All Education
16 weeks to a new job: Can certificate programs be game changers?Adult learners can鈥檛 always devote two or four years to a degree. Can certificate programs help bridge the gap to better employment, and help companies fill labor shortages?
How to get absentee students their diploma? Add lots of caring.Facing chronic absenteeism, how are high schools helping students cross the graduation finish line? Often, it comes down to three words: connection, flexibility, and relevance.
First LookCultural pride: Native American high school grads ask to wear regaliaNative American students often wear tribal regalia at graduations to signify community identity. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed a bill earlier this month that would have allowed any public high school student to wear regalia.聽
STEM with actual stems: Missouri pushes to get students outsideChildren feel happier 鈥� and smarter 鈥� after time spent in nature. But screen time has only increased since the pandemic. Missouri is one of the states working to get students outside.
First LookWho gets free speech? Battle for diversity on Wisconsin campuses.The fight for free speech and racial equity is on at Wisconsin college campuses. Republicans look to defund university diversity efforts after claiming there is bias against conservative speakers.
First LookA solution to teacher shortage? Veteran teachers say double the pay.As schools struggle to find teachers, more governors are pushing for teacher pay increases. It鈥檚 not clear how far pay raises will go toward relieving the shortages. Some teachers say it鈥檚 too little, too late to fix problems that are years in the making.
First LookAs schools push math and reading, history and civics scores declineEighth grade students in the United States are scoring lower in history and civics, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Schools have focused more on reading and math post-pandemic, but that has resulted in lower scores elsewhere.
Why is it so hard to transfer community college credits?How can better aligning course offerings among schools help community college transfer students complete four-year degrees?
First Look鈥榃ho we are鈥�: Black parents search for schools that teach full historyBlack American parents want schools that embrace their heritage but topics relating to race are triggering curriculum bans. Some parents in Georgia have found solace in Kilombo Academic & Cultural Institute, a private K-8 school in an Atlanta suburb.
These community college classes offer two teachers 鈥� and a path to successHow can community college students master basic skills and prepare for jobs at the same time? Washington state offers a聽model that supports success. Part of the Saving the College Dream series.
The ExplainerIs this the end of affirmative action? If so, what comes next?The Supreme Court appears poised to end affirmative action in college admissions by the end of June. What will that mean for students and their families?
First LookTribal colleges see bright future in solar energy training programsNearly $15 million in federal grants aims to boost clean energy development at tribal colleges across the United States. The installations would provide learning opportunities for students, while also bringing the renewable energy economy to rural areas.
Why many students are choosing trade programs over collegeWhile almost every sector of higher education is seeing fewer students registering for classes, many trade programs are experiencing increased enrollment.聽
Does math + pandemic money = help for struggling students?U.S. schools have billions in federal pandemic funding to spend. But how much are they putting toward specific academic needs, such as boosting math skills?聽
Marketplace of ideas? Why neither side is buying anymore.Has the idea of an open marketplace of ideas 鈥� once a bedrock American principle 鈥� lost its value?
What can high schools learn from their post-pandemic upperclassmen?The resumption of in-person schooling didn鈥檛 generate an automatic return to normalcy. What can school systems learn from students nearing the end of their K-12 experience?
Meet the man trying to end affirmative actionEdward Blum has spent decades trying to end what he considers a harmful practice: affirmative action in college admissions. The Supreme Court will rule on two cases by the end of term that may do just that.
鈥楾he reckoning is here鈥�: Where have community college students gone?Seven newsrooms joined together to explore the crisis facing community colleges, and ways to solve it, in a series called Saving the College Dream.聽
First LookNew Mexico tackles food insecurity with free school meals for allNew Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed a bill to provide free school meals to all students, setting aside more than $22 million to fund the program. The legislation aims to combat food insecurity rates, boost local agriculture, and reduce food waste.
32 states and counting: Why parents bills of rights are sweeping USIn 2023, at least 32 states are considering a Parents Bill of Rights, as parents look for greater say in the education of their children.
