments.

Students in Moraima Ivory's class at Georgia State's law school heard directly from Rick Ross on the final day of a course that studies the legal intricacies of the rapper, record executive and Wingstop franchise owner.

• "We're talking about critical legal principles, but we're watching them as they happen and as they happened," Ivory said. "It really just turns that lightbulb on for law students."