-
Girls Face Stereotypes about STEM Abilities as Early as 6, Study Finds
When she taught third grade in Houston, Summer Robinson invited a friend, a female mechanical engineer at Chevron, to visit her class. She wanted to introduce students, especially girls, to a STEM practitioner who didn’t conform to the socially awkward stereotype in popular culture. “She communicates really well, and the kids just loved it so...
By Linda Jacobson | January 8, 2025
-
Research Points to COVID’s ‘Long Tail’ on School Graduation Rates
The majority of states, 26, saw declines in high school graduation rates following the pandemic, new research shows. In 2020, for example, 10 states had graduation rates of 90% or higher, but only five did in 2022, according to Tuesday’s analysis from the Grad Partnership, a network of nonprofits working to improve student outcomes. But the...
By Linda Jacobson | November 20, 2024
-
Poll: Americans want next president to focus on workforce prep, hiring teachers
Heading into a divisive national election, a new poll shows that when it comes to education, at least, Americans overwhelmingly agree that the next president should focus on two things: preparing students for careers and attracting top teachers who will stay in the profession. “There are clear priorities that overwhelming numbers of Americans on both...
By Linda Jacobson | August 26, 2024
-
So your school wants to ban cellphones. Now what?
At lunch last school year, sixth graders at Bayside Middle School in Virginia Beach could be heard shouting “Uno” and tapping out sound patterns on a Simon game console. Getting students hooked on classic games is one way Principal Sham Bevel has tried to soothe their separation anxiety after the district banned cellphones two years...
By Linda Jacobson | August 15, 2024
Investigation: Nearly 1,000 Native Children Died in Federal Boarding Schools
Podcast: What a Mentorship Mindset Can Do for Student Motivation
Black and Hispanic Voters Say Democrats Aren’t Focused Enough on K-12 Education
Teen Activist Rhea Maniar on the Power of Abortion to Turn Out Young Voters
-
Title IX ‘milestone’ goes into effect for students in less than half the country
New protections against sexual harassment and discrimination, including for LGBTQ students, went into effect in less than half the country on Thursday as legal challenges to the Biden administration’s Title IX rewrite pile up. Nonetheless, in a webinar with district and college officials, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona called the new rule a major “milestone” and...
By Linda Jacobson | August 5, 2024
-
FAFSA nightmare might not be over: Education Department won’t rule out another wave of financial aid delays for college students this fall
The botched rollout of a revamped process to apply for federal financial aid could have long-lasting effects, with students receiving less money for college this fall and others so fed up they’re delaying their educations. Now, with the traditional Oct. 1 start of the next financial aid season less than three months away, the U.S....
By Linda Jacobson | July 17, 2024
-
An early education rebound: After COVID disruptions, report shows pre-K enrollment hitting record levels
Four-year-olds entering pre-K in Mississippi’s Lamar County Schools don’t spend their days on worksheets or bent over papers practicing their letters. But they do have plenty of books, Play-Doh and time for friends. And some leave for kindergarten knowing how to read. “But it’s not because we’re hounding them,” said Heather Lyons, the program’s coordinator....
By Linda Jacobson | June 6, 2024
-
Critics call ‘consumer reports’ of school curriculum slow to adapt to science of reading
When Tami Morrison, a teacher and mom from outside Youngstown, Ohio, discovered Superkids, she thought she’d found the perfect way to help young children learn to read. Kids like her daughter Clara, a second grader, glommed on to its rich characters; she’s especially fond of Lily, who wears her black hair in a short bob...
By Linda Jacobson | May 20, 2024
-
Financial aid reform was his legacy. Now, Lamar Alexander calls it ‘a big mess’
The turbulent rollout of a new federal financial aid application could mean thousands of low-income students miss out on college this fall. But one person feels especially perturbed by the botched implementation of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Lamar Alexander — former governor of Tennessee, U.S. education secretary and Republican...
By Linda Jacobson | April 24, 2024
-
Exclusive: Microschools fill niche for students with disabilities, survey shows
When Steve and Jenny Balbaugh’s daughter turned 5, they were hesitant to enroll her in the Fort Wayne, Indiana, schools. Ali was born with a rare brain defect that affects her learning and had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. “I didn’t want her to get lost,” Jenny said. But private options fell short. A...
By Linda Jacobson | April 17, 2024