All Education
鈥楴ot ivory towers鈥�: HBCU activist-in-residence nurtures hope, activismWith interest in historically Black colleges and universities on the rise, one HBCU finds a new way to nurture students鈥� lifelong fight for justice.
First LookSports over academics? Schools use COVID aid for athletics.Scores of schools throughout the U.S. are using federal pandemic relief toward athletic programs. Both Democrats and Republicans agree the money shouldn鈥檛 be used for sports, but schools argue that funding helps improve students鈥� experiences and overall wellness.
First LookRocky foundations: MIT grapples with anti-Indigenous historyFrancis Amasa Walker, the third president of MIT, helped bring the school its prestige. He also wrote a treatise in 1874 justifying the forced removal of Native Americans from their land. Now, students and alumni are debating how to navigate Walker鈥檚 mixed legacy.
Public education at a crossroads? Surge in schooling options tests US model.Can the democratic principle of public education for a strong citizenry survive if support for local schools diminishes? New Hampshire looks for answers.
First LookBiden eases student debt for US military and public servantsSince 2007, more than 90% of applicants to the U.S. Public Service Loan Forgiveness program have been rejected. On Wednesday, the Education Department announced it will temporarily relax requirements, making 22,000 borrowers immediately eligible for loan cancellation.
Can there be a winner in the school culture wars?What does a 鈥渨in鈥� look like in today鈥檚 polarized school culture wars over masks, critical race theory, and gender identity?聽
First LookTrump-era policy still keeping Chinese students out of the USChinese students trying to attend university in the U.S. are having their student visas revoked, a consequence of a Trump-era policy intended to prevent China from obtaining U.S. technology.聽China is the biggest source of foreign students at American universities.
Cover StoryStruggle and resilience: Lessons from the class of 2021As a new school year starts, what can be learned from the class of 2021? It was a chaotic academic year 鈥� but also one full of resilience.聽
Community on campus: As college students return, a focus on well-beingAs colleges prepare for a new academic year, they鈥檙e finding that the pandemic has given them a new focus: rebuilding聽campus community.
Digital divide: Gap is narrowing, but how will schools maintain progress?With more technology and hot spots in student hands,聽schools face new questions about uneven access and the best way to incorporate聽devices in class.
First LookA new school year begins with driver shortage. Can kids get there?School districts across the United States are reporting trouble in finding enough school bus drivers. A range of factors 鈥� disagreements over mask-wearing, increased demand for commercial drivers, and low wages 鈥� are fueling the shortage.
The ExplainerTribal colleges honor students鈥� past, prepare them for futureTribal colleges and universities sustain and perpetuate Native American cultures and communities through education and nation building.
鈥榃e鈥檝e learned a lot of lessons鈥�: How schools plan to navigate a new yearWhile debate about masks and mandates swirl around them, educators focus on lessons learned in the past year to bring students back to school.
FocusSummer school re-imagined: Sword fighting, gardening, and closing the gapCan a summer make up for a 鈥渓ost year鈥� of education? Tulsa, Oklahoma, is one of several cities trying to re-imagine summer school in the midst of the pandemic.
First LookWhy some historically black colleges are struggling to stay openWhile some prestigious historically black colleges such as Howard University are enjoying high profile faculty appointments, many other HBCUs are fighting for survival. Pandemic relief is helping, but without more funding, high tuition will continue to deter enrollment.
First LookCan UNC repair its relationship with students of color?Student activists and faculty at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill are calling for the removal of racial barriers at the institution. The discussion follows journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones' decision聽to turn down a tenured position at the school.
First LookHannah-Jones takes tenured position at Howard after UNC tensionsInvestigative Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones has chosen to join Howard University over聽University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her decision comes after weeks of tension regarding her tenure at UNC, which ended in a vote聽to accept her application.
First LookUNC grants Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure, ending free-speech disputeThe trustees of the University of North Carolina voted to grant tenure to Pulitzer Prize winner Nikole Hannah-Jones, who worked on the 1619 Project about slavery. The university relented to widespread calls from students and faculty in support of her credentials.
FocusWhat does fair look like at America鈥檚 elite public schools?Black and Latino families argue the system needs to change to allow equality of opportunity. But Asian immigrant families argue that change is going to leave them behind.
FocusEmployers have funds, workers need degrees. Why are dollars going unused?While U.S. employers often tout benefits that promise to subsidize a college education, most workers can鈥檛 tap them. More flexible options could help.