Scandal and a schism rattle Atlanta’s schools
Did any school district in the country have a tougher week than the one in Atlanta? Criminal investigators began digging anew into accusations of widespread cheating on state…
Community Relations
At California school, parents force an overhaul
More than 250 parents in Compton are using a new state law to force a failing school to be taken over by a charter school operator, the first…
A former schools chief shapes her comeback
Michelle Rhee announced she would lead a new advocacy group, StudentsFirst, setting a highly ambitious target of raising $1 billion to promote “transformative reform,” primarily by backing laws…
Some retirees opting for campus life
Retirement communities, typically nestled near beaches or golf courses, are beginning to emerge somewhere else: on university campuses, reports the New York Times.
Free laptop with broadband access?
If you were offered a free laptop with broadband access, would you be willing to work for it… from home? That's the question now posed to economically &…
Wis. students chatted with gunman to keep him calm
Trapped in their classroom with a student gunman, a group of terrified Wisconsin high schoolers worked desperately to keep their captor calm by chatting and laughing with him…
Can a publisher run schools? The experts debate
Is it a sure thing that an expert manager in one field can succeed in another? The New York Times asked four prominent experts in business management what…
Opinion: Creating bipartisan education reform
The administration has an opportunity to show leadership and demonstrate a desire for bipartisan solutions with the new Congress by focusing on President Barack Obama’s American Graduation Initiative,…
The attention-span myth
Polemicists of various stripes continue to calibrate the effect of technology on attention spans, reports the New York Times.
Opinion: Teaching for America
The Education Department is the “epicenter of national security,” write Thomas Friedman, columnist for the New York Times.
Student body president in CA is illegal immigrant
The popular student body president at California State University, Fresno has publicly revealed a personal detail he long sought to keep secret: He is an illegal immigrant, says…
Minn. Catholic school deletes student editorials
Editorials in a Catholic prep school's student newspaper about same-sex marriage and gay teenagers are sparking debate about free speech in Minnesota, reports the Associated Press.
Questionable science behind academic rankings
For institutions that regularly make the Top 10, the autumn announcement of university rankings is an occasion for quiet self-congratulation, reports the New York Times.
Students, ed-tech company form extraordinary partnership
The educational search-engine firm netTrekker Inc. is part of a new initiative at one Ohio high school not only to spur community support for education, but also to…
Title IX complaints filed for 12 school districts
The National Women's Law Center filed complaints against 12 school districts Wednesday alleging they failed to offer equal opportunities for female athletes, reports the Associated Press.
Ten steps for better media literacy skills
A new white paper from Temple University's Media Education Lab gives policy makers and education leaders a detailed plan to boost media literacy skills in their communities.
Teacher’s death exposes tensions in Los Angeles
The value-added assessments of teachers--which use improvements in student test scores to evaluate teacher effectiveness--has grown in popularity across the country with support from the federal Department of…
Four longtime state education leaders receive national honor
State education leaders from Colorado, Florida, Utah and West Virginia are the recipients of the 2010 Distinguished Service Award by the National Association of State Boards of Education…
Number of ed civil rights complaints on the rise
The Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights received nearly 7,000 complaints this fiscal year, an 11 percent increase and the largest jump in at least 10 years,…
Five questions–and answers–about Facebook Groups
Another week, another Facebook controversy — this time, over the site’s just-relaunched "Groups" feature, which lets you create instant private or public spaces for your friends, co-workers, fellow…
Students sing the stories they see in the news
Middle school is an unlikely launching pad to musical superstardom, but a group of politically aware students at Charles Carroll Middle School might have rocketed ahead of the…
How to avoid committing social media gaffes
With social media use nearly universal, school districts need to develop guidelines to help employees navigate this new terrain successfully. Here are some tips to avoid committing major…
What schools can learn from charters about teaching English language learners
As charter schools become testing grounds for innovative approaches to education, many of these schools with high English language learner (ELL) and Latino enrollments are identifying best practices…
Cutting class soon could cost teens driver’s licenses
The Clark County, Nev., School Board on Aug. 4 will discuss whether to push for a new state law that will link driving to school work, reports the…
Teacher innovation gets royal treatment
In what could be called a 21st-century teachers' fair, Microsoft chose a select group of educators to participate in the company’s annual Innovative Education Forum (IEF)—a showcase of…
Once a leader, U.S. lags in college degrees
Adding to a drumbeat of concern about the nation’s dismal college-completion rates, the College Board warned July 22 that the growing gap between the United States and other…
Technology a key tool in writing instruction
While there are still many obstacles facing teachers in implementing technology, teachers play a critical role in driving the use of technology to teach writing, says a recent…
NYC schools to deploy free eMail, collaboration tools
In what could be a huge sign of change in how students learn, New York City Public Schools has begun implementation of communication and collaboration software from ePals…
Teachers’ union shuns Obama aides at convention
In a sign of the Obama administration’s strained relations with two of its most powerful political allies, no federal official was scheduled to speak at either convention this…
Senior-student mentoring can be a win-win
Effectively pairing senior volunteers with students is one of the big win-win opportunities in virtually every community in the country, says U.S. News and World Report.
Technology brings new role to public libraries
Tucked under a public library computer keyboard was an anonymous note: "Thank you for helping me get a job." The paper scrap turned up at downtown Baltimore's Enoch…
Obama to announce broadband grants to spur jobs
U.S. President Barack Obama is slated to announce on July 2 nearly $800 million in loans and grants for the build-out of broadband networks to reach homes, schools,…
Microsoft’s Imagine Cup aims to inspire creativity
As the world's best soccer players battle for the World Cup in South Africa, an elite group of student engineers will gather in Poland from July 3-8 to…
Online pornography closer to .xxx web address
An online red-light district soon could flourish under a new .xxx internet address that backers say could help computers filter porn sites, reports the Associated Press.
Wanted: Young cyber experts to defend internet
Nationwide campaigns to steer youthful techies into careers defending the internet are gaining steam, USA Today reports.
Online comic strip hopes to improve girls’ health
In a preliminary study a few years back, researchers found that an educational, online comic strip geared toward 8- to 10-year-old black girls helped them eat better and…
A best friend? You must be kidding
Traditional best-friend bonds might be suffering at the hands of school officials intent on discouraging anything that hints of exclusivity in an era when cliques can lead to…
How colleges can drive traffic to their web sites
Digital marketing guru Karine Joly told a group of college technology officials that it’s time for them to stop relying on gut instincts when devising ways to increase…
Job outlook brightens for new grads–just barely
To get a sense of the job market new college graduates face, consider the latest crop of nurses from Santa Rosa Junior College. Just eight of the 55…
Swiss solar innovator wins Millennium Technology prize
The inventor of a low-cost solar cell that could be used to build electricity generating windows has been awarded this year's Millennium Technology Prize, BBC News reports.