Education News

USDA issues new rules for school meals

Published 01/25/2012 03:51 PM

School meals will have to offer fruits and vegetables to students every day under standards issued by the United States Department of Agriculture on Wednesday.

Medical schools join first lady's health initiative for veterans

Published 01/11/2012 08:24 PM

Two medical education groups and 130 medical schools signed on to first lady Michelle Obama's initiative to "train the nation's physicians to meet the unique health care needs of the military and veterans communities," the White House announced Wednesday.

Lessons from famous college dropouts

Published 12/31/2011 04:24 PM

A college degree can be an important gateway to employment, a career and a better standard of living. But a college degree does not equate to someone's level of intelligence or talent. For those seeking the best workers or leaders, there is a plethora of intelligent, inventive people without degrees who should not be overlooked.

Lunch prices go up for children of U.S. troops stationed overseas

Published 12/14/2011 01:56 AM

When children of American servicemembers who are living with their parents overseas go back to school after the holidays, the Grinch will be waiting for them in the cafeteria.

Two more surrender, making 20 arrests in SAT/ACT scandal

Published 11/28/2011 08:32 PM

Two more students surrendered Monday, making the grand total 20 arrests in an SAT/ACT scandal, according to the Nassau County, New York, district attorney's office.

SAT scandal shows tyranny of standardized testing

Published 11/28/2011 08:32 PM

As education scandals go, the news that students at some of the best high schools on Long Island paid others to take their College Board tests seems mild. The Long Island scandal pales behind the sex scandal at Penn State.

College graduation rates: Income really matters

Published 11/28/2011 05:10 PM

It's getting more difficult for low-income students to climb the economic ladder as the college graduation gap between the rich and poor grows.

South Korean students' 'year of hell' culminates with exams day

Published 11/13/2011 12:30 PM

Most South Korean students consider their final year in high school "the year of hell." It is when all students are put to the ultimate test.

College costs climb, yet again

Published 10/29/2011 07:09 PM

Although more Americans are getting help from scholarships and tax breaks, the net cost of college is eating up a higher share of the typical family's income in 2011, according to a report released Wednesday.

States gear up to opt out of No Child Left Behind law

Published 09/23/2011 08:45 PM

A number of states, including Georgia, already are putting things in place to opt out of the controversial No Child Left Behind Law, following President Barrack Obama's announcement Friday that states can now apply for waivers.

White House announces waivers for No Child Left Behind law

Published 08/09/2011 10:17 PM

About half the schools in Tennessee didn't meet the annual yearly progress requirements of the No Child Left Behind law last year. Tennessee is not alone.

Judge rules Memphis city schools to merge with county

Published 08/08/2011 06:49 PM

Public schools in Memphis, Tennessee, will be consolidated with those of the surrounding county beginning in 2013-14, a federal judge ruled Monday. The decision ends for now a yearslong fight over funding that spilled into questions of race and politics.

'Big Bang Theory' actress Mayim Bialik a real-life scientist

Published 07/15/2011 12:17 PM

You may remember her as the title character from NBC's "Blossom," or recognize her as brainy Amy Farrah Fowler on the CBS hit comedy "The Big Bang Theory."

Flawed policy on testing drives schools to cheat

Published 07/14/2011 08:20 AM

The recent disclosure of test altering practices across Atlanta's public school system has turned the spotlight on a national crisis. Instances of grade changing and test tampering have also been reported across the country in cities such as Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia and Washington.

New dating site helps college students find love

Published 06/22/2011 11:04 AM

Though they had perhaps crossed paths several times on campus, it was only when Andy Lalinde was scrolling through images of cute girls online that the one with brunette hair standing in some South American country caught his eye.

Never too late to be a doctor

Published 06/13/2011 12:21 PM

By the time Mike Moore finishes school and starts his career as a doctor, he'll be in his 50s.

Surging college costs price out middle class

Published 06/13/2011 06:44 AM

What do you get when college costs skyrocket but incomes barely budge? Yet another blow to the middle class.

A college education is your best bet

Published 06/09/2011 01:17 PM

Investor Peter Thiel has generated attention by making some provocative claims about America's colleges and universities. Thiel has labeled U.S. higher education "a bubble in the classic sense," and believes that college degrees are "overvalued."

For-profit colleges face tougher funding standards

Published 06/02/2011 09:10 AM

In order to receive federal funding for education programs, for-profit colleges now need to prove that their graduates are actually getting jobs.

Blind man files discrimination suit over law school admission test

Published 05/25/2011 08:58 PM

A blind Michigan man, rejected by three law schools after scoring poorly on the Law School Admission Test, is suing the American Bar Association, arguing that the group's exam requirements discriminate against the visually impaired.

Trump's 'university' targeted by NY regulators

Published 05/20/2011 06:18 PM

The company formerly known as Trump University is one of several for-profit schools under investigation by the New York Attorney General, a Trump spokesman confirmed Friday.

Your education is not an equal opportunity

Published 05/16/2011 01:17 PM

Should your ZIP code determine your access to the American dream? Or is the U.S. Constitution's guarantee to provide "equal protection" a principle we have silently agreed to uphold in theory -- but not in practice?

For-profit colleges fighting back hard

Published 04/21/2011 06:52 PM

It's no secret that prominent short-seller Steve Eisman has been outspoken against the for-profit education sector, and he has the ear of lawmakers and the Department of Education.

Detroit to close some schools, convert others to charters

Published 03/31/2011 10:55 AM

As many as 18 Detroit schools will either be converted into charter schools or be closed, Detroit Public Schools Emergency Manager Robert Bobb said Wednesday.

Mother hopes others will opt out of standardized testing

Published 03/21/2011 06:53 PM

A Pennsylvania mother has decided she does not want her two children to take the two-week-long standardized tests given by her state as part of the federal No Child Left Behind law. And she hopes other parents will do the same.

Obama calls for Congress to pass education reforms

Published 03/14/2011 01:23 PM

President Barack Obama called Monday for Congress to pass education reforms by the time students return to school next fall, telling a Virginia middle school that fixing problems in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act -- more commonly known as "No Child Left Behind" -- should be a top priority.

Duncan: 'No Child Left Behind' creates failure for U.S. schools

Published 03/10/2011 12:01 AM

Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Wednesday his department estimates that four out of five schools in the United States will not make their "No Child Left Behind" benchmarks by the law's target year of 2014 -- and when the test scores are counted for the current school year, numbers could show that U.S. schools are already at that failure rate.

End 'last in, first out' teacher layoffs

Published 02/24/2011 07:49 AM

State leaders across the country are confronting some of the toughest decisions they have ever had to make in order to balance their budgets amid a massive financial crisis. As a parent who has worked in education for almost 20 years, knowing that budget cuts will soon hit education is far from my ideal.

For-profit education shorts: 0, Lobbyists: 1

Published 02/23/2011 01:30 PM

Steve Eisman, the short-seller who put himself on the map during the credit crisis, may have suffered a major setback in his campaign against for-profit higher education last week when the House voted resoundingly to strip funding for tough new regulations on the industry.

Michigan approves plan to close half of Detroit schools

Published 02/22/2011 04:35 PM

In an effort to close a yawning budget deficit, Michigan has approved a proposal to drastically shrink Detroit's troubled school system over the next few years.

GAO report revisions lead to lawsuit by for-profit college group

Published 02/08/2011 08:00 PM

In Washington, a place known for spin by both Democrats and Republicans, reports by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office are regularly and confidently quoted as fact by both sides. This is a story about one of those reports that went awry, leading to charges of partisanship and a lawsuit filed against the GAO.

How to choose a school for your child

Published 01/27/2011 01:10 PM

Natalie Crate loves her family's home in a serene community on Massachusetts' North Shore, but come spring, it might be for sale. Crate and her husband aren't happy with the local public schools and would rather have a great education for their daughter than a nice house.

She ate 162 school lunches -- and blogged it

Published 01/21/2011 11:22 AM

After a year of eating school lunches, Mrs. Q survived to blog about it.

Feds to tighten school nutrition standards

Published 01/13/2011 03:42 PM

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a new proposed rule Thursday designed to strengthen school breakfast and lunch nutrition standards -- part of the Obama administration's attempt to crack down on an epidemic of childhood obesity.

The most popular graduate degrees

Published 12/31/2010 04:13 AM

Attending graduate school is a big decision -- there's a lot of time, effort and money involved in earning an advanced degree. Yet despite the major commitment, the popularity of graduate degrees is on the rise.

Controversial D.C. school reformer takes agenda national

Published 12/07/2010 12:13 PM

Known as a reformer and a rebel, Michelle Rhee took a "revolutionary" step Monday, when she posted on her website, her intent to launch an education advocacy group, according to one educator.

The business school for anti-MBAs

Published 10/25/2010 10:11 AM

In the fall of 2008, when Lehman Brothers went kaput and the economy plunged into a deep recession, Yash Gupta was scampering around the country trying to drum up support for a new business school at Johns Hopkins University.

Death to the SAT!!!

Published 10/21/2010 08:02 AM

Early on, in the 1950s, Robert Sternberg flubbed IQ tests, and his elementary school branded him a loser. "As a result of my low scores, my teachers thought I was stupid, and I did too," he writes in his passionate new book, College Admissions for the 21st Century. "They never came out and told us our IQ scores, but one could tell from the way the teachers acted I was a mediocre student, which made my teachers happy because they got what they expected." In a "self-fulfilling prophecy," Sternberg performed a little bit worse each year. But he lucked out in fourth grade when a teacher "had high expectations for me." He got A's and altered his "entire future trajectory."

Documentaries spark education debate

Published 10/15/2010 04:43 PM

Every year, thousands of families gather in school gymnasiums and auditoriums across the country to enter a drawing, one they believe will make the difference between success and struggle.

D.C. schools chancellor steps down

Published 10/13/2010 02:07 PM

The chancellor of the District of Columbia's Public Schools announced she was stepping down Wednesday, after three-and-a-half years as head of the troubled school system.

Award-winning teachers dole out advice on fixing public schools

Published 10/11/2010 04:54 PM

What if students attended school all year? One Wisconsin teacher thinks that could be a way to improve student grades and fix the nation's public school system.

College-educated more likely to marry, study says

Published 10/07/2010 02:20 PM

The gap between those who have a college degree and those who do not is widening -- this time when it comes to marriage.

Two-year colleges lack services to reduce unplanned pregnancies

Published 10/07/2010 10:23 AM

Months before its summit on community colleges Tuesday, the White House asked Americans to post on its website ideas for community college reform, and vote for their favorite idea.

Obama's education plan draws fire

Published 10/06/2010 10:14 PM

It has gotten very little attention so far, but make no mistake: President Obama is pushing for an absolute paradigm shift in the role that community colleges will play in producing America's highly skilled workers of the future -- and not everyone is happy about it.

Why Stanford predicts a decline in MBA applications

Published 10/06/2010 01:20 PM

The phones in Stanford University's Business School admissions office aren't ringing as often as they did. The number of applicants showing up at the school's information sessions around the world is down as well. For Derrick Bolton, who racked up 240,000 miles of flying last year as director of admissions, it has meant an even heavier schedule than usual to drum up interest.

Dads are the 'Supermen' students need

Published 10/06/2010 10:53 AM

The performance of America's public schools is embarrassing. That is the message of the compelling documentary "Waiting for 'Superman.' "

White House holds summit on cash-strapped community colleges

Published 10/05/2010 10:48 AM

Community colleges across the United States have seen enrollment figures jump by 24 percent over the past few years, as unemployed workers look to retrain at those institutions, which offer lower tuition compared to their four-year counterparts.

Forget Superman, charter schools are waiting for Oprah

Published 09/30/2010 03:38 PM

While we are only just approaching October, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas for the charter school movement. Since the documentary Waiting for Superman opened in select theaters last week, a cast of notables have announced a cascade of donations and investment pledges for charters, and it looks it's just the beginning of this holiday season.

How to get into HBS: play the piccolo, not the violin

Published 09/27/2010 02:08 PM

When Janet Stark finally gets around to building her own website, the admissions consultant will run it with the headline, "I've been accepted to Harvard Business School over 50 times!" Her students are a bit less open.

Obama: 'Money without reform' won't fix U.S. education system

Published 09/27/2010 11:44 AM

Recent world rankings showing U.S. students failing to make the grade in math and science are "a sign of long-term decline," that will require reform of the country's education system to fix, President Obama told NBC's "Today" show on Monday.

Obama must stick to his guns on education

Published 09/02/2010 01:29 PM

It's back-to-school time, which means some in the media have gone back to asking: "What's wrong with our schools? And how can we fix it?"

Alabama schools turn to bank loans to operate

Published 08/31/2010 11:10 AM

Alabama schools have been having a rough time of it, and it only looks like it's going to get rougher. The Cotton State recently came in last place in the federal Department of Education's Race to the Top grant competition. And a steadfast global recession combined with the Gulf Coast oil spill this summer have put a severe strain on the state's tax receipts, the primary source of revenue for Alabama's education system, forcing several school systems to take out private loans just to make it through the year.

Report: Classroom shortage hurts East Jerusalem children

Published 08/24/2010 02:21 PM

Palestinian children in East Jerusalem are being put at a disadvantage because of a dire shortage of classrooms in the east side of the city, according to a report published Tuesday by two Israeli human rights groups.

What's missing for back-to-school? 135,000 teachers

Published 08/20/2010 04:21 PM

More children are crowding into classrooms in Modesto, Calif. Parents are paying extra to send their kids to full-day kindergarten in Queen Creek, Ariz. And the school buses stopped rolling in one St. Louis area school district.

Get a job, or go to grad school?

Published 07/26/2010 04:26 PM

Dear Annie: I hope you can settle an argument. My parents are saying that with my college major (English), it will probably be hard for me to find a job when I graduate next spring. They want me to go straight to grad school and get a master's degree, which they say will make me more "marketable." (They are willing to foot the bill, which I do appreciate.)

D.C. school system fires 241 teachers

Published 07/23/2010 07:38 PM

The District of Columbia public school system announced Friday that it is letting 226 employees go for poor performance under the education assessment system IMPACT.

Arrests highlight education busing issues

Published 07/21/2010 03:30 PM

The arrest of 19 protesters at a rancorous school board meeting Tuesday brings the issue of busing and diversity in education into the national spotlight.

Are hospitals deadlier in July?

Published 07/08/2010 12:44 PM

More than 16,000 U.S. medical school graduates are awarded M.D. degrees each year, and many enter their residency programs at teaching hospitals in July. Now, a growing body of research suggests that month might be a more deadly time in U.S. hospitals.

Why good jobs are going unfilled

Published 07/06/2010 09:32 PM

We're getting to the point where even good news comes wrapped in bad news.

Top issues: Education

Published 06/23/2010 04:27 PM

U.S. education issues in 2010 boil down to two questions: how to fund cash-strapped state universities and how to fix so-called high school "drop-out factories."

When having an MBA is Important

Published 06/09/2010 07:15 PM

Some people view an MBA degree the same way that Charlie thought about his Golden Ticket in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory": They believe a piece of paper can magically transport you to a place you only imagined.

Amid budget cuts, Maryland school system sells curriculum

Published 06/09/2010 04:58 PM

To help defray budget cuts, the Montgomery County Public School system in Maryland is selling some of its assets. Specifically, it has entered into a deal valued at at least $4.5 million with a company called Pearson to sell the county's elementary curriculum expertise.

Steele: Democrats fail on school program

Published 05/17/2010 08:18 PM

Fifty-six years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed in Brown v. Board of Education what our founders declared self-evident -- that all men are created equal.

Man with knife attacks kindergarten in China

Published 04/29/2010 01:17 PM

At least 28 children were injured when a man with a knife attacked a kindergarten in east China on Thursday morning, state media said.

$250 million for abstinence education not evidence-based, groups say

Published 03/31/2010 11:21 AM

The health care reform legislation that President Obama signed recently isn't only about insurance coverage -- there's also a renewal of $50 million per year for five years for abstinence-focused education.

Work with teachers, don't fire them

Published 03/16/2010 08:46 PM

Little Rhode Island made big news in the education arena last month. Superintendent Frances Gallo fired all the teachers at Central Falls High School after negotiations with the teachers' union failed.

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.

Universities warned over access

Published 02/03/2012 04:25 AM

The incoming fair access watchdog says universities will be fined for failing to recruit more students from poorer backgrounds.

Academy school results 'inflated'

Published 02/02/2012 06:17 PM

The results of England's academy schools are being inflated by the over-use of vocational equivalents, analysis suggests.

Children's access rights pledge

Published 02/03/2012 05:07 AM

Children are to get legal rights to maintain relationships with both their parents, as part of a shake-up of the family justice system.

Union plea to delay exams change

Published 02/03/2012 06:05 AM

Schools should be allowed to delay a new exam system if they are not ready to implement it, Scotland's largest teaching union says.

Loans boss 'to pay tax at source'

Published 02/02/2012 03:54 PM

The head of the Student Loans Company will have tax and National Insurance payments deducted from his £182,000 pay package in future, ministers say.

University places go to colleges

Published 02/02/2012 03:45 AM

Further education colleges are going to offer thousands more degree places, previously provided by universities.

Shouting out 'helps pupils learn'

Published 02/01/2012 05:19 PM

Pupils who shout out in class achieve better results than their counterparts who appear to be better behaved and quiet, suggests research.

Asbestos in schools a 'scandal'

Published 02/01/2012 09:06 PM

The presence of killer fibre asbestos in most UK state schools constitutes a "national scandal", says an all-party group of parliamentarians.

Dinner ladies win equal pay row

Published 02/01/2012 01:16 PM

Nearly 1,000 female workers, including dinner ladies, cleaners and carers, are to receive five years' back pay in a conclusion to an equality dispute with Bury Council.

Most new apprentices are over 25

Published 02/01/2012 07:16 AM

More than two-thirds of the apprenticeships created in England in the past five years have gone to the over 25s, a report from spending watchdog shows.

Governors 'blamed over schools'

Published 01/31/2012 11:09 PM

As two councils apply to dismiss their school governors, the Liberal Democrats warn they may be blamed for falling standards.

Special education change defended

Published 02/01/2012 05:14 AM

Northern Ireland's Department of Education is planning to scrap the statements which guarantee extra help to pupils with special education needs.

Gove: Academy opponents 'Trots'

Published 01/31/2012 07:41 AM

Education Secretary Michael Gove, facing questions from MPs and Twitter, says academy opponents are "Trots", promises a new measure for schools and chooses his favourite Bond villain.

Vocational exams cut from tables

Published 01/31/2012 04:38 AM

Ministers cut the GCSE-equivalent value of 3,100 vocational qualifications, such as hair services and horse care, ending their recognition in school league tables.

Literacy of young 'must improve'

Published 01/31/2012 12:46 AM

Wales' schools inspection service raises concerns about literacy levels and says exam results are not improving as quickly as other parts of the UK.

University applications down 9%

Published 01/30/2012 09:54 AM

University applications have fallen more sharply in England than in Scotland, as admissions service figures reveal the impact of higher tuition fees.

Teaching union backs pension deal

Published 01/30/2012 03:26 AM

The ATL teachers' union backs the government's revised deal on pensions in a ballot.

Tuition fees commission set up

Published 01/27/2012 05:11 AM

An independent commission has been set up to examine the impact of increased tuition fees in England.

'Biggest classroom in the world'

Published 11/23/2011 03:37 AM

Looking at the biggest classroom in the world

New York schools enter the iZone

Published 10/25/2011 04:34 PM

New York's pioneering plan to re-invent the school

How China is winning the school race

Published 10/11/2011 04:05 PM

How China has overtaken everyone in the school race

Digital textbooks open a new chapter

Published 10/18/2011 04:00 PM

Switch on your textbooks - they're going digital

Fairness challenge from first global education 'laureate'

Published 11/08/2011 04:03 PM

First global education laureate's fairness challenge

Knowledge economy: Global best school buildings

Published 10/04/2011 04:30 PM

What difference can building design make to the quality of education?

Disabled children excluded from education

Published 11/18/2011 10:27 AM

One in three of the children around the world who do not have access to primary education have a disability, suggests research from the Sightsavers charity.

Battle of the knowledge superpowers

Published 09/28/2011 04:04 AM

Knowledge is power - economic power - and there's a scramble for that power taking place around the globe.

'IPhoneography' course launched

Published 02/03/2012 04:39 AM

A college plans a new course devoted entirely to taking photographs on the iPhone

Botanic Garden's stuck books plea

Published 01/31/2012 12:13 AM

The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh is appealing to the government of Pakistan to get 4,000 botany books destined for Afghanistan released after a year's hold-up.

Lagging pupils 'don't catch up'

Published 01/26/2012 01:30 AM

Just one in 15 pupils in England starting secondary school "behind" for their age, gets five good GCSEs, official data shows.

Two grammars top league tables

Published 01/26/2012 07:28 AM

Two grammar schools are at the top of this year's secondary school league tables.

Failure in sex abuse teacher case

Published 01/26/2012 11:45 AM

A teacher was able to film himself abusing young girls because of a "lamentable failure" by school management, a review finds.

Jubilee cooking contest 'illegal'

Published 01/26/2012 08:34 AM

The anti-monarchy group Republic warns schools they may break the law if they take part in a cooking competition to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Brown urges global education fund

Published 01/24/2012 07:05 PM

Former prime minister Gordon Brown calls for a global fund as a last chance to meet targets for universal primary education.

Teachers strike on academy plans

Published 01/25/2012 04:47 AM

Staff at a Birmingham primary school go on strike over plans to turn it into an academy.

Child protection scrutiny boosted

Published 01/30/2012 04:08 PM

From May all inspections of child protection services will be unannounced and last two weeks.

Babies' brains 'show autism risk'

Published 01/26/2012 04:01 PM

It may be possible to detect autism at a much earlier age than previously thought, say researchers.

Lammy: Axe current smacking law

Published 01/24/2012 07:15 AM

David Lammy, MP for Tottenham, tells website Mumsnet parents should be allowed to smack their children without the fear of facing jail.

Foster system 'hampered by fear'

Published 01/24/2012 02:15 AM

A culture of fear has led to some councils protecting themselves more than the children in their care, according to the government's child protection adviser.

Lords reject child support plans

Published 01/25/2012 02:42 PM

The coalition suffers its biggest defeat in the Lords since being elected over plans to charge single parents to use the Child Support Agency.

Rising prices 'pressure elderly'

Published 01/24/2012 01:57 AM

Elderly people are finding it harder to make ends meet as prices rise, says a report from Age UK.

AUDIO: Why are Wales's schools falling behind?

Published 02/03/2012 01:28 AM

Welsh schools do not appear to be achieving results as good as those in England - on several measures the gap is widening.

AUDIO: 'Bonfire' of vocational qualifications

Published 01/30/2012 11:33 PM

The Today programme's Sanchia Berg reports from a further education college in Stockport as the government announces it's to reduce the number of vocational subjects from GCSEs.

VIDEO: How to find extra primary school places

Published 01/31/2012 08:46 AM

A rise in the number of pupils and a shortage of primary school places has led some councils to consider turning empty shops and playing fields into classrooms.

VIDEO: Mystery illness at US high school

Published 01/30/2012 01:19 PM

High school students in the small community of Leroy, New York State, have been coming down with strange tics and verbal outbursts, with no obvious cause.

Mums launch student swap scheme

Published 02/03/2012 05:17 PM

The parents looking to exchange their student child for yours

Wales facing literacy challenge

Published 02/03/2012 09:02 AM

The BBC's Nicola Smith looks at how literacy levels can be raised

Boys' ballet free school planned

Published 01/27/2012 09:42 AM

Free school plans for budding Billy Elliots

The 'toughest job' in the country

Published 01/26/2012 05:37 AM

Turning round England's worst performing school

Without Wikipedia, where can you get your facts?

Published 01/18/2012 06:49 AM

Where can you get facts during a Wiki-blackout?

How are poor teachers dealt with?

Published 01/13/2012 07:44 AM

How heads deal with struggling teachers

ICT teachers welcome new lessons

Published 01/11/2012 07:27 AM

ICT teachers look forward to curriculum shake-up

Year-over-year jobs data by race and education (AP)

Published 02/03/2012 01:00 PM

AP - Year-over-year jobs data by race and education

Former Ala. professor's lawyers want trial delayed (AP)

Published 02/03/2012 09:01 AM

AP - Lawyers for a former Alabama professor accused of killing three colleagues during a faculty meeting want a state appeals court to delay her March trial because officials haven't paid for expert witnesses or testing by a neurologist.

Some colleges cut tuition, hasten graduation (Reuters)

Published 02/03/2012 07:15 AM

Reuters - Even before President Barack Obama announced plans last month to push colleges to improve affordability, a number of schools beat him to the punch by lowering tuition and helping students graduate in fewer semesters.

AP source: Facebook IPO won't affect Newark pledge (AP)

Published 02/02/2012 03:21 PM

AP - Facebook's public stock offering apparently will not affect its company co-founder's pledge of shares worth $100 million to the Newark, N.J., school system.

Sallie Mae will credit $50 fee to suspend payments (AP)

Published 02/02/2012 01:29 PM

AP - Private student lender Sallie Mae is changing how it handles a fee it charges struggling borrowers who seek to temporarily suspend payments.

Summary Box: Sallie Mae changes policy on loan fee (AP)

Published 02/02/2012 01:05 PM

AP - THE NEWS: Private student lender Sallie Mae is changing how it handles a fee that struggling borrowers must pay to temporarily suspend payments.

Lawmakers delay hearing on school trans fat ban (AP)

Published 02/02/2012 11:11 AM

AP - The nation's leanest state is taking its sweet time as it considers a proposal aimed at getting junk food out of schools.

Stomach illness strikes 300 San Francisco students (Reuters)

Published 02/01/2012 06:37 PM

Reuters - A Jesuit high school in San Francisco was closed for the rest of the week on Wednesday after about 300 students and 30 faculty were stricken by a stomach ailment marked by nausea and vomiting, officials there said.

When Charter Schools Fail: Crackdown Can Disrupt Students (Time.com)

Published 02/01/2012 12:10 AM

Time.com - States are closing subpar charter schools, but shuttling students back to mediocre public schools may be doing kids more harm than good

Suspect in Utah school bomb plot charged (AP)

Published 01/31/2012 03:59 PM

AP - Authorities on Tuesday charged a 16-year-old boy with a felony in what they say was a plot to detonate a bomb at a Utah high school.

Authorities probe use of seclusion rooms for disabled (Reuters)

Published 01/31/2012 02:15 PM

Reuters - Federal and state investigators are probing reports that disabled children at a public elementary school in Connecticut were locked in a room to control their behavior or as a punishment, officials said on Tuesday.

$173,000 in fees sought in RI prayer banner case (AP)

Published 01/31/2012 01:57 PM

AP - Lawyers for the 16-year-old Rhode Island atheist who sued over a prayer banner displayed at a public high school are asking a court to order the city of Cranston to pay $173,000 in attorneys' fees.

Education: States should do more to reach students (AP)

Published 01/31/2012 12:28 PM

AP - In its initial review of No Child Left Behind waiver requests, the U.S. Education Department highlighted a similar weakness in nearly every application: States did not do enough to ensure schools would be held accountable for the performance of all students.

Suggestions to Fix Higher Education (ContributorNetwork)

Published 01/31/2012 10:14 AM

ContributorNetwork - COMMENTARY | According to Time.com, President Barack Obama has a tough road ahead in convincing colleges and universities to lower tuition rates and increasing infrastructure costs for schools.

Michigan School District Files Lawsuit, Forms Coalition to Block EFM (ContributorNetwork)

Published 01/31/2012 10:14 AM

ContributorNetwork - Highland Park (Mich.) School District, which was placed under the auspices of an emergency financial manager on Monday, announced the formation of a coalition designed to oppose state control and decide upon alternative measures, according to Michigan Radio.

Charter Schools -- Unsafe Pressure-Release Valves We Don't Need (ContributorNetwork)

Published 01/31/2012 10:14 AM

ContributorNetwork - COMMENTARY | Sarah Butrymowicz on Time.com reports about myriad difficulties facing charter schools and the families of their students when those schools are forced to close. Charter schools are defined in as schools that "get public funds but operate without usual bureaucratic constraints." The purpose, to be sure, is noble: Help students who are not thriving in traditional public schools pursue academic success in smaller, more supportive environments.

19-year-old dies in fall from Park City chairlift (AP)

Published 01/30/2012 12:57 PM

AP - A 19-year-old University of Utah student likely suffered a medical episode before she fell from a popular Park City ski resort and died, an official said Monday.

College Tuition Controversy Highlights Challenges (ContributorNetwork)

Published 01/29/2012 05:40 AM

ContributorNetwork - COMMENTARY | According to the Associated Press, President Barack Obama is upset with colleges and universities that have been raising their tuition rates, forcing an increasing number of students into debt as college degrees are worth less in a down economy. He has threatened to cut federal dollars for these schools and transfer the money to schools that offer good education for a reasonable price.

College presidents wary of Obama cost-control plan (AP)

Published 01/28/2012 08:49 AM

AP - Fuzzy math, Illinois State University's president called it. "Political theater of the worst sort," said the University of Washington's head.

Newark, NJ, told to produce Facebook pledge log (AP)

Published 01/27/2012 03:53 PM

AP - The state's largest city must produce a list of documents related to a $100 million pledge to its public schools from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, a judge ruled Friday.

Best Practices of State Bullying Policies

Published 12/16/2010 02:22 PM

Secretary Duncan issued a technical assistance memo highlighting key components of strong state bullying laws and policies.

New Board Members for Postsecondary Improvement Fund

Published 12/13/2010 07:27 AM

Secretary Duncan announced 13 new board members for the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE).

International Student Assessment

Published 12/07/2010 10:15 AM

"Being average in reading and science—and below average in math—is not nearly good enough," Secretary Duncan said in response to results from the Program for International Student Assessment.

Passage of the Child Nutrition Bill

Published 12/03/2010 03:52 AM

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will "help schools fight our country's childhood obesity epidemic and give students access to the nutritional food they need to help them learn," Secretary Duncan said.

Grants to Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions

Published 11/23/2010 06:24 AM

ED announced grants to higher education institutions that serve Asian American and Pacific Islander students.

Assessment Board Members Named

Published 11/17/2010 08:09 AM

Secretary Duncan named six members of the National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees the Nation's Report Card.

We want your feedback!

Published 11/16/2010 02:25 PM

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

Pennsylvania Schools’ Funding Fight Pits District Against Charter

Published 02/04/2012 01:20 PM

The Chester Upland district’s fiscal woes – so severe that it cannot afford to pay teachers past the end of this month – are compounded by a charter school with which it shares its financing.

The Texas Tribune: Student Assessments Facing Stiff Backlash in Texas

Published 02/04/2012 10:09 AM

Parents and educators are expressing strong concern about the central role of standardized testing in the assessment and overall education of their children and students.

Beliefs: When Counseling and Conviction Collide — Beliefs

Published 02/03/2012 10:17 PM

The case of a woman who was expelled from a graduate counseling program highlights how religious views on sexual orientation provoke controversy in the profession.

Sallie Mae to Change Forbearance Fee Policy

Published 02/03/2012 10:47 AM

A petition on Change.org helped bring about the lender’s new rule on forbearance fees.

The Choice Blog: Claremont's President Says Lack of Proper Controls Led to SAT Misinformation

Published 02/02/2012 05:41 PM

Pamela B. Gann, president of Claremont McKenna College, discussed the circumstances surrounding the submission of inaccurate SAT data and how her school can regain trust.

Churches Push for Law Allowing Them to Remain in Public Schools

Published 02/03/2012 12:00 PM

Advocates hope the State Senate will pass a bill in support of the New York City churches next week.

The Texas Tribune: Arlington Hopes That New Stadium’s Glitter Rubs Off on Downtown

Published 02/02/2012 10:29 PM

The University of Texas at Arlington’s new College Park Center is a $78 million, 7,000-seat special-events arena.

Cruz Is Among Those Who Found Refuge at Paterson Catholic

Published 02/03/2012 12:47 PM

Paterson Catholic High School, where Giants receiver Victor Cruz played football, was unable to survive the economic decline of Paterson, N.J. and was closed in 2010.

Immigrant Worker Firings Unsettle Pomona College

Published 02/02/2012 10:30 AM

At Pomona College, dining hall employees were fired after questions about their residency status, prompting a debate over what it means to be a liberal college.

Company Banned by State Department in Effort to Protect Foreign Students

Published 02/02/2012 05:58 PM

Cetusa, a sponsor of a State Department work/travel program, was reviewed after 400 participants staged a walkout at a Hershey packing plant.

In Yale Report, 52 Complaints of Sexual Misconduct

Published 02/02/2012 10:37 AM

Yale University, in an effort to be more transparent about its handling of sexual misconduct, released a report detailing accusations including harassing remarks and rape.

New York City High School Report Backs Smaller Institutions

Published 02/02/2012 12:56 PM

New research last week showed that students at New York City’s growing crop of small public high schools had outperformed their counterparts at more traditional schools.

Gaming the College Rankings

Published 02/01/2012 06:28 PM

The academic world is dismayed, but not quite surprised, by news that Claremont McKenna fudged its numbers.

Claremont McKenna College Says It Exaggerated SAT Figures

Published 02/02/2012 04:34 PM

Claremont McKenna College said it submitted false SAT scores to publications like U.S. News & World Report that use the data in widely followed college rankings.

Former Teacher, 61, Arrested in California on Abuse Charges

Published 02/01/2012 07:50 AM

Mark Berndt, 61, who taught for 30 years, is accused of photographing children after taping their mouths shut and putting bugs on their faces.

After Mistake, A Mea Culpa From Vassar

Published 02/03/2012 06:59 PM

Two days after 76 applicants were mistakenly told they had been accepted to Vassar College, the school’s president apologized for the confusion and said the college would reimburse the students’ $65 application fees.

Political Science | Women and Faith: Law Fuels Contraception Controversy on Catholic Campuses

Published 01/30/2012 11:00 AM

Many Catholic colleges are pushing back against a ruling by the Obama administration that the new health care law requires insurance plans at Catholic institutions to cover birth control.

Greenough Journal: One-Room Montana School Is Also a One-Student School

Published 01/30/2012 10:12 AM

In a prosperous ranching corner of Montana, Amber Leetch, age 11, makes up the entire Sunset School District 30.

On Education: Dr. Seuss Book, ‘Mulberry Street,’ Turns 75

Published 01/30/2012 10:00 AM

A tour of Springfield, Mass., where Ted Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, was raised, suggests that some of the images from his books were inspired by things he saw growing up.

M.B.A. Program for Athletes Offers Off-Season Training in Economics

Published 01/30/2012 12:00 PM

The George Washington University School of Business STAR E.M.B.A. program is the first executive M.B.A. for professional athletes.

Harnessing Gaming for the Classroom

Published 01/29/2012 11:27 PM

At the Learning Without Frontiers conference in London, the experts gathered to explore the pros, and some cons, of computer gaming as a learning tool.

E.U. Students Gain From Open Borders, but Some Host Nations See Burden

Published 01/29/2012 11:35 PM

Cross-border students within the bloc pay the same tuition fees as natives, but a reimbursement system that would see states pay for educating their own students, no matter where they study, has been suggested.

Scraping the $40,000 Ceiling at New York City Private Schools

Published 02/02/2012 07:30 AM

The median price of first grade has gone up by 48 percent over 10 years, and parents at three schools are waiting to find out whether they will be joining the $40,000-a-year club.

Joy, Then Misery, as Some Vassar Early-Decision Applicants Learn True Fate

Published 02/03/2012 04:12 PM

A test letter mistakenly told 76 applicants, some in other countries, that they had been accepted to the school.

Obama’s Plan to Control College Costs Gets Mixed Reviews

Published 02/02/2012 12:12 PM

While making college more affordable is a notion nearly everyone supports, consensus is more elusive on how to actually accomplish it.

Rhode Island City Enraged Over School Prayer Lawsuit

Published 02/01/2012 08:38 AM

A girl’s successful lawsuit to have a prayer removed from her high school has roiled the heavily Roman Catholic city of Cranston, where residents are appealing the decision.

Obama to Link Aid for Colleges to Affordability

Published 01/28/2012 12:00 AM

An overhaul would tie colleges’ eligibility for campus-based aid programs to the institutions’ success in improving value and affordability for students.

The Bay Citizen: Boy, 6, Suspended in Sexual Assault Case at Elementary School

Published 01/26/2012 11:09 PM

The incident of the 6-year-old boy suspended from elementary school for a case of “sexual assault” is not isolated, experts say.

The Texas Tribune: Premont, Tex., Schools Suspend Sports to Save Costs

Published 01/27/2012 05:10 AM

Faced with closure, the estimated $150,000 that the Premont, Tex., school district would spend during the next year on spring and fall sports, including football, could no longer be justified.

Struggling SoHo School Shows Progress With Grant Money, but May Lose It

Published 02/01/2012 08:12 AM

Chelsea Career and Technical Education High School’s progress may cost it access to additional assistance.

New Rules for School Meals Aim at Reducing Obesity

Published 01/26/2012 12:40 PM

The Obama administration announced long-awaited changes to government-subsidized school meals, issuing rules that add more fruits and green vegetables and reduce the amount of salt and fat.

Obama Wades Into Issue of Raising Dropout Age

Published 01/26/2012 11:57 AM

President Obama’s call for every state to require students to stay in school until they turn 18 is Washington’s first direct involvement in an issue that many states have found tough to address.

SchoolBook: In Harlem, a Charter School Recruits Autistic Children

Published 02/03/2012 02:59 PM

The new Neighborhood Charter School of Harlem, which is modeling itself on the Department of Education's popular program for high-functioning autistic students, called ASD Nest, has given itself the ambitious task of seeking out families who may not know their children have a disorder on the autism spectrum.

SchoolBook: Wadleigh's Principal Leaving As City Plans Elimination of Middle Grades

Published 02/03/2012 02:19 PM

The principal of a troubled secondary school in Manhattan has announced she will leave the school a day after the Panel for Educational Policy is scheduled to vote to phase out its middle grades.

SchoolBook: Readers: Teacher Effectiveness Matters, But Test Scores Might Not

Published 02/03/2012 02:01 PM

Do test scores indicate teacher effectiveness? SchoolBook asked readers that question last month, after a study found that teachers who boosted their students’ scores on standardized tests also made lasting differences in their lives. To many who commented, the issue boiled down to the quality of tests and how much they should count in evaluating teachers. But others were divided over whether increased competition over these issues is good for schools and education.

The Choice Blog: Kiplinger Removes Claremont McKenna From Rankings

Published 02/03/2012 03:46 PM

Kiplinger magazine removed Claremont McKenna from its list of the 100 best values in private colleges on Friday, making it the first ratings agency to do so.

The Choice Blog: True Love Can Be Fleeting, Especially When Its Object Is a College

Published 02/03/2012 11:54 AM

Abigail Hansen, a senior at Minnetonka High School, struggles to find true love amongst a group of suitable colleges.

The Choice Blog: Expert Advice on the Best Ways to Secure Financial Aid

Published 02/03/2012 04:02 PM

Jacquelyn Nealon, who handles enrollment, communications and marketing at New York Institute of Technology, advises students on the best ways to ensure they get the financial aid package they deserve.

The Choice Blog: Senioritis in Remission, at Least Until the A.P. Exams

Published 02/03/2012 03:00 AM

For Clare Tiarsmith, a senior at the Marist School in Atlanta, sustaining her academic performance through the remainder of high school means not succumbing to that dreaded upperclassmen ailment, senioritis.

How Big-Time Sports Ate College Life

Published 11/03/2011 10:20 AM

Should a stadium (or court) be at the center of college culture? How football and basketball hijacked the American campus.

Editorial: Reining In College Tuition

Published 02/04/2012 11:47 AM

When a college education is critical in today’s economy, a national discussion on how to make public institutions more affordable is long overdue.

Op-Ed Contributors: The True Cost of High School Dropouts

Published 01/26/2012 12:07 PM

Proven educational strategies to increase high school completion provide returns to the taxpayer that are two to four times their cost.

Lives: Dazed and Confused

Published 02/03/2012 02:35 PM

How skipping school in late-’70s New York became a lesson in the costs of dropping out.

Economix Blog: Answers to Reader Questions About Law School

Published 12/20/2011 08:08 AM

The Times’s David Segal responds to reader questions prompted by his series on legal education.

Room for Debate: English Is Global, So Why Learn Arabic?

Published 01/30/2012 10:28 AM

Lawrence Summers says the emergence of English as the lingua franca makes learning other languages less vital. Does he have a point?

Room for Debate: Can a Few Years’ Data Reveal Bad Teachers?

Published 01/16/2012 04:00 PM

Better teachers lead to better test scores and better lives. But with only a few years' data, can districts tell which teachers are good?

The Learning Network Blog: Should the National Hockey League Ban Fighting? Students Share Their Thoughts

Published 02/03/2012 08:38 AM

It's the best of the readers' comments on The Learning Network Reading Club's latest article, "Derek Boogaard: Learning to Brawl." A live Facebook chat with the reporter John Branch will be on Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Bring your classes!

The Learning Network Blog: Fill-In | Super Bowl Ads

Published 02/03/2012 08:37 AM

Fill in the blanks in the paragraphs taken from this Business section article, "Before the Toss, Super Bowl Ads." Use your own words and phrases, or scroll to the end of the post to choose from a scrambled list of the words or phrases that were removed.

The Learning Network Blog: Student Opinion | Do College Rankings Matter?

Published 02/03/2012 02:21 AM

Student Opinion | Do you care how the colleges you're considering are ranked?

The Learning Network Blog: 6 Q's About the News | Built Without Blueprints

Published 02/03/2012 01:46 AM

6 Q's About the News | What are some tales told by the locals about this Wyoming house that aren't true?

D.C. principal under investigation for allegedly doctoring student transcripts

Published 03/22/2011 03:13 PM

The principal of the District's leading technology high school is under investigation for allegedly doctoring student transcripts, school officials said Tuesday.

64 senators seek presidential leadership on debt reduction

Published 03/21/2011 05:37 PM

A group of 64 offers support for serious action on reducing the national debt.

Freedom for Thomas Haynesworth

Published 03/21/2011 05:15 PM

Now Virginia needs to offer the wrongly convicted man total exoneration.

Egypt's referendum is a step toward democracy

Published 03/21/2011 05:12 PM

There is worry about what's ahead, but the vote may have been the fairest in its history.

Mr. Obama hasn't overstepped on Libya

Published 03/21/2011 05:39 PM

Mr. Obama hasn't overstepped on Libya, but he could do more to clarify the U.S. mission.

Montgomery County school board reclaims farmland - to build soccer fields

Published 03/21/2011 06:30 AM

Hawks used to look out to watch over for this piece of farmland for trouble. Soon, it will be parents and umpires monitoring kids pounding cleats on the land Nick Maravell once tilled. The change in land use tells a more complex story about school development, particularly at a time when open space

Montgomery County school board reclaims farmland - to build soccer fields

Published 03/20/2011 07:57 PM

Hawks used to look out to watch over for this piece of farmland for trouble. Soon, it will be parents and umpires monitoring kids pounding cleats on the land Nick Maravell once tilled. The change in land use tells a more complex story about school development, particularly at a time when open space

Asking military retirees to pay a bit more for health care is reasonable

Published 03/20/2011 07:05 PM

"SIMPLY UNSUSTAINABLE." That is Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates's assessment of the spiraling cost of the health-care system for military personnel, retirees and their families. Mr. Gates is correct - and he is correct to press for modest increases in premiums paid by those covered by the system,...

Competing visions for reviewing Guantanamo

Published 03/20/2011 06:51 PM

JUST DAYS after President Obama issued an executive order to govern long-term detentions at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Republican members of the House and Senate shot back by offering their own, strikingly different proposals.

As Thomas Jefferson adds help for poor English skills, some Va. parents fume

Published 03/20/2011 07:39 AM

Fairfax school board member: "How can they not know the language and still get into [Thomas Jefferson]?" The Va. magnet school has added an English as a second language instructor.

Fairfax schools' discipline policies up for review; parents seek more leniency

Published 03/22/2011 07:30 AM

Meeting was the first seeking public comment on discipline-related issues since the suicide of 15-year-old Nick Stuban, a well-liked football player at W.T. Woodson High School.

Congress plunges into D.C. politics and ethics

Published 03/21/2011 05:22 PM

The District brought this on itself, but a House probe seems hasty when D.C. officials are trying to investigate.

The E.U. balances politics with fiscal responsibility

Published 03/21/2011 05:22 PM

The bonds of the European Union are tested as wealthier nations come to the aid of smaller, struggling states.

Baltimore charter school agreement eases KIPP's way

Published 03/21/2011 06:28 AM

Better, but not better enough, for schools in Maryland.

Act III for former Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide

Published 03/18/2011 05:42 PM

It's puzzling why a twice-fallen president would come home only two days before a big election.

U.S.-backed measures may boost Libyan opposition

Published 03/18/2011 06:12 PM

President Obama is right to support 'all necessary measures' against Gaddafi.

Evaluating teachers is a delicate conversation

Published 03/18/2011 09:25 AM

A rare glimpse into a public school teacher's performance evaluation, the hypersensitive center of an education reform movement that aims to improve how teachers do their jobs.

Evaluating teachers is a delicate conversation

Published 03/18/2011 10:58 AM

A rare glimpse into a public school teacher's performance evaluation, the hypersensitive center of an education reform movement that aims to improve how teachers do their jobs.

D.C. elementary students sickened by cocaine

Published 03/17/2011 09:29 PM

A D.C. elementary school student was charged with possession of a controlled substance after being accused of taking cocaine to school and sharing it with four classmates who were hospitalized after ingesting it.

President Obama's timid words on gun reform

Published 03/18/2011 09:37 AM

The president shouldn't be afraid of the sensible measures he endorsed as a candidate.

UDC president deserves a fair shake

Published 03/18/2011 09:37 AM

The UDC president's record entitles him to a fair hearing.

Facing budget cuts, Pr. George's county risks losing busing to its best programs

Published 03/17/2011 11:36 AM

They find themselves in the center of a larger debate during a period of dwindling resources and shifting priorities.

District investigates special-ed school

Published 03/17/2011 10:41 AM

D.C. officials are looking into a range of problems at a Northwest private school for special needs students that has collected more than $16 million in tuition over the last two years.

Abduction charges dropped against George Mason student in library dispute

Published 03/17/2011 10:38 AM

George Mason University officials said Wednesday that charges have been dropped against Abdirashid Dahir, the senior who was charged with felony abduction after allegedly locking a fellow student in a library study room.

D.C. probes special-ed school Rock Creek Academy

Published 03/17/2011 07:01 PM

D.C. officials are looking into a range of problems at a Northwest private school for special needs students that has collected more than $16 million in tuition over the last two years.

In Jack Johnson's shadow

Published 03/16/2011 05:40 PM

Did Prince George's officials bend personnel rules for the county executive's son?

In D.C.'s Parkside-Kenilworth Community, a promise of change

Published 03/16/2011 05:39 PM

A new effort focuses on children to break the pattern of poverty in a D.C. neighborhood.

Too soon to write off nuclear power

Published 03/16/2011 05:42 PM

Despite Japan's disaster, atomic energy can't be writtenoff.

Abduction charges dropped against George Mason student in library dispute

Published 03/17/2011 10:17 AM

George Mason University officials said Wednesday that charges have been dropped against Abdirashid Dahir, the senior who was charged with felony abduction after allegedly locking a fellow student in a library study room.

Feds end probe of college gender bias

Published 03/16/2011 04:51 PM

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights ends an inquiry into gender bias at colleges after members question the quality of data collected.

On college campuses, a gender gap in student government

Published 03/17/2011 05:27 AM

Women have now outpaced men on key measures of college success: More enroll, more graduate and they earn higher grades. Yet on many campuses, student government is dominated by men.

Study: Manassas Park and Calvert County have most efficient schools in D.C. area

Published 03/16/2011 01:38 PM

The Center for American Progress' new analysis of spending patterns and test scores in school systems nationwide found a surprising result: Manassas Park and Calvert County have the most efficient schools in the Washington area.

Fairfax County school board to review discipline policies

Published 03/16/2011 08:29 AM

School board members in Fairfax County agreed Thursday night to review discipline policies in a move that some hope will lead to change in the aftermath of a recent teen suicide .

Children of diplomats displaced by strife often caught between two worlds

Published 03/16/2011 08:29 AM

American diplomats, aid workers and their families - evacuated from countries in turmoil - seek shelter in a nondescript apartment building in Falls Church, Va.

Gray 'comfortable' with search for schools chief, despite narrow focus

Published 03/16/2011 08:24 AM

Mayor Vincent C. Gray's search has focused on one person: Interim Chancellor Kaya Henderson.

Spat over study room leads to George Mason student's arrest

Published 03/16/2011 07:56 AM

A student has been charged with felony abduction after an argument over a library study room.

Spat over study room leads to George Mason student's arrest

Published 03/15/2011 09:27 PM

A student has been charged with felony abduction after an argument over a library study room.

In Maryland, a renewed chance for a bag tax

Published 03/15/2011 05:05 PM

MARYLAND'S BID to impose a nickel fee on paper and plastic bags fell victim last year to election-year jitters. Lawmakers didn't want to go near anything that had a whiff of a tax increase. But sponsors of a bag tax, buoyed by the success of the District's effort and by important support from Gov....

Pfc. Bradley Manning doesn't deserve humiliating treatment

Published 03/15/2011 05:04 PM

IF THE ALLEGATIONS are true, Pfc. Bradley Manning facilitated a damaging breach of national security by funneling thousands of classified documents to the rogue Web site WikiLeaks. But even if so, Mr. Manning does not appear to deserve the treatment he has been receiving at the military brig in...

The United States watches as Moammar Gaddafi gains

Published 03/15/2011 05:02 PM

A counterrevolution gains strength across the Middle East.

Obama: Rewrite No Child law before next school year

Published 03/16/2011 07:55 AM

President Obama asked Congress on Monday to rewrite the No Child Left Behind law by fall, escalating the urgency of his campaign to overhaul public education.

In aftermath of student's suicide, Fairfax board examines discipline practices

Published 03/15/2011 12:59 AM

The Fairfax County School Board began a comprehensive review of its discipline policies in the aftermath of a suicide of a 15-year-old student.

In D.C., the 'shady deals' that weren't

Published 03/14/2011 09:00 PM

A THEME OF Vincent C. Gray's successful mayoral campaign last year was his questioning of his opponent's integrity. Exhibit A in his argument that Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) ran a suspect administration was the awarding of contracts for park and recreation projects to firms with ties to the mayor....

A foreclosure settlement plan might make matters worse

Published 03/14/2011 05:11 PM

THE NATION'S mortgage companies have engaged in questionable practices - or worse - regarding loan modifications and foreclosures. Even now the banks have not entirely conquered the scandal that erupted last fall over alleged widespread errors, procedural irregularities and outright misrepresenta...

Lessons from loss in Maryland's gay-marriage battle

Published 03/14/2011 05:08 PM

THE FAILURE of the same-sex marriage bill in Annapolis is a bitter defeat for advocates, who had hoped Maryland would become the sixth state, not counting the District, to enact such legislation. It's also a useful reminder, if one were needed, that despite the ongoing revolution of attitudes tow...

In D.C., the 'shady deals' that weren't

Published 03/14/2011 08:51 PM

Allegations against Mayor Fenty turn out to be baseless.

In aftermath of student's suicide, Fairfax board examines discipline practices

Published 03/14/2011 08:09 PM

The Fairfax County School Board began a comprehensive review of its discipline policies in the aftermath of a suicide of a 15-year-old student.

Obama: Rewrite No Child law before next school year

Published 03/16/2011 09:05 AM

President Obama asked Congress on Monday to rewrite the No Child Left Behind law by fall, escalating the urgency of his campaign to overhaul public education.

ROTC's return

Published 03/13/2011 06:06 PM

IN NOVEMBER, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. John F. Kelly stood before an audience in St. Louis and spoke from the heart about the disconnect between the lives and experiences of members of the U.S. military - and those of the civilians they are defending. The armed forces are at war and have been for a d...

Let all Maryland students dream

Published 03/13/2011 05:08 PM

THE DISPIRITING national debate over immigration has departed Washington for the time being and alighted mostly in state capitals. In many of them, Republicans have led a charge - mostly unsuccessful - to enact Arizona-style enforcement crackdowns based on the whimsical idea that undocumented imm...

Time to act on free trade

Published 03/13/2011 06:09 PM

THE POLITICS of free trade have never been easy for President Obama - and they appear to be getting harder. Mr. Obama wants congressional ratification of a tariff-slashing deal with South Korea, revising it recently to meet the objections of the U.S. auto industry and labor unions.

Lego contests put minority students on a mission

Published 03/13/2011 08:55 PM

A small but growing number of predominantly African American student groups are coming to Lego robotics competitions.

U-Va. fraternity pledge hospitalized after soy-sauce dare

Published 03/12/2011 08:46 PM

A University of Virginia freshman was hospitalized this month after chugging a bottle of soy sauce at the Zeta Psi fraternity house, according to court documents.

Facing budget cuts, Pr. George's county risks losing busing to its best programs

Published 03/17/2011 11:23 AM

They find themselves in the center of a larger debate during a period of dwindling resources and shifting priorities.

D.C.'s cozy election oversight

Published 03/12/2011 03:38 PM

INTERIM AT-LARGE D.C. Council member Sekou Biddle (D) is trying to kick a Republican opponent off the ballot for the April 26 special election. The process, dominated by Democrats, has not inspired confidence that the decision will be fair and impartial.

Teenager suspended from Fairfax County school over acne drug

Published 03/22/2011 07:18 AM

Hayley Russell, 13, violated Fairfax County rules when she brought a prescription acne drug to school. Her discipline experience follows a pattern reported by parents in at least 18 other cases in the county.

Most schools could face 'failing' label under No Child Left Behind, Duncan says

Published 03/10/2011 02:54 AM

More than three-quarters of the nation's public schools could soon be labeled "failing" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the Obama administration said Wednesday as it increased efforts to revamp the signature education initiative of President George W. Bush.

Kaya Henderson nominated D.C. schools chancellor

Published 03/17/2011 10:24 AM

D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray, making a widely anticipated decision official, lifted the "interim" from Kaya Henderson's title Wednesday, naming her to succeed Michelle A. Rhee as D.C. schools chancellor.

Prince George's replaces High Point High principal after attack is shown on YouTube

Published 03/08/2011 05:14 PM

Prince George's County school officials replaced the principal of High Point High School in Beltsville on Tuesday, days after a video of one of his students being attacked surfaced on the Internet.

Board chairman says UDC may ask President Allen Sessoms to repay some airfare costs

Published 03/08/2011 07:27 PM

Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia may ask President Allen Sessoms to repay some of the money he spent on first-class airfare, the board chairman told D.C. Council members Tuesday in an occasionally heated oversight hearing on the school.

Prince George's school fight posted on YouTube frustrates parents, students

Published 03/07/2011 07:14 PM

When fists started to fly, the students flipped on their camera phones.

UDC students stage protest, call for school president's resignation

Published 03/07/2011 05:00 PM

Student leaders at the University of the District of Columbia called for the resignation of President Allen Sessoms on Monday in a noon protest, alleging that the administrator has spent lavishly on himself while raising tuition and cutting programs at Washington's public university.

Gray 'comfortable' with search for schools chief, despite narrow focus

Published 03/08/2011 01:07 AM

Mayor Vincent C. Gray, who plans to name a permanent schools chancellor this week, said Monday that he was "comfortable" with a search process that has focused on just one name: Interim Chancellor Kaya Henderson.

Kaya Henderson reportedly getting some job security

Published 03/06/2011 05:25 PM

Mayor Vincent C. Gray intends to name interim schools leader Kaya Henderson as permanent schools chancellor this week to replace Michelle A. Rhee, according to a source close to the situation.

District schools cram for DC CAS tests

Published 03/06/2011 06:12 PM

Stung by a decline in elementary school reading and math scores on 2010 standardized tests, D.C. officials are raising the intensity of preparations for this year's exams to unprecedented levels.

Jay Mathews: Amid the SAT-obsessed, this family doesn't live by the numbers

Published 03/13/2011 06:23 PM

The Demarees of Bethesda seem to be a normal American family, but wait. They didn't tell their children what their SAT scores were? They didn't do test prep? They didn't hire tutors? Could they have the answer to America's obsession with college admission?

Computer science programs use mobile apps to make coursework relevant

Published 03/13/2011 01:54 PM

At Virginia Tech, faculty members are looking for ways to make computer science more relevant and engaging to a generation of college students who do not know life without the Internet. A shift in teaching style often comes from necessity, as most computer science programs struggle to recruit, retai

No evidence mayoral control led to D.C. schools' better test scores, report says

Published 03/04/2011 07:55 PM

The District has made a good faith effort to implement the 2007 law that placed public schools under mayoral control, but there is no evidence that the change in governance has been a factor in improved standardized test scores, according to the first major independent study of D.C. school reform.

Prince George's schools employee accused of watching porn on job

Published 03/03/2011 05:20 PM

A Prince George's County public school employee is being investigated over allegations that he watched pornographic films on the job, according to a school spokeswoman.

Midwest union battles highlight debate over improving schools

Published 03/03/2011 06:36 AM

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Republican faceoff with labor unions in the Midwest and elsewhere marks not just a fight over money and collective bargaining but also a test of wills over how to improve the nation's schools.

Children of diplomats displaced by strife often caught between two worlds

Published 03/03/2011 04:24 PM

American diplomats, aid workers and their families - evacuated from countries in turmoil - seek shelter in a nondescript apartment building in Falls Church, Va.

Midwest union battles highlight debate over improving schools

Published 03/03/2011 09:15 AM

INDIANAPOLIS - The Republican faceoff with labor unions in the Midwest and elsewhere marks not just a fight over money and collective bargaining, but also a test of wills over how to improve the nation's schools.

U-Va. Rotunda waits in line for repairs

Published 03/01/2011 06:55 PM

Thomas Jefferson's Rotunda, the historic heart of the University of Virginia, is among the most iconic structures in higher education. It's also crumbling, and finding the money to pay for it isn't so simple.

UDC president's expenses questioned

Published 03/01/2011 07:28 PM

Expense records for Allen Sessoms, president of the University of the District of Columbia, show a pattern of first-class air travel and thousand-dollar plane tickets over the past two years.

Education Writers Association honors 2 Post reporters

Published 02/28/2011 05:28 PM

Bill Turque, a reporter for The Washington Post, has won first prize for print beat reporting in a national contest held by the Education Writers Association.

Chestnut Hill, Pa. Catholic college, fires gay part-time professor

Published 02/27/2011 01:14 PM

PHILADELPHIA -- A Catholic college in Philadelphia says it has fired a part-time professor after learning from a post on his blog that he has been in a same-sex relationship for a decade and a half, which officials called contrary to church teaching.

Is America's best high school soft on math?

Published 02/27/2011 08:29 PM

By all accounts, he is one of the best math teachers in the country. The Mathematics Association of America has given him two national awards. He was appointed by the Bush administration to the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. For 25 years he has prepared middle-schoolers for the tough admiss...

Study: Manassas Park and Calvert County have most efficient schools in D.C. area

Published 02/27/2011 08:27 PM

Even when tax revenue is scarce, lawmakers rarely ask a key question before they vote on education budgets: Which public schools produce the most bang for the buck?

Synthetic marijuana widely used at Naval Academy, some midshipmen say

Published 02/27/2011 09:57 PM

A synthetic form of marijuana is widely used at the U.S. Naval Academy because it cannot be detected in routine drug tests, according to several former midshipmen who have been removed from campus for using or possessing the substance.

Va. African Americans split in battle for school choice

Published 02/26/2011 04:28 PM

RICHMOND - Latrina Hite cuts up fruit for the children's morning snack at Precious Blessing Academy. She fixes their lunch. She mops bathrooms, bleaches doorknobs to kill germs and helps students with homework in after-school care.

Pr. George's school board approves big cuts

Published 02/24/2011 09:43 PM

The Prince George's County school board approved on Thursday night a gloomy budget that slashes more than 1,300 jobs and increases class sizes, despite the pleas of parents and educators who begged the panel to find another way.

Fairfax County school board to review discipline policies

Published 02/24/2011 08:16 PM

School board members in Fairfax County agreed Thursday night to review discipline policies in a move that some hope will lead to change in the aftermath of a recent teen suicide.

Arlington school budget proposal includes raises, larger classes

Published 02/24/2011 07:13 PM

Arlington County Superintendent Patrick K. Murphy proposed a $470 million budget on Thursday that would give employees their first raises in two years but would increase average class sizes in the district.

Ten Commandments' return to Va. school district depends on legal battle's outcome

Published 02/23/2011 06:45 PM

The School Board in Giles County, Va., voted this week to remove the Ten Commandments from the walls of its public schools after a pair of civil liberty groups announced they were preparing to sue the district.

Pr. George's school board to make cuts to close $155 million budget gap

Published 02/23/2011 06:55 PM

Debby Wood has been teaching in Prince George's County for 38 years, and if there's one thing she never tires of, it's seeing her first-grade students when they can read a book on their own for the first time.

D.C. teachers union, former leader clash over pay

Published 02/22/2011 05:03 PM

D.C. teachers voted their union president, George Parker, out of office nearly three months ago. But Parker has not returned to the classroom, and a fight has broken out over who should pay the balance of the $96,000 annual teaching salary that a written agreement guarantees him.

Family of Fairfax teen suicide victim wants changes in school disciplinary policies

Published 02/21/2011 07:14 PM

The family of a Fairfax teenager who took his life as he struggled with the fallout of a high school suspension called for changes in the county's disciplinary policies, in a letter sent Monday to school and county officials.

A University of Virginia student has a bright idea: 'Flash seminars'

Published 02/20/2011 07:43 PM

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Flash mobs assemble in public spaces to dance, protest or do battle with lightsabers.

Jay Mathews: Md. teachers' support shows value of civics exam

Published 02/20/2011 07:43 PM

Teachers, according to many who speak for them, don't like the state tests that have been imposed on them and their students. So what am I to make of the many teachers who are begging Maryland to reverse its decision to cancel the state government test?

Suicide turns attention to Fairfax discipline procedures

Published 02/19/2011 09:39 PM

Nick Stuban was all about football, a quick-footed linebacker at W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax County who did well in the classroom, too: four As, two Bs and a C for first quarter. His history teacher described the 15-year-old as a "model student," and his German teacher was impressed by hi...

Democrats join GOP in voting to block tighter regulation of for-profit schools

Published 02/18/2011 05:04 PM

Dozens of House Democrats, including the party leader, joined with Republicans Friday in a vote to block an Obama administration plan to tighten federal regulation of trade schools and colleges operated for profit.

D.C. area schools show off reforms at Obama administration conference

Published 02/19/2011 07:06 PM

A national conference hosted in Denver by the Obama administration gave a rare platform for suburban schools from the Washington area and beyond to show off their projects or join the quest for innovation.

Cafeteria trays vanishing from colleges in effort to save food

Published 02/17/2011 07:38 PM

Today, when trays are removed from university dining halls, it's more likely by the administration than students in search of a good sled. And perhaps inevitably, on some campuses that has created a backlash.

U.S. funding for D.C. schools tied to reviving scholarship program

Published 02/16/2011 07:29 PM

U.S. Sens. Joseph Lieberman and Susan Collins sternly told District officials Wednesday Congress would cut funding for city schools if efforts to revive the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program are not successful.

Accounting firm hired to help D.C. schools find savings, new money sources

Published 02/16/2011 04:51 PM

Facing a budget deficit of as much as $600 million for the next fiscal year, D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray has asked accounting giant Deloitte to analyze the District's public schools budget in search of savings and new sources of money.

Fairfax County students no longer have to pay for A.P. tests

Published 02/16/2011 07:07 PM

Fairfax County schools will no longer require students to pay for Advanced Placement exams, in response to a ruling by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II that called such fees illegal.

Ten Commandments in school stirs fight in Va. district

Published 02/17/2011 07:40 PM

A fight over displaying the Ten Commandments in school appears headed to the courts as residents of Giles County, along Virginia's pious, rugged southwestern border, fight what they call mounting pressure from Washington and Richmond to secularize their public institutions. The district also runs a

School officials, teachers unions scrutinize Obama's divisive education agenda

Published 02/16/2011 06:31 AM

DENVER - President Obama often professes his desire to shake up public education while also working with teachers unions. But a question hangs over this week's gathering of hundreds of labor leaders and school officials: Can he do both at the same time?

Tax credits for private-school scholarships shot down by Virginia Senate committee

Published 02/15/2011 07:40 PM

RICHMOND - The Senate Finance Committee, after hearing emotional testimony from students and educators, voted along partisan lines Tuesday to kill a measure that would have given businesses tax credits to fund private-school tuition for needy students.

Obama's education budget would spare Pell grants, increase spending 11% overall

Published 02/14/2011 10:05 AM

President Obama wants a significant jump in education funding to pay for Pell grants for needy college students while also financing his reform agenda for elementary and secondary schools.

The Answer Sheet: Teachers hitting kids? Yes

Published 02/13/2011 07:08 PM

Most people are rightly horrified about the case of a first-grade teacher at a Silver Spring elementary school who was recently charged with several counts of assault after being accused of choking and/or punching eight young students.

Rhee's five big missteps

Published 02/13/2011 03:03 PM

Richard Whitmire's deft and revealing book about former D.C. schools chancellor Michelle A. Rhee chronicles a difficult time in the history of the city's schools, when good people fought hard against one another because of sharply contrasting views on how to help our children.

D.C. schools to use data from teacher evaluation system in new ways

Published 02/13/2011 06:48 PM

Although the main purpose of the District's new teacher evaluation system is to rate teachers' effectiveness, officials are beginning to use the fresh troves of data it generates for other purposes, such as assessing administrators and determining which universities produce the best- or least-pre...