Education News

Why subsidize wealthy college kids?

Published 03/09/2010 11:50 AM

I mentor a student who is a senior in a low-performing high school. About 50 percent of the students at his school drop out, while less than 25 percent go to college. His parents didn't graduate from high school, and his father earns about $14,000 a year. His grade point average is good enough to qualify him for admission at a few University of California schools.

Why we protest education cuts

Published 03/05/2010 11:15 AM

Today, in California and other states across the nation, students, teachers, faculty and workers have been protesting, striking, walking out of classes and staging sit-ins and teach-ins. They are protesting budget cuts, tuition hikes, compensation reductions, layoffs and privatizations affecting public K-12 schools and universities.

CNN Fact Check: How do California's hikes in college costs stack up?

Published 03/04/2010 06:52 PM

Students and college professors in California and around the country protested Thursday over the drastic cuts imposed on cash-strapped state colleges and universities.

Contest win fuels fierce debate over race

Published 03/02/2010 05:34 PM

What does it mean when a white sorority wins a competition that African-American fraternities and sororities not only created but also consider an essential part of their cultural expression? It means an uncomfortable discussion about race, history, culture and inclusivity that is not black and white.

Obama highlights federal funds to lower high school dropout rate

Published 03/01/2010 02:49 PM

President Obama highlighted stronger federal efforts Monday to help lower a high school dropout rate that, according to the president, is undermining America's future economic potential.

Public college tuitions spike 15%, even 30%

Published 02/24/2010 01:42 PM

Tuition at many public colleges and universities is skyrocketing, thanks to state budget deficits that have choked off funding for higher education.

Ohio State is No. 1 - in president's pay

Published 01/18/2010 03:57 PM

Ohio State University is No. 1 again, but not in football or basketball. For the second year in a row, the school's president was the highest paid public university executive in the United States, according to a study published Monday.

Nursing crisis looms as baby boomers age

Published 12/23/2009 05:18 PM

America could be facing a nursing shortage that will worsen exponentially as the population grows older.

Primary care shortages hitting communities hard

Published 12/13/2009 10:33 AM

Her bedside manner is comforting, the questions to the point.

Get a green job in two years

Published 11/17/2009 08:07 AM

Community colleges have long held second-class-citizen status in the world of higher education. But they've suddenly become top tier when it comes to one important thing: training for new green-economy jobs.

Give Obama A+ for school reform ideas

Published 11/06/2009 11:53 AM

President Obama deserves an A+ for his agenda for education reform. His decision to nominate Arne Duncan as U.S. education secretary was inspired, and his comments on holding the system accountable are honest, refreshing and insightful.

College: More expensive than ever

Published 10/20/2009 02:39 PM

College costs are higher than ever, according to a new report, putting a degree even further out of reach for many Americans.

The CEO educator

Published 10/01/2009 09:55 AM

Joel Klein's title is New York City school chancellor, but he's really a CEO. He oversees America's largest public school system -- 1.1 million students -- with more authority than his counterparts in most other major cities, thanks to a landmark 2002 law that was just renewed for another five years.

Medical students reckless on Internet, sometimes at patients' expense

Published 09/22/2009 06:15 PM

In 2007, a resident surgeon snapped a picture of a patient's tattoo -- the words Hot Rod on his penis -- and shared it with colleagues, making international news when the story was leaked to the press. At least the resident didn't post the picture on the Internet.

Commentary: Who says public schools need more money?

Published 09/10/2009 08:00 AM

Teachers unions and politicians are constantly claiming that K-12 public schools need more money in order to produce good academic results. But does the data support the argument that our schools need more money to succeed?

Commentary: Obama on risky ground on schools

Published 09/09/2009 10:51 AM

President Obama has made it clear from the earliest days of his presidency that he intended to make education a high priority for his administration.

Jaycee Dugard's Abduction Haunted Her Young Classmates

Published 09/06/2009 11:26 PM

"Everybody was scared," a former student recalls, "and the parents were even more scared than the kids"

U.S. 'Soviet-style' education system not cutting it

Published 08/28/2009 05:42 PM

Our educational system is essentially a Soviet-style government-run monopoly that could only be loved by the likes of Lenin and Stalin.

Ex-coach Demers appointed to Canadian Senate

Published 08/27/2009 06:41 PM

MONTREAL (AP) -- Jacques Demers, the Stanley Cup-winning coach who has spoken frankly about his lifelong battle with illiteracy, was appointed Thursday to the Canadian Senate.

Free medical school for 40 lucky students

Published 07/31/2009 12:39 PM

The incoming freshmen at one of the nation's newest medical schools will have more freedom to choose whether to become a specialist or help fill the shortage of primary care doctors.

Schwarzenegger: Overlook glitch, let paralyzed grad take bar exam

Published 07/26/2009 10:07 AM

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Saturday called on the state bar to overlook a technical error and allow a paralyzed law school graduate to take the bar exam next week.

YouTube student rap stars take on poetry

Published 07/22/2009 05:48 PM

Seventh graders at Ron Clark Academy became an overnight sensation during the presidential election when their YouTube performance of "You Can Vote However You Like" catapulted them to online stardom.

YouTube student stars still rapping to learn

Published 07/21/2009 05:40 PM

Seventh graders at Ron Clark Academy became an overnight sensation during the presidential election when their YouTube performance of "You Can Vote However You Like" catapulted them to online stardom.

Obama: Community colleges can help boost ailing economy

Published 07/14/2009 07:02 PM

Community colleges are only two-year institutions, but the Obama administration says they could play a key role in helping boost the ailing economy for years to come.

From P.S. 176X, kids with autism get joyful launch

Published 07/02/2009 02:56 PM

All parents have hopes and dreams for their children. Parents of kids with serious disabilities are no different. But in their moments of wildest imagination, the parents of Vicki Martinez, Chase Ferguson and Travis Cardona could not have envisioned high school graduation -- certainly not in the dark days when they first learned their children had autism.

Commentary: Give kids a beacon of hope

Published 06/11/2009 09:20 AM

To be effective in Congress, you must focus. With so many issues and debates occurring at any given time, it is easy to spread yourself too thin and lose sight of your goal.

Utah reports first swine flu death; NYC has closed 21 schools

Published 05/20/2009 08:34 PM

A Utah man with chronic health problems died Wednesday from complications associated with swine flu, a local health official said. If confirmed, it would be the ninth U.S. fatality associated with the flu outbreak.

Against odds, some grads find Wall Street jobs

Published 05/20/2009 04:12 PM

Mohamed Desoky says his friends have mixed reactions when he tells them he's landed a seemingly stellar job on Wall Street.

5 more NYC schools close on flu fears

Published 05/18/2009 08:19 PM

Four more New York City public schools and one private school will close for a week after an increase of reports of students with flu-like symptoms, city officials announced Monday.

Nursery school competition heats up in India

Published 05/12/2009 01:14 AM

There was stone cold silence in the car, as the Kumars drove home.

10 homeschooled celebrities

Published 04/23/2009 11:32 AM

Agatha Christie was a painfully shy girl, so her mom homeschooled her even though her two older siblings attended private school.

Can Second Life help teach doctors to treat patients?

Published 03/30/2009 08:45 PM

At Imperial College London, medical students navigate a full-service hospital where they see patients, order X-rays, consult with colleagues and make diagnoses.

Data: U.S. teachers contracted to work longer than G-8 counterparts

Published 03/25/2009 08:40 PM

Teachers in the United States are contracted to work more hours than their counterparts in other Group of Eight countries, according to a report released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Education.

Commentary: Obama, Dems wrong to kill school vouchers

Published 03/11/2009 11:46 AM

When President Obama signs the $410 billion omnibus spending bill, there will be shouts of joy from both sides as Republicans and Democrats get their cherished earmarks.

Commentary: Throwing billions at schools won't fix them

Published 03/05/2009 03:45 PM

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, President Obama's stimulus package, could serve as a historic investment in our children's future, an initiative that could very well change the course of our nation.

I spy ... future gamblers in your kindergarten class?

Published 03/04/2009 07:56 PM

Is your kindergartner easily distracted? Maybe a little hyper? This might seem like typical child behavior but a new study published in the March 2009 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine suggests it could be a red flag for a potential gambling addiction as he or she ages.

Education chief favors longer school year

Published 02/28/2009 02:30 PM

Those lazy days of summer may become a thing of the past if the new secretary of education has his way.

Unemployed workers heading back to school

Published 02/15/2009 01:11 PM

Janice McFadden's story hardly stands out.

Bill and Melinda Gates go back to school

Published 11/26/2008 07:59 AM

When Bill Gates gets worked up about something, his body language changes. He suspends his habit of rocking forward and back in his chair and sits a little straighter. His voice rises in pitch. Today the subject is America's schools.

College costs rise

Published 10/29/2008 06:16 PM

The total cost of going to a private four-year college rose to $34,132 on average for the 2008-09 academic year, according to a report released Wednesday.

Why MBA Means 'More Bitterness Ahead'

Published 10/23/2008 10:00 PM

Business school graduates are heading out into a cold, cold climate as financial companies clam up or close down

Commentary: Don't use SATs to rank college quality

Published 10/17/2008 01:40 PM

A recent controversy at Baylor University has brought new attention to the widespread misuse of standardized college admission tests to rank the quality of America's colleges and universities.

Hidden College Costs: Rising Fees

Published 09/09/2008 06:00 PM

Compared to pricey private colleges, state schools can be a bargain. But extra fees are adding to the financial burden

Fewer US Med Students Choosing Primary Care

Published 09/09/2008 05:00 PM

Only 2% of graduating medical students say they plan to work in primary care internal medicine, raising worries about a looming shortage of the first-stop doctors who used to be the backbone of the American medical system

U.S. Colleges' Green Grade: C-

Published 08/24/2008 02:00 PM

Campuses may be getting greener, but college curriculums are falling behind in teaching students the basics of global warming and sustainability

A Homeschooling Win in California

Published 08/13/2008 04:00 PM

In a stunning reversal of its own ruling, a California court says it's O.K. for uncredentialed parents to homeschool their kids. But regulatory questions remain

Tips for minimum wage earners

Published 07/24/2008 05:11 PM

The Federal minimum wage is increasing to $6.55 an hour today. But for most folks facing higher prices on everything from a gallon of milk to a gallon of gas, it's still getting harder to make ends meet.

Study: Medical students show racial bias

Published 07/09/2008 05:22 PM

Edna sits on an examining table ready and alert -- she wants answers about the lump in her breast.

More colleges move toward optional SATs

Published 05/30/2008 12:33 PM

Jen Wang of Short Hills, New Jersey, took her first SAT when she was in sixth grade, long before she would start filling out college applications.

MBA students go for Google

Published 05/29/2008 10:22 AM

Where do MBA students most want to work when they get out of school? Investment banks and consulting firms are still popular choices, but for the second straight year, the most coveted employer is Google, a recent survey found.

A chance to compare MBA schools

Published 05/29/2008 09:53 AM

Dan Berger, a 26-year-old aide to New York Congressman Charles Rangel, knew he wanted to get an MBA but, he says now, he was overwhelmed by the number and variety of programs available: "I knew I needed to gather a lot of information before choosing a school, but I really didn't know where to start."

Wake Forest Drops SAT Requirement

Published 05/27/2008 11:00 AM

Wake Forest University will no longer require applicants to take the SAT and ACT exams, boosting a movement to lessen the importance of standardized tests in college admissions

Commentary: Tax-free hypocrisy from higher education

Published 05/16/2008 04:36 PM

There is an industry in this country that is making billions in profit while average Americans are struggling to fill up their gas tanks.

Wall Street - land of job uncertainty

Published 04/01/2008 01:58 PM

Last fall, as bad news about the credit crisis began to pile up, MBA student Brendan McHugh started to wonder about his chances of securing a coveted internship at a top securities firm.

Taking the kids: Exploring the heart of college country

Published 03/18/2008 11:58 AM

Secretly, I'm congratulating myself.

California Resists Home School Ruling

Published 03/12/2008 05:00 PM

In the wake of a surprise court decision, the state says that its home schoolers are "legal" pending appeal

Criminalizing Home Schoolers

Published 03/08/2008 01:00 AM

A child-abuse lawsuit ruling may have created a horde of truants in California, affecting as many as 200,000 children

7 qualities you need to be a great parent to a preschooler

Published 01/22/2008 12:03 PM

What's it really take to parent a preschooler? It's pretty simple, once you realize what kids this age can and can't do (and what sets them off and what keeps them happy!). Here are seven qualities that make it much easier to manage all that, and why they're so crucial when you've got an independent-minded, boundary-testing picky eater on your hands.

VIDEO: Will Smith Planning to Start a School

Published 12/12/2007 06:45 PM

Video courtesy Buena Vista EntertainmentHaving immersed himself in educational theories while home-schooling his kids, Will Smith says he and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, plan to put that knowledge to greater use by teaming with like-minded parents and creating a full school.

10 secrets for getting into a top B-school

Published 12/10/2007 02:41 PM

Getting accepted into a top MBA program is an arduous, time-consuming process, with plenty of potential pitfalls along the way. Witness that the most prestigious and selective schools - Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, and their ilk - say they accept only 10% of all those who apply.

Young doctors in debt

Published 11/16/2007 01:47 PM

It's Wednesday evening and Megan Reis can't remember when she last saw her husband Chris. Small wonder. Since Sunday morning, Meg has worked more than 60 hours at Advocate Hope Children's Hospital, the Chicago-area facility where she is training in pediatrics.

From six figures to student loans

Published 11/15/2007 06:51 AM

After nearly 20 years in the energy industry, Jay Mulki was earning a handsome six-figure salary and managing a department of 50 employees. But Mulki longed to work fewer hours and pursue another dream: to teach marketing at a university.

Commentary: Integrative medicine is 'new way of healing'

Published 11/06/2007 08:40 PM

In a recent column, Emily Breidbart, a second-year medical student at New York University School of Medicine, expressed concerns about her medical education and the frustrating health-care system she will soon enter.

Teacher Who Fled With Boy Arrested

Published 11/03/2007 10:00 AM

A female schoolteacher and the 13-year-old boy she allegedly ran away with have been arrested in Mexico, a prosecutor said Saturday

Russia's business school battle

Published 10/26/2007 06:07 AM

The big question right now in Russian politics is who will succeed Vladimir Putin as President in the 2008 election. As it turns out, the two front-runners -- first deputy prime ministers Sergei Ivanov and Dmitry Medvedev -- are also squaring off in a contest for business-school supremacy in Russia.

College costs keep rising

Published 10/22/2007 04:43 PM

The average total cost of a private four-year college rose to $32,307 for the current school year, but the rate of increase has slowed compared to public school prices, according to a report released Monday.

Kids use yoga to learn mythology, fight pre-test jitters

Published 10/08/2007 12:08 PM

Fourth-grade teacher Elisabeth Beckwith wants her students at Fernbank Elementary School in Decatur, Georgia, to pay attention to a lesson on Greek mythology.

They want to sell your kid

Published 09/19/2007 05:48 AM

To improve her chances of getting into a good college, Caitlin Pickavance, a 17-year-old high school senior from Danville, Calif., has been working with a private college coach since her freshman year (cost: $800).

Sixth Graders Take on Wall Street

Published 09/07/2007 05:00 PM

A trailblazing Chicago school starts economic education early to give inner-city black kids a leg up

Better Bedside Manners

Published 09/05/2007 01:00 PM

A new study shows that a standardized test of doctor communication skills can help create a nicer, better doctor of the future

The do-gooder's MBA

Published 08/22/2007 09:13 AM

Omar Yaqub didn't want a conventional 9-to-5 job after business school. He wanted to help save the world. So the 28-year-old MBA went to Nigeria to tackle an impossible task: creating demand for a product no one wanted.

Med student struggles to preserve her idealism

Published 08/17/2007 12:40 AM

"Two minutes!" yells our course coordinator.

Taking the kids: Touring college campuses

Published 07/09/2007 01:59 AM

Laurel Herter wishes she'd canceled the college tour trip as soon as she heard the dismal forecast.

Many American colleges balk at U.S. News rankings

Published 06/20/2007 05:34 PM

If presidents of some of the nation's top liberal arts colleges get their way, they will no longer be included in the U.S. News and World Report's influential collegiate ranking system.

How Nebraska Leaves No Child Behind

Published 05/31/2007 05:10 PM

One maverick state devised its own education strategy that bucks the trend toward high-stakes tests and federal control

25 Top MBA Employers

Published 05/03/2007 01:10 PM

Think of it as a popularity contest for companies. Each year, research firm Universum surveys MBA candidates on where they'd most like to work for an exclusive Fortune.com list.

Sallie Mae's private side

Published 04/30/2007 07:50 AM

The lure for private-equity firm J.C. Flowers' $25 billion buyout of student-loan giant Sallie Mae may be its fast-growing and lucrative business providing private education loans -- loans that exi...

The trouble with MBAs

Published 04/23/2007 07:31 AM

When Jack Welch gave a guest lecture at MIT's Sloan School of Management in 2005, someone in the crowd asked, "What should we be learning in business school?" Welch's reply: "Just concentrate on ne...

Top colleges get more affordable

Published 03/22/2007 12:20 PM

A college education may be getting less expensive at some of the most prestigious schools.

The race to bring more diversity to business

Published 11/21/2006 06:12 PM

There's a hole in higher education that you probably haven't heard about.

Highest paid college presidents

Published 11/20/2006 10:15 AM

Running a university or college can make for 20-hour days and intense pressure to please a long list of factions from donors, board members and alumni to faculty, students and parents.

Average college cost breaks $30,000

Published 10/24/2006 11:24 AM

The average cost of a four-year private college jumped to $30,367 this school year, the first time the average has broken the $30,000 mark.

No excuses or short cuts at Atlanta charter school

Published 10/02/2006 04:11 PM

Students at the West Atlanta Young Scholars Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, are expected to go to college.

10 biggest mistakes b-school applicants make

Published 09/20/2006 03:45 PM

The application process for business schools is beginning, sparking the annual frenzy of activity - and copious questions.

The legend of Robin Hood

Published 09/07/2006 06:12 PM

The idea behind one of the most innovative and influential philanthropic organizations of our time sprang from one of the more boneheaded macroeconomic calls ever made on Wall Street. Or as hedge f...

Today's medical training -- better or worse for patients?

Published 09/06/2006 03:32 PM

The phone rang. It was the middle of the night.

Your Opinion: Flag burning

Published 08/24/2006 07:07 PM

One story we brought you this week concerned a teacher who, as part of a class exercise, burned the American flag in a civics lesson for seventh graders. We asked for your opinion on the story, and here are a few of your responses, some of which have been edited:

No child left out of the dodgeball game?

Published 08/20/2006 07:55 PM

As more of America's school-age children are growing fatter, the physical education curriculum that might help them win the fight is gasping for air, says a recently released report.

College costs: Up, up and away

Published 08/17/2006 11:50 AM

The cost of higher education looks like it's climbing ... again.

Who needs Harvard?

Published 08/13/2006 09:21 AM

It's the summer before your senior year, and you're sweating.

Healthcare, energy drive up college costs

Published 08/08/2006 11:49 AM

State university tuition has leaped 40 percent in the past five years, hitting the three out of four American college students who attend public universities.

Healthcare, energy drives up cost of college

Published 08/08/2006 09:25 AM

State university tuitions have leaped 40 percent in the past five years, hitting the three out of four American college students who attend public universities.

Everything You Know About Kids and Money is Wrong

Published 08/01/2006 01:01 AM

AMERICAN STUDENTS MAY BE POOR AT MATH, but when it comes to understanding the money in their lives, they are positively bankrupt. A recent national survey testing high school seniors about basic fi...

It's not your mom's PTA

Published 06/28/2006 01:31 PM

They come from all walks of life to the searing desert heat in Phoenix, Arizona: parents, some who are also teachers; administrators and school board representatives.

Startups On Fire

Published 06/21/2006 01:57 PM

Protesting on college campuses is back. The object of this generation's rebellion? Traditional jobs. In an era of widespread disenchantment with the often bureaucratic, scandal-ridden world of big ...

Red Cross opens storm shelters

Published 06/13/2006 09:03 AM

The Red Cross has opened the following emergency shelters in Florida for people affected by Tropical Storm Alberto:

A conversation with economists Laura Tyson and Glenn Hubbard

Published 05/01/2006 01:39 PM

Following is an interview with Laura Tyson, dean of London Business School and former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers during the Clinton administration, and Glenn Hubbard, dean of the Columbia Business School and chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers in the first years of the Bush administration.

Ga-ga for Google

Published 04/13/2006 03:21 PM

With demand for MBAs rebounding, this year's graduating class of B-school students is more likely to get the job offers they desire. And in many cases, that means a job at Google.

Doctor attacks bugs that attack kids

Published 04/05/2006 02:23 PM

Dr. Blaise L. Congeni has always been in a hurry.

This week in the medical journals

Published 03/31/2006 01:22 AM

Focused on bird flu

More schools fail Ofsted checks

Published 03/10/2010 04:05 AM

More schools in England are being judged as inadequate in Ofsted's new-style inspections, according to figures just released.

School lotteries 'destabilising'

Published 03/10/2010 05:56 AM

Lottery admissions can be destabilising for children and bad for their welfare, the Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, says.

Baby P rules 'may increase risks'

Published 03/09/2010 05:16 PM

Rules to improve child protection after the Baby P case may leave children more vulnerable to harm, council leaders warn.

£10m to get students into sport

Published 03/09/2010 04:56 PM

Universities are to be given £10m of National Lottery money to encourage more students to get involved in sport.

Call to scrap 50% student target

Published 03/09/2010 05:57 AM

Targets for getting young people into higher education should be scrapped and top-up fees raised, say graduate recruiters.

Tory review urges science boost

Published 03/08/2010 03:47 PM

A Tory-backed report urges incentives for schools and tax breaks for researchers to raise the profile of science.

TV 'makes up for history lessons'

Published 03/09/2010 05:11 AM

TV documentaries like the Seven Ages of Britain fill in the gaps left by a "less impressive" school curriculum, says David Dimbleby.

Warning on 'corner shop' schools

Published 03/07/2010 03:01 AM

Head teachers warn that Tory plans for free schools could lead to a system of 20,000 "corner shop" schools.

'Record numbers of heads' sacked

Published 03/08/2010 01:14 AM

School leaders say record numbers of head teachers are losing their jobs because of poor exam results.

Tinchy's tips: 'Don't flash your cash' singer tells young

Published 03/05/2010 02:58 AM

Singer tells young to be wise with their cash

Boys pick less difficult books to read than girls, a survey suggests

Published 03/01/2010 09:23 AM

Boys choose to read less challenging books than girls and this gets more pronounced as they get older, a survey of children's reading habits suggests.

Back to school

Published 03/09/2010 03:59 AM

Ex-footballer tells how he has overcome cancer

Exploitation?

Published 03/06/2010 10:00 PM

Internships for graduates 'may breach wage laws'

Anatomy of a cut

Published 03/03/2010 05:24 AM

What's it like to be at the centre of a spending cut?

Don't say it!

Published 03/01/2010 12:49 PM

10 things parents shouldn't say about school places

Who cares?

Published 03/03/2010 07:54 PM

Pay below minimum wage driving foster families to give up

E-mail us

Published 01/18/2010 04:44 AM

How to contact the BBC News website education team

Clegg offers heads £2.5bn 'deal'

Published 03/05/2010 04:01 PM

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg asks head teachers to "raise their game" in return for a £2.5bn education funding package.

Teachers protest over budget cuts

Published 03/06/2010 05:50 AM

Thousands of teachers and lecturers from across Scotland march in Glasgow against cuts to education budgets.

Schools could face staff cuts

Published 03/05/2010 10:27 AM

Schools Secretary Ed Balls has told head teachers in England they need to plan savings now or face staff cuts later.

Russell gives tuition fee pledge

Published 03/06/2010 06:07 AM

Tuition fees for higher education will not be introduced by the present Scottish government, the education secretary says.

More schools fail Ofsted checks

Published 03/05/2010 05:20 AM

More schools are failing under new-style checks brought in by England's schools inspectors, it is reported.

More men applying to be teachers

Published 03/04/2010 05:16 PM

The number of men applying for teacher training has risen sharply because of the recession, training officials say.

Diplomas 'not stretching bright'

Published 03/05/2010 07:56 AM

England's new secondary school qualification is not stretching the brightest pupils, the exams watchdog says.

Progress gap for primary pupils

Published 03/04/2010 06:50 AM

Nearly one in five children in England leave primary school without making the progress expected of them in English or maths, data shows.

'793,000 empty places' in schools

Published 03/03/2010 04:30 PM

With politicians arguing about creating more choice in schools - figures show there are 793,000 empty places in England.

Call for end to tuition fees cap

Published 03/03/2010 04:29 PM

The cap on university tuition fees in England should be scrapped, the Adam Smith Institute think tank says.

Warning on two-tier universities

Published 03/03/2010 08:40 AM

New universities are warning of a "two-tier system" if funding for postgraduate students is limited to a number of elite institutions.

BBC Schools

Published 01/12/2010 03:55 AM

BBC School Report

Published 01/21/2010 04:22 AM

BBC World Class

Published 01/12/2010 03:55 AM

Call to identify children's needs

Published 03/08/2010 02:50 AM

High-quality childcare helps identify the needs of the most vulnerable children early on, an Ofsted study finds.

Grandparent carers 'risk hardship'

Published 03/02/2010 08:22 PM

Grandparents in low-income families risk financial hardship by giving up work to help look after grandchildren, a report says.

Young 'exposed to sex imagery'

Published 02/26/2010 01:10 AM

Children are being over-exposed to sexual imagery and tighter media controls are needed, a report for the Home Office says.

Teenage pregnancy rate falls

Published 02/24/2010 05:08 AM

Teenage pregnancies in England and Wales have fallen by 4%, statistics show but a target to halve rates is set to be missed.

Social care 'fails deaf children'

Published 02/25/2010 05:12 AM

The majority of local authorities in England are failing deaf children and their families, research suggests.

'Good progress' at Baby P council

Published 02/23/2010 04:08 AM

Children's services at the council criticised over the death of baby Peter Connolly have received an improved Ofsted report.

Children 'missing out on sleep'

Published 02/18/2010 02:46 AM

Children questioned for the BBC's Newsround programme admit video games and mobile phones are keeping them up at night.

Don't sexualise children - Tories

Published 02/18/2010 02:24 PM

Conservative leader David Cameron calls for an end to the "inappropriate sexualisation" of children by companies.

Ageing 'a problem for councils'

Published 02/17/2010 04:28 PM

Councils will struggle to cope with the financial challenge posed by England's ageing population, a regulator says.

Ofsted privatises nursery checks

Published 02/17/2010 05:19 AM

The education watchdog in England is in the final stages of preparing to outsource its early years inspections.

Fathers 'unaware of their rights'

Published 02/18/2010 12:48 AM

Many fathers do not know their paternity rights, the government says as it starts a new awareness campaign for dads.

Child detention 'still a concern'

Published 02/17/2010 01:09 AM

Concerns persist over the way children are held at a deportation centre, a review finds.

BBC Parenting

Published 01/12/2010 03:56 AM

Woman's hour family archive

Published 01/12/2010 03:58 AM

Kansas City, Mo., school board to vote on closures (AP)

Published 03/10/2010 07:08 AM

AP - The Kansas City school board is facing a stark choice: close nearly half its public schools or face a potential bankruptcy.

New national math, English standards drafted (AP)

Published 03/10/2010 06:06 AM

AP - Math and English instruction in the United States moved a step closer to uniform — and more rigorous — standards Wednesday as draft new national guidelines were released.

Report: States team up on new academic standards (AP)

Published 03/10/2010 12:13 AM

AP - Governors and state education leaders are proposing a new set of standards to define what should be taught in the nation's public schools, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

Texas ed board set to take 1st vote since primary (AP)

Published 03/10/2010 12:13 AM

AP - Texas' state education board, rocked by primary elections that may push the influential panel's far-right leanings toward the center, is set to take its first vote on a new social studies curriculum that could reverberate in classrooms nationwide.

Texas co. gets contract for food service software (AP)

Published 03/09/2010 11:52 AM

AP - The West Virginia Department of Education has awarded a contract to a Texas company to improve its food service operations at schools across the state.

Man holding fake gun fatally shot near NYC school (AP)

Published 03/08/2010 09:57 PM

AP - A police officer in Brooklyn has fatally shot a man who the NYPD says was brandishing a fake pistol near a school.

Obama administration: more civil rights enforcement in schools (The Christian Science Monitor)

Published 03/08/2010 04:39 PM

The Christian Science Monitor - Education Secretary Arne Duncan signaled Monday the Obama administration’s intention to step up enforcement of civil rights laws that apply to schools and colleges, many of which are often ignored.

Ed chief: Agency to review equal access at schools (AP)

Published 03/08/2010 04:04 PM

AP - Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Monday the federal government will become more vigilant to make sure students have equal access and opportunity to everything ranging from college prep classes to science and engineering programs.

Clinton, beverage group: School efforts working (AP)

Published 03/08/2010 02:23 PM

AP - The U.S. beverage industry has largely stopped delivering sugary drinks to schools and has replaced them with lower-calorie options, the head of the industry's trade association said Monday.

Part of Wash Post unit in routine review by DoE (Reuters)

Published 03/07/2010 07:30 PM

Reuters - Washington Post Co said in a regulatory filing last week that the Department of Education in September began a "program review" of part of its education unit. The news was earlier reported by Barron's publication.

Duncan won't cancel Montgomery school visit (AP)

Published 03/07/2010 03:48 PM

AP - U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will meet with students as planned at Montgomery's Robert E. Lee High School, despite a state legislator's call to cancel the appearance.

Recent bias incidents at UC campuses (AP)

Published 03/07/2010 10:37 AM

AP - Recent bias incidents at University of California campuses:

Bias incidents roil University of California (AP)

Published 03/07/2010 10:36 AM

AP - Swastikas, nooses, a KKK hood, graffiti, epithets and jeers.

Top home-school texts dismiss Darwin, evolution (AP)

Published 03/06/2010 03:57 PM

AP - Home-school mom Susan Mule wishes she hadn't taken a friend's advice and tried a textbook from a popular Christian publisher for her 10-year-old's biology lessons.

Debate over school busing in NC county gets uglier (AP)

Published 03/05/2010 12:09 PM

AP - A racially charged debate over school busing in North Carolina has turned even uglier after an education official referred to proponents of a diversity program as "animals out of the cages."

Angry US students protest cuts to higher education (AP)

Published 03/05/2010 10:33 AM

AP - Anger over increasing tuition and school budget cuts boiled over as students across the country staged rowdy demonstrations that led to clashes with police and the rush-hour shutdown of a major freeway in California.

Boy hurt in Colo. school shooting thanks teacher (AP)

Published 03/05/2010 07:21 AM

AP - A boy hurt in last month's Colorado school shooting is out of the hospital and praising the teacher who saved his life.

Students, teachers protest over US education cuts (AFP)

Published 03/04/2010 09:40 PM

AFP - Students clashed with baton-wielding police as thousands took to the streets across California in mostly peaceful protests against cuts in education spending.

Protesting students shut down Oakland freeway (AP)

Published 03/04/2010 05:32 PM

AP - A major San Francisco Bay area freeway has been shut down in both directions by college students protesting budget cuts at California campuses.

Fire the teachers? When schools fail, it may work (AP)

Published 03/04/2010 05:13 PM

AP - When all the teachers were fired from Central Falls High School last week in a sweeping effort at school reform, their superintendent gave them a taste of the accountability President Barack Obama says is necessary.

Investing in Innovation

Published 03/08/2010 08:24 AM

The grant application and final priorities for the $650 million Investing in Innovation Fund (i3) are now available.

Duncan Visits Selma

Published 03/08/2010 08:24 AM

Secretary Arne Duncan visited Selma, Alabama, where he announced plans for a reinvigorated Office of Civil Rights to ensure equal educational opportunities for all children.

High School Commencement Challenge

Published 03/05/2010 11:10 AM

The White House and ED announced the Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge, inviting public schools to compete to have President Obama speak at their graduation this spring.

Detroit Discusses Turnaround Efforts

Published 03/05/2010 11:09 AM

More than 250 community leaders, educators, parents, and students gathered to discuss turning around the Detroit area's lowest-achieving schools.

WNET.org Celebration of Teaching and Learning

Published 03/05/2010 11:08 AM

Secretary Arne Duncan participated in the Celebration of Teaching and Learning in New York City, where over 8,500 educators across the nation took part in discussions about the future of our schools.

Additional Recovery Act Funds

Published 03/05/2010 11:07 AM

Illinois, Massachusetts, and New Jersey will receive additional funding under the Recovery Act, ED announced earlier this month.

WhiteHouse.gov Features Education

Published 03/01/2010 12:25 PM

Each day this week WhiteHouse.gov will highlight ED efforts to help reach the President's goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.

Child Nutrition Act

Published 02/24/2010 03:10 PM

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack's priorities for reauthorizing the Child Nutrition Act "would be a major step in the right direction for the health and well-being of our school children," Secretary Duncan said.

Restraint and Seclusion Information

Published 02/24/2010 11:33 AM

ED published a summary of state laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines regarding the use of restraint and seclusion techniques in schools.

Recovery Act Anniversary

Published 02/19/2010 03:24 AM

Secretary Duncan and Congressman Connolly visited Riverside Elementary School in Virginia for the one-year anniversary of the Recovery Act.

Educator Preparation Programs Must Change

Published 02/09/2010 01:07 PM

"Our teacher and principal preparation programs need transformational change," Secretary Duncan said at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education conference.

We want your feedback!

Published 02/06/2010 01:05 PM

Please let us know what you think of this news feed.

Pressed by Charters, Harlem Public Schools Turn to Marketing

Published 03/09/2010 09:20 PM

Principals in Harlem are using firms to help lure students with Web sites, brochures and open houses.

Many Nations Passing U.S. in Education, Expert Says

Published 03/09/2010 10:50 PM

A Senate panel learned that more students in more countries graduate from high school and college and score higher on achievement tests than students in the United States.

City Students Show a New Rise in Four-Year Graduations

Published 03/09/2010 07:50 PM

For the fifth consecutive year, the rate of students finishing on time increased, hitting 59 percent.

After Victory Against Disney, Children’s Group Loses Its Lease

Published 03/10/2010 12:19 AM

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood was evicted after pressuring the Walt Disney Company into offering refunds to buyers of its Baby Einstein videos.

Officials Step Up Enforcement of Rights Laws in Education

Published 03/07/2010 09:30 PM

Education Secretary Arne Duncan plans to say an office “has not been as vigilant as it should have been” on discrimination.

College Acts to Disregard Fiscal Need in Admissions

Published 03/07/2010 08:20 PM

As some schools favor applicants who do not require financial aid, Hamilton College has decided to swim against that tide.

Job Market Stabilizes for Business Students

Published 03/07/2010 10:35 PM

Unemployment and public anger over bailouts remain high, but aspiring bankers find they can now get a foot in the door.

School’s Shake-Up Is Embraced by the President

Published 03/06/2010 09:47 PM

A Rhode Island school board’s decision to fire the entire faculty of a failing school may have lasting ripples on the nation’s education debate.

Bill Perkins Opposes Charter Schools Popular in Harlem

Published 03/06/2010 07:30 PM

Backers of charter schools see Bill Perkins as their biggest stumbling block in the State Legislature.

The Female Factor: Risk and Opportunity for Women in 21st Century

Published 03/08/2010 12:52 AM

If progress has been dramatic since the Nobel physicist Marie Curie was barred from France’s science academy a century ago, it has been slower than in other parts of society.

The Female Factor: After Harvard Controversy, Conditions Change but Reputation Lingers

Published 03/09/2010 07:22 AM

Harvard has changed in the five years since Lawrence H. Summers suggested that innate differences might explain why fewer women than men succeed in science and math.

Big City: Priority Candidates Wants Graduates Off Sofa and Into Job

Published 03/05/2010 08:20 PM

A new company in New York is offering coaching, at a price, for college graduates who are struggling to find a job.

In California, a Day of Protests Over Education Budget Cuts

Published 03/05/2010 11:53 AM

The demonstrations, which are backed by a range of groups, are taking place on college campuses and at public schools.

16 Finalists Are Named for ‘Race to the Top’ School Grants

Published 03/04/2010 09:06 PM

The competition, known as Race to the Top, offers states a chance at a share of $4 billion in school improvement money.

Los Angeles Teachers Suspended Over Role Model Choice

Published 03/04/2010 08:30 PM

Three white teachers got three-day suspensions for picking O. J. Simpson, Dennis Rodman and RuPaul as exemplars for Black History Month.

Darwin Foes Add Warming to Targets

Published 03/03/2010 11:24 PM

Critics of evolution are gaining ground by linking the issue to climate change, arguing that dissenting views on both should be taught in public schools.

No-Child Law Is a Highlight of Hearing on Education

Published 03/03/2010 09:16 PM

Education Secretary Arne Duncan has a large, ambitious agenda, of which the revision of the No Child Left Behind law is perhaps the most prominent question mark.

House Votes to Protect Pupils Against Abusive Discipline

Published 03/04/2010 12:00 AM

The measure, yet to be debated in the Senate, would safeguard students against punishment including forcible restraint and seclusion.

Talks Planned After Firing of Teachers in Rhode Island’s Central Falls District

Published 03/04/2010 12:00 AM

The Central Falls superintendent, Frances Gallo, said she was willing to negotiate after the teachers’ union pledged to support changes.

Marty Hyman, School Photographer in a Fading Profession

Published 03/04/2010 07:17 AM

Marty Hyman, a veteran school photographer, and others in his business are members of an endangered species.

College Degrees Without Going to Class

Published 03/04/2010 12:30 PM

Are online courses as educationally effective as in-classroom instruction?

What Signs of Seasonal Change Are You Seeing?

Published 03/10/2010 12:12 AM

Tell us in vivid detail how the change of seasons looks, feels, sounds, smells or even tastes in your area.

News Quiz | March 10, 2010

Published 03/09/2010 10:30 PM

See what you know about the news of the day.

Letters of Condolence From 1963

Published 03/09/2010 10:11 PM

6 Q's About the News | Who wrote letters of condolence to Mrs. Kennedy in the months after John F. Kennedy's assassination?

Word of the Day | whorl

Published 03/09/2010 09:02 PM

This word has appeared in 2 Times articles over the past year.

Germantown teacher apologizes to student after 'prostitute' remark

Published 03/10/2010 04:52 AM

A Montgomery County teacher who told a high school sophomore last week that she was dressed like a prostitute has apologized to the student and her mother, the mother said Tuesday.

Teacher backs SUV into Mich. preschool classroom

Published 03/09/2010 12:17 PM

FRANKLIN, Mich. -- A teacher trying to park her SUV Tuesday backed through a large window and into a classroom at the suburban Detroit school where she taught, slightly injuring several preschool students, authorities said.

Texts for proposed common core standards

Published 03/09/2010 09:09 PM

Here are illustrative texts identified in the common core standards proposal from the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers. Those involved with the proposal stress it is neither a comprehensive nor a required reading list. Some of the proposed readings are awa...

Excerpts from National Governors and states proposal on education standards

Published 03/09/2010 09:00 PM

Excerpts from the proposal by the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers:

Governors, state school superintendents to propose common academic standards

Published 03/09/2010 09:00 PM

The nation's governors and state school chiefs will propose standards Wednesday for what students should learn in English and math, from kindergarten through high school, a crucial step in President Obama's campaign to raise academic standards across the country.

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Published 03/09/2010 09:00 PM

Security gaps exploited in grade scandal remain, may be difficult to close

Published 03/09/2010 09:00 PM

Montgomery County school officials have not yet closed gaps in their computer system that allowed students at a high-performing Potomac high school to change dozens of grades using a device that can be bought from Amazon.com for $69. And other school systems, including Fairfax County, remain just as...

Killing of D.C. teen linked to suspect's anger over trick

Published 03/09/2010 09:00 PM

The 15-year-old teen was having fun, hanging out with some friends last month in Northwest Washington. Then, police said, some other teens "faked" on them, or pretended to have a gun.

Ed chief: Agency to review equal access at schools

Published 03/08/2010 04:04 PM

SELMA, Ala. -- Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Monday the federal government will become more vigilant to make sure students have equal access and opportunity to everything ranging from college prep classes to science and engineering programs.

D.C. law firm Arent Fox names Mark M. Katz new chairman

Published 03/08/2010 09:00 PM

The Washington law firm Arent Fox said Monday that it has named longtime partner Mark M. Katz as its new chairman, a leadership change that comes as the legal sector copes with an economic downturn that has curtailed business and prompted layoffs.

Students irate at Cuccinelli over gay-rights policies

Published 03/08/2010 09:00 PM

Campus activists across Virginia put spring break on hold Monday to mobilize against Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II, who has riled student groups with a letter advising public universities to retreat from their policies against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Wide Web of diversions gets laptops evicted from lecture halls

Published 03/08/2010 09:00 PM

On a windy morning in downtown Washington, a hundred Georgetown Law students gathered in a hall for David Cole's lecture on democracy and coercion. The desks were cluttered with books, Thermoses and half-eaten muffins.

Officials can't prove who changed Md. high-schoolers' grades

Published 03/08/2010 09:00 PM

A grade-changing scheme at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac involved the gradebooks of 35 teachers and was primarily isolated to the junior class, school officials told several hundred parents at a public meeting Monday night.

Duncan will pressure schools to enforce civil rights laws

Published 03/07/2010 09:00 PM

Education Secretary Arne Duncan plans to announce Monday that his agency is ramping up enforcement of civil rights laws in schools and colleges, a move that seeks to draw a contrast with the policies of his Republican predecessors.

Valerie Strauss: The Answer Sheet

Published 03/07/2010 09:00 PM

The Obama administration's Race to the Top education brand has formally, officially, irrevocably, been launched. On Thursday, we learned who the first 16 finalists are in the $4.35 billion fund competition.

Duncan won't cancel Montgomery school visit

Published 03/07/2010 03:48 PM

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will meet with students as planned at Montgomery's Robert E. Lee High School, despite a state legislator's call to cancel the appearance.

Kansas City wants to close half its public schools

Published 03/07/2010 12:54 PM

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City was held up as a national example of bold thinking when it tried to integrate its schools by making them better than the suburban districts where many kids were moving. The result was one school with an Olympic-sized swimming pool and another with recording studios.

Jay Mathews: Nonfiction books for schools' consideration

Published 03/07/2010 09:00 PM

Buried in the avalanche of e-mails and comments I received after my column that begged for more nonfiction books in school, I found a note from one of my favorite educators, Dan McMahon, principal of DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville. In an English class he teaches, McMahon had assigned...

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Published 03/07/2010 09:00 PM

Success adds up for D.C. schools' math program

Published 03/07/2010 09:00 PM

It was fractions week in Camille Jackson's third-grade math class at Noyes Education Campus. To kick off a mid-morning lesson last month, she asked her 18 students to look not at the board or at materials on their desks, but under their chairs.

Friend of cancer patient leads urgent search for donor cells

Published 03/05/2010 09:00 PM

One January day, as she was leaving the District consulting firm where she works, Emily Roesing got an alarming call from her old roommate Lindsay Rawot.

Ex-official charged in theft from Thomas Jefferson High

Published 03/05/2010 09:00 PM

A former finance official with one of the Washington area's most prestigious high schools was arrested Friday and charged with stealing $279,000 from student athletics and clubs and using the money to support a gambling habit and pay her mortgage, prosecutors said.

Southeastern U. acquired by another school in D.C.

Published 03/05/2010 09:00 PM

The Graduate School, a private District institution that specializes in training government workers, announced Friday that it had completed a merger with nearby Southeastern University, which closed last year over accreditation problems.

Latinos anxious over end of school liaisons in Pr. George's

Published 03/06/2010 09:00 PM

As word spreads of the recent decision by the Prince George's Board of Education to eliminate 120 full-time parent liaisons next year to save money, parents and staff at schools with large Latino populations are increasingly worried about how they will cope.

Economic recovery seen in retail sales, manufacturing

Published 03/04/2010 09:00 PM

The U.S. economy showed continued signs of recovery early this year, according to data released Thursday, with retail sales rising sharply and manufacturing posting its fifth straight monthly gain.

Ex-executive of Catholic Charities criticizes health-plan change

Published 03/04/2010 09:00 PM

The former chief operating officer of Catholic Charities has called on the organization to reverse its recent decision to change health benefits for employees' spouses, a move designed to avoid legitimizing same-sex marriage.

House ethics committee confirms probe of allegations against Massa

Published 03/04/2010 02:37 PM

The House ethics committee confirmed Thursday evening that it is investigating Rep. Eric Massa, a freshman Democrat from New York who announced his retirement from Congress a day earlier.

D.C. schools in, Va. out in contest for federal aid

Published 03/04/2010 09:00 PM

The Obama administration gave a major lift Thursday to the reform agenda of Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee and D.C. charter school leaders, announcing that the District had joined 15 states as finalists in an unprecedented $4 billion contest for federal aid.

Students protest cuts to higher-education funds

Published 03/04/2010 12:46 PM

Student activists in California and elsewhere took to the streets Thursday in a national day of protest against rising fees and dwindling services in public higher education, drawing attention to a wave of tuition hikes, budget cuts and furloughs at colleges and universities across the country.

D.C. EMS faces review in death of girl, 2

Published 03/03/2010 09:00 PM

D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services has opened a review into the death last month of a 2-year-old District girl who was having breathing problems and was not immediately taken to a hospital.

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Published 03/03/2010 09:00 PM

Rhode Island school nears compromise on mass teacher firings

Published 03/03/2010 09:00 PM

A Rhode Island school superintendent and union leaders, who have been at odds over a decision to fire every teacher at a struggling high school, signaled Wednesday that a compromise that would preserve jobs and overhaul the school may be possible.

RI school leader calls for talks, not mass firing

Published 03/03/2010 04:32 PM

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A district superintendent who fired all the teachers from one of the state's most troubled schools said Wednesday she's willing to negotiate with its teachers' union after it publicly pledged to support reforms.

House approves bill to limit physical restraint of students

Published 03/03/2010 03:04 PM

The House approved a bill Wednesday to limit the physical restraint and seclusion of students in schools, a response to an investigation last year that found numerous reports of students abused or killed through such disciplinary measures.

Criminal investigation opened in grade-changing scandal at Churchill High

Published 03/03/2010 09:00 PM

The Montgomery County state's attorney has opened a criminal investigation into a grade-changing scheme at Winston Churchill High School, officials said Wednesday, elevating the digital subterfuge into a major scandal at one of the region's most prestigious public schools.

D.C.'s Rhee told that replacing Hardy principal may backfire

Published 03/03/2010 09:00 PM

There are signs that the lingering dispute over Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee's decision to replace Hardy Middle School Principal Patrick Pope may be driving away the very families she sought to attract with the change: those in the "feeder" elementary schools in Northwest Washington.

Bowie honors Spanish teacher for classroom innovation

Published 03/03/2010 09:00 PM

Pedro Gonzalez didn't grow up dreaming to be a teacher.

Environmental foundation rewards students' green innovations

Published 03/03/2010 09:00 PM

Environmentalist Lisa Junta was concerned about the waste generated by the disposable lunch trays used at her Fairfax County high school.

Survey: Supportive leadership helps retain top teachers

Published 03/02/2010 09:00 PM

A national survey of more than 40,000 public school teachers suggests that while higher salaries are far more likely than performance pay to help keep top talent in the classroom, supportive leadership trumps financial incentives.

Md. seeks better coordination of 'middle-skill' jobs training

Published 03/02/2010 09:00 PM

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley called Tuesday for more training efforts to prepare the workforce to meet an expected surge in jobs requiring certification beyond a high school diploma but less than a bachelor's degree.

Who's afraid of the big bad charter schools? Not St. Mary's.

Published 03/03/2010 09:00 PM

Zina McGowan-Thomas, the energetic public information officer for St. Mary's County public schools, sends me many announcements and news releases that I am tempted to delete, as I do most e-mails from school districts. I know this is a bad idea, because sometimes you will find, in the smallest bu...

Same-sex marriage leads Catholic Charities to adjust benefits

Published 03/01/2010 09:00 PM

Employees at Catholic Charities were told Monday that the social services organization is changing its health coverage to avoid offering benefits to same-sex partners of its workers -- the latest fallout from a bitter debate between District officials trying to legalize same-sex marriage and the ...

Obama angers union officials with remarks in support of R.I. teacher firings

Published 03/01/2010 09:00 PM

President Obama voiced support Monday for the mass firings of educators at a failing Rhode Island school, drawing an immediate rebuke from teachers union officials whose members have chafed at some of his education policies.

Gov. McDonnell seeks stimulus money, despite earlier criticism

Published 03/01/2010 09:00 PM

RICHMOND -- For more than a year, Robert F. McDonnell has been critical of the federal stimulus package, arguing that it should have been more focused on creating jobs and spurring the economy.

Obama seeks money, interventions to stem dropouts

Published 03/01/2010 02:08 PM

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama on Monday addressed the nation's school dropout epidemic, proposing $900 million to states and school districts that agree to drastically change or even shutter their worst performing schools.

Obama announces get-tough strategy for struggling schools

Published 03/01/2010 10:16 AM

President Obama outlined Monday a get-tough strategy for turning around persistently struggling schools, offering an unprecedented increase in federal funding for local school systems that shake up their lowest-achieving campuses.

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Published 03/01/2010 10:16 AM

Desire to learn Russian heating up again

Published 02/28/2010 09:00 PM

Russian used to be hot, the must-learn language of ambitious Americans looking to talk to their rivals. But the end of the Cold War put the language in a deep freeze -- one from which it's just beginning to emerge.

Decision to fire all of R.I. school's teachers sad, desperate

Published 02/28/2010 09:00 PM

Finally, a school system has decided to fire all the educators at an ailing school.

D.C. teacher evaluation system has its fans in classrooms

Published 02/28/2010 09:00 PM

George Parker, president of the Washington Teachers Union, told me last year that the District's new evaluation program had no "appropriate system of support to improve instruction" and was "bad for kids." He suggested I contact more teachers to learn the many flaws of IMPACT, the program's name.

At 94, exercising mind and heart with her own bat mitzvah

Published 02/27/2010 09:00 PM

When Esther Isralow was a 13-year-old helping her widowed mother start a chicken farm in rural Pennsylvania during the Great Depression, the last thing on her mind was a bat mitzvah, the Jewish coming-of-age ceremony for girls.

Deep budget cuts approved for Prince George's schools

Published 02/27/2010 09:00 PM

The Prince George's Board of Education on Saturday eliminated hundreds of jobs, approved lengthy furloughs, slashed bus service and expanded class sizes for all but the youngest students under a budget for the 2010-11 school year.

Md. Senate passes bill that would waive $23 million Montgomery education fine

Published 02/26/2010 09:00 PM

A bill that would waive a $23 million penalty levied against Montgomery County public schools passed with overwhelming support in the Maryland Senate on Friday.

Infatuated man kills Wash. teacher outside school

Published 02/26/2010 10:14 PM

TACOMA, Wash. -- A man apparently infatuated with a special education teacher he knew from college shot and killed her as she walked into her elementary school Friday, shortly before students began arriving.

Online courses can reduce the costly sting of college

Published 02/25/2010 09:00 PM

Inessa Volkonidina had taken precalculus once and dropped it. She needed to take it again, and quickly, to fulfill a graduation requirement at Long Island University. She went online and found a company with an odd name, StraighterLine, that offered the course on even odder terms: $99 a month.

Gays laud Maryland decision to recognize same-sex marriages from other places

Published 02/25/2010 09:00 PM

Same-sex couples and gay rights advocates in Maryland rejoiced Thursday, a day after Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler (D) said the state will recognize same-sex marriages from other places and ordered state agencies to immediately begin giving gay married couples the same rights as...

Business principles won't work for school reform, former supporter Ravitch says

Published 02/25/2010 09:00 PM

For those who believe that performance pay and charter schools pose a threat to public education and that a cult of testing and accountability has hijacked school reform, an unlikely national spokeswoman has emerged.

Duncan questioned on move to cut funding for Teach for America

Published 02/25/2010 01:02 PM

Education Secretary Arne Duncan faced unusually sharp questioning from House Democrats Thursday over the Obama administration's proposals to eliminate a grant for the Teach for America program and hold the line on new funding for many other education programs.

Virginia acts to limit use of exam for special-ed students after criticism

Published 02/25/2010 09:00 PM

Virginia officials are moving to sharply limit an alternative testing program that many schools in the Washington suburbs use to measure the abilities of special education students who traditionally have fared poorly on the state's Standards of Learning exams.

Pledge of Allegiance apology will come from Montgomery teacher

Published 02/25/2010 05:16 PM

A Montgomery County teacher has agreed to apologize to a 13-year-old student whom he reprimanded and sent to the office for twice refusing to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance, said a lawyer who represents the student.

Despite recession, young people optimistic about future, Pew study finds

Published 02/23/2010 09:00 PM

More than one-third of the millennial generation -- the tech-savvy group ages 18 to 29 -- is unemployed or out of the workforce, the highest share among this age group in more than three decades, according to a new report by the Pew Research Center .

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Published 02/23/2010 09:00 PM

Maryland schools get a break on making up snow days

Published 02/23/2010 09:00 PM

Spring break is in significantly less peril for public schools in Maryland after the State Board of Education decided Tuesday to allow schools to request waivers for the minimum number of days they must be in session this year.

Proposed Arlington schools budget cuts back in many areas

Published 02/23/2010 09:00 PM

Arlington County Schools Superintendent Patrick K. Murphy proposed a $442 million budget Tuesday that would increase the average class size in most grades, introduce participation fees for athletics and cut 95 positions.

Parents of high school freshmen denied AP need to study the facts

Published 02/24/2010 09:00 PM

My wife and I sometimes got emotionally involved with high school issues when our children attended. High school counts. Parents can get upset. So I paid close attention when two Arlington County mothers contacted me, separately, about a flap over Advanced Placement World History in ninth grade.

Pledge of Allegiance dispute results in Md. teacher having to apologize

Published 02/23/2010 09:00 PM

The mother of a 13-year-old Montgomery County middle school student is demanding an apology from a teacher who had school police escort the youngster from a classroom for refusing to say the Pledge of Allegiance.

Parent notification policies for underage drinking evolve

Published 02/23/2010 09:00 PM

For years, Virginia Tech had a complicated system for deciding when to let parents know about their underage children's alcohol-related transgressions. Visits to the hospital or police station warranted immediate notification, but Mom and Dad didn't have to know about less-serious offenses, such ...

More Catholic schools reaching out to special-needs students

Published 02/22/2010 09:00 PM

A math class for students with intellectual disabilities at Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax practiced naming dates on a calendar one recent morning and deciphering what time it is when the big hand is on the 10 and the little hand is on the 11. But first, the teacher led them in a prayer.

Joseph Urgo, N.Y. college official, new St. Mary's president

Published 02/22/2010 09:00 PM

St. Mary's College of Maryland trustees announced Monday that they have selected Joseph R. Urgo, a vice president at Hamilton College in Upstate New York, as the school's next president.

Rhee reports to D.C. Council on teacher misconduct

Published 02/22/2010 09:00 PM

Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee has fired 10 D.C. teachers for administering corporal punishment and two for sexual misconduct since July 2007, according to a report she submitted to D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray.

Obama proposes to raise academic standards by linking them to state benchmarks

Published 02/22/2010 09:21 AM

President Obama announced Monday he will seek to raise academic standards across the country by requiring states to certify that their benchmarks for reading and mathematics put students on track for college or a career.

Obama wants education benchmarks to meet higher standard

Published 02/21/2010 09:00 PM

President Obama will seek to raise academic standards across the country by requiring states to certify that their benchmarks for reading and mathematics put students on track for college or a career, administration officials said Sunday.

Classes, homework slid straight to Internet as snow fell

Published 02/21/2010 09:00 PM

With the record snowfall this winter, classrooms across the Washington area have spent weeks on hiatus. But when classes have been canceled, some teachers have moved their lessons to the Internet and pressed on -- and they've been pleasantly surprised by the results.

Give students a reality check: Assign more nonfiction books.

Published 02/21/2010 09:00 PM

It wasn't until I was in my 50s that I realized how restricted my high school reading lists had been and how little they had changed for my three children. They were enthusiastic readers, as my wife and I were. But all, or almost all, of the required books for both generations were fiction.

Mission trumps money for some bookstores and gift shops

Published 02/20/2010 09:00 PM

Signs on the front door of the World Bank's unabashedly wonky bookstore, the InfoShop, practically plead for customers to step inside: "Discounts for bank and fund staff & retirees on just about everything!"

Muslims turning to home schooling in increasing numbers

Published 02/20/2010 09:00 PM

On a chilly afternoon in western Loudoun County, a group of children used tweezers to extract rodent bones from a regurgitated owl pellet. A boy built a Lego launcher. A girl practiced her penmanship. On the wall, placards read, "I fast in Ramadan," "I pay zakat" and "I will go on hajj."

D.C. teacher accused of impregnating 18-year-old special-needs student, Rhee says

Published 02/19/2010 09:00 PM

The D.C. public school teacher accused of sexual misconduct before he was laid off in October allegedly had sex with an 18-year-old special-needs student, resulting in her pregnancy, Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee told D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray in a letter.

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Published 02/19/2010 09:00 PM

Teen sentenced to life for Va. murders of mother and son

Published 02/19/2010 09:00 PM

A teenager who killed a mother and her son in their Dale City home during a botched burglary -- a chilling crime that the teen called a "mishap" Friday -- will spend the rest of his life in prison.

O'Malley proposes changes in tenure, test rules for chance at federal funds

Published 02/19/2010 09:00 PM

The lure of $4 billion in federal funding at a time of fiscal peril has driven state after state toward school reforms long considered politically unlikely, undoable or unthinkable. This week, Maryland provided the latest surprise: Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is seeking union support for reelection...

In D.C., more evidence that commercial real estate headed for foreclosure crisis

Published 02/18/2010 09:00 PM

A mortgage crisis like the one that has devastated homeowners is enveloping the nation's office and retail buildings, and few places are likely to be hit as hard as Washington.

While Md. grocery customers fill carts, preacher fills souls

Published 02/18/2010 09:00 PM

Somewhere between the produce aisles and Giant's every-day-fresh bakery, the Rev. Anita Naves is working up a sweat. She is holding a somewhat surprised shopper's hand, anointing his forehead with oil and crying out for the Holy Spirit to enter the man's life and drive out all worry and doubt.

Budget woes put Fairfax library services on the line

Published 02/18/2010 09:00 PM

Librarian Nancy Klein says she didn't realize how ironic her situation was until she found herself standing at a podium at the Fairfax County Government Center last month to accept an award for helping fellow public-sector employees navigate the new world of layoffs and budget cuts. As Klein...

House announces bipartisan effort to rewrite No Child law

Published 02/18/2010 06:34 AM

Senior House Republicans and Democrats announced Thursday that they will team up to rewrite the No Child Left Behind education law, a rare show of bipartisanship in the polarized Congress.

Lawmakers to launch bipartisan effort to rewrite No Child Left Behind

Published 02/17/2010 09:00 PM

Senior House Republicans and Democrats plan to announce Thursday that they will team up to rewrite the No Child Left Behind education law, a rare show of bipartisanship in the polarized Congress.

GWU e-mail welcomes rejected early-decision applicants

Published 02/17/2010 09:00 PM

About 200 students who had sought early-decision admission to George Washington University received an e-mail last week that proclaimed "Congratulations" and welcomed them to the Class of 2014 -- for several hours.

School buses get stuck in snow with Pr. George's students aboard

Published 02/17/2010 09:00 PM

Two groups of students were temporarily stranded on the way to school Wednesday when their buses got stuck in snow in Prince George's County.

Montgomery schools budget passes with modest spending hike

Published 02/17/2010 09:00 PM

The Montgomery County Board of Education unanimously approved a budget Wednesday that would modestly increase education spending next school year, but members said that it was just the first step in what is likely to be a tough fight this spring over limited county funds.