Education
Articles
School budgets have held up better than expected in some states, but looming cuts will hurt learning long after pandemic ends
2021 Jan 06
Layoffs and pay freezes next year would hurt in-class instruction and student progress when it's most needed.
Fewer kids are enrolled in public kindergarten – that will have a lasting impact on schools and equity
2021 Jan 05
Kindergarten enrollment dropped 16% this year, according to an NPR survey of 60 school districts across 20 states.
Rooting out racism in children's books
2021 Jan 04
Books can help children develop a sense of identity. But when characters of color are portrayed negatively, that can send a wrong message to kids.
Congress lifts long-standing ban on Pell grants to people in prison
2020 Dec 23
For the first time since 1994, incarcerated individuals can get federal aid to pay for college. A prison education scholar explains how higher education helps those who have run afoul of the law.
How high school sports became the latest battleground over transgender rights
2020 Dec 22
New legislative proposals want to allow 'sex testing' of girl athletes through genital exams and genetic and hormone testing.
K-12 schools need to take cyberattacks more seriously
2020 Dec 16
America's public schools often lack the adequate security to protect their students' most sensitive data from being linked on the web.
COVID-19 means a lot more work for families of children with disabilities, but schools can help
2020 Dec 16
Some parents of kids with disabilities are doubling as specialized teachers, occupational therapists, speech therapists and psychologists during the pandemic.
Racial stereotypes drive students of color away from STEM, but many still persist
2020 Dec 15
Coping with racial stereotypes that permeate STEM culture is like having another full-time job, argues a researcher who studies racism in these fields.
Why getting back to 'normal' doesn't have to involve police in schools
2020 Dec 14
A former deputy chancellor of New York City schools explains why the police don't need to patrol the nation's public schools.
Proposed student visa policy could hinder US competitiveness
2020 Oct 20
An effort by the Trump administration to put stricter limits on students and scholars from certain countries may cost a lot and accomplish little, an international education expert argues.
Initiatives to close the digital divide must last beyond the COVID-19 pandemic to work
2020 Oct 27
Cities are stepping up to provide free Wi-Fi for families in need in order to close the digital divide in education. But will those efforts make a difference where it counts?
Kids are probably more strategic about swapping Halloween candy and other stuff than you might think
2020 Oct 26
When deciding whether others should make trades, children may consider who likes what.
P-TECH high school model connects students to college and careers
2020 Oct 22
An innovative school model, known as P-TECH, that enables high school students to graduate with a two-year college degree and get jobs with partner corporations is showing encouraging results.
Why graduates of elite universities dominate the Time 100 – and what it means for the rest of us
2020 Nov 02
For the past two decades graduates of America's most selective universities have dominated the Time 100 list. Will that always be the case?
Why questions (good and bad) matter
2020 Nov 02
Tolerating inquiry is essential even if there are such things as questions no one should ask.
Want to teach kids about nature? Insects can help
2020 Oct 29
Insects are plentiful and inexpensive. Even when children aren't attending school in person, they can learn from the encounters they have with insects outside.
Remote education is rife with threats to student privacy
2020 Nov 06
Has technology gone too far to keep students honest during exams? A scholar on privacy and technology weighs in.
Although now required by California law, ethnic studies courses likely to be met with resistance
2020 Nov 05
Ethnic studies were born out of resistance. Now, the courses often face resistance themselves – from white students. Is making these classes mandatory the way to go? A scholar weighs in.
Even if you're asymptomatic, COVID-19 can harm your heart, study shows – here's what student athletes need to know
2020 Nov 04
Cardiologists say student athletes who test positive for COVID-19 should see their doctors to determine if heart tests are necessary, even if they don't have symptoms.
How schools can reduce parents' anxiety during the pandemic
2020 Nov 03
Schools can impact the mental health and well-being of not just students but their parents, too.
Once a symbol of desegregation, Ruby Bridges' school now reflects another battle engulfing public education
2020 Nov 13
Is the public education that Ruby Bridges fought to integrate a relic of the past?
What the California vote to keep the ban on affirmative action means for higher education
2020 Nov 10
How will the rejection of a 2020 ballot initiative affect student demographics at California's colleges and universities?
4 tips for college students to avoid procrastinating with their online work
2020 Nov 19
More than 70% of college students engage in some form of procrastination, research shows.
US colleges report a 43% decline in new international student enrollment, and not just because of the pandemic
2020 Nov 19
The number of students studying in the United States from other countries has continued to fall during the Trump presidency. An expert explains what that means for US students and the US economy.
Why for-profit college enrollment has increased during COVID-19
2020 Nov 17
For-profit colleges' heavy investment in distance learning has led to a 3% increase in enrollment during the pandemic.
Kids as young as 3 years old think YouTube is better for learning than other types of video
2020 Nov 24
YouTube may have more potential to encourage children to learn than you'd think.
Opportunities to practice real-life philanthropy bring academic benefits
2020 Nov 23
At Northern Kentucky University, students award grants to nonprofits in need. A study found that the program is paying off in other ways as well.
California vetoed ethnic studies requirements for public high school students, but the movement grows
2020 Nov 25
Ethnic studies programs gained popularity in schools across the country after a controversial ban in Arizona in 2010 sparked national interest.
School suspensions don't just unfairly penalize Black students – they lead to lower grades and 'Black flight'
2020 Nov 24
Schools can consider virtual learning and other ways to reduce the negative impact of suspensions on student achievement.
Computer science jobs pay well and are growing fast. Why are they out of reach for so many of America's students?
2020 Dec 09
Racial disparities in the tech sector begin well before college.
How remote learning is making educational inequities worse
2020 Dec 08
When homes become classrooms, things like a lack of technology and a quiet place to study take an even bigger toll on student achievement, new research finds.
This type of sexual harassment on campus often goes overlooked
2020 Nov 25
Sexual harassment on campus often casts students as targets of their instructors. Researchers have found that it happens the other way around, too.
It's not just ABCs – preschool parents worry their kids are missing out on critical social skills during the pandemic
2020 Nov 25
Kids ages 3 to 6 may be missing out on important social, emotional and behavioral lessons during at-home learning.
Kids want to learn more about mental illness and how to cope with parents who live with it
2020 Dec 09
Understanding a family member's diagnosis can help teens feel less stressed, afraid and alone.
Why legislation is needed to make Holocaust education more prominent in public schools: 5 questions answered
2020 Jan 29
The Never Again Education Act is meant to make Holocaust education more prominent in America's schools. A scholar of Holocaust studies explains why that's necessary.
The Kobe legacy: Should the NBA let high school players skip college?
2020 Jan 31
Unlike when Kobe Bryant went straight from high school to the NBA, future superstars must now spend at least one year in college or overseas. A sports scholar explains how that could soon change.
Fracking has led to a 'bust' for Pennsylvania school district finances
2020 Jan 31
Fracking in Pennsylvania has led to disadvantages in state school districts.
At-risk colleges should do what's best for students, alumni, donors, employees – and local communities
2020 Feb 04
It helps when school leaders are open about their financial struggles before it's too late to forge a good plan.
Is online education right for you? 5 questions answered
2020 Feb 05
While online education may seem like a convenient way to earn a degree in the comfort of your own home or office, an expert warns of pitfalls that can seriously set a student behind.
A college president's advice to college students of the future: Don't borrow
2020 Feb 10
West Texas A&M University President Walter Wendler set out to visit high school students throughout the Texas Panhandle and the South Plains with a simple message about student loans.
Violence and other forms of abuse against teachers: 5 questions answered
2020 Feb 06
From being subjected to harassment and threats to getting assaulted or having their cars keyed, many American teachers are being victimized.
Trump's big bet on career and technical education
2020 Feb 14
Will the White House plans to boost spending on career and technical education help today's teens land better jobs?
Schools should heed calls to do lockdown drills without traumatizing kids instead of abolishing them
2020 Feb 12
Teachers unions and gun-control advocates who decry the use of fake blood and simulated shootings have cause for concern. But getting students ready does take training and practice.
Democratic candidates seek a big and unprecedented K-12 funding boost
2020 Feb 18
Biden, Sanders, Warren and other candidates are calling for far more federal spending for schools in low-income areas.
Even very young children can become prejudiced but schools can do something about it
2020 Feb 18
Becoming friends with classmates from different backgrounds can help people reject negative stereotypes. And teachers are able to help make that happen.
What liberals and conservatives get wrong about free expression on college campuses
2020 Feb 19
A lot of the pressure that leads college students to keep their views to themselves comes from other students, not faculty, new research shows.
Federal Pell Grants help pay for college – but are they enough to help students finish?
2020 Feb 21
New research shows that low-income students who qualify for the federal Pell Grant tend to go to non-selective colleges – and why that hurts their chances of graduation.
Can you get rid of your student loans by filing for bankruptcy?
2020 Feb 20
Two experts in higher education policy explain the high hurdles that must be cleared to use bankruptcy to escape crushing student loan debt.
By filing for bankruptcy, the Boy Scouts may compensate more survivors of sexual abuse
2020 Feb 24
This reorganization may provide roadmaps for other nonprofits to follow if they face abuse allegations in the #MeToo era.
College men more likely to seek grade changes than college women
2020 Feb 24
An economics professor investigates why college men are more likely to push back when they don't get the grades they want.
What Americans think about who deserves tuition-free college
2020 Feb 25
As tuition-free college plans gain momentum, a researcher examines public views about whether free college should be extended to everyone or just those who have earned it.
Girls are reaching new heights in basketball, but huge pay gaps await them as professionals
2020 Feb 25
Before a helicopter crash brought about their tragic deaths, Kobe Bryant's daughter Gianna aspired to carry on his legacy as a pro basketball champion.
Your chances of getting an internship are better if you've already had one
2020 Feb 26
Success in finding an internship is tied to factors that range from prior experience to local unemployment rates, new research has found.
Slave revolt film revisits history often omitted from textbooks
2020 Feb 27
A reenactment of the largest slave rebellion in US history involves a plot twist. A scholar who studies race, history and memory says the new ending can spark new beginnings.
Librarians could be jailed and fined under a proposed censorship law
2020 Feb 28
There's a long history of books being banned from public and school libraries.
Video of 6-year-old girl's arrest shows the perils of putting police in primary schools
2020 Feb 27
Newly-released body camera footage shows an Orlando police officer taking a 6-year-old girl away in handcuffs. A school safety expert explains the potential pitfalls of police in primary schools.
Tutoring kids who don't need it is a booming business in affluent areas where parents want to stack the deck
2020 Mar 02
A scholar of intensive after-school 'hyper education' says it's becoming a more common extracurricular activity for children of all ages.
Why colleges should think twice before punishing student protesters
2020 Mar 04
As a student protest continues at Syracuse University, a scholar argues that student activism is a valuable part of the college experience.
What schools can do to reduce the risk that teachers and other educators will sexually abuse children
2020 Mar 04
A scholar who researches this underreported criminal behavior recommends four steps to root it out.
Washington state's big bet on 'free college'
2019 Jul 19
A new law in Washington state that makes college mostly free for many students is meant to prepare more residents from the state for jobs in the local economy. Whether it will work remains to be seen.
5 things parents need to know about 'summer loss'
2019 Jul 19
While many studies and news articles say children lose academically over the summer break, a researcher says the worries are exaggerated.
Could black philanthropy help solve the black student debt crisis?
2019 Jul 19
A recent gift by billionaire Robert Smith to pay off the student loans of 2019 graduates of Morehouse points to the potential of America's black elite to pay off all black students' college loans.
Why I made an app to document the seclusion and restraint of special education students
2019 Jul 19
A professor of information discusses how an app she developed can help solve the problem of schools failing to report when students are restrained or secluded.
What is personalized learning and why is it so controversial? 5 questions answered
2019 Jul 19
Throughout the nation, parents and students are pushing back against personalized learning. An expert on the different ways that students learn explains what's behind all the fuss.
Flying colors: Researcher reveals hidden world through the eyes of butterflies
2019 Jul 19
A scientist explains how she got a glimpse into the secret world of butterflies and her hopes of encouraging more Latinos to enter the field of science.
How the Flint water crisis set students back
2019 Jul 19
The children who suffered lead poisoning as a result of the Flint water crisis of 2014 are likely to struggle academically and socially as a result, an expert on treating lead-poisoned children argues.
Gates launches lobbying arm – higher education on agenda
2019 Jul 19
A political scientist warns that a new lobbying initiative launched by Bill and Melinda Gates could harm US higher education.
For many NBA players, finding a better high school was critical to success
2019 Jul 19
For many professional athletes, leaving their troubled neighborhoods for better resourced prep schools paved the way for success.
7 ways to build your child's vocabulary
2019 Jul 19
The earliest years of children's lives represent some of the best opportunities to expand their vocabulary and language skills.
Divorced dads often dissed by schools
2019 Jul 19
When children don't live with their fathers, educators often act as if the men don't exist, an expert on child development laments in an essay about why schools must do more to recognize dads.
What advice articles miss about 'summer loss'
2019 Jul 19
Instead of expecting parents to help kids stay sharp during the summer, schools should offer more programming, a literacy instructor argues.
School vouchers expand despite evidence of negative effects
2019 Jul 19
Research over the past few years has shown vouchers for private schools set back student learning. So why are advocates still pushing so hard to expand them?
I was an expert witness against a teacher who taught students to question the Holocaust
2019 Jul 19
A scholar's efforts to learn how textbooks in New Jersey were portraying the Holocaust leads her to testify against a history teacher who taught his students to question if the Holocaust took place.
How to teach and parent better in the age of big data
2019 Jul 19
US schools now collect detailed data on their students. But teachers and parents need to think carefully about how that data is used – and what it shows, or doesn't show, about a student.
Chicago's Urban Prep Academy – known for 100% college acceptance rates – put reputation ahead of results
2019 Jul 19
Urban Prep Academy in Chicago made a name by boasting about its 100% college acceptance rates for graduating seniors. A founding teacher at Urban Prep explains why that statistic is misleading.
This commencement speech had nothing but questions
2019 May 22
At a special commencement ceremony for first-generation college graduates, a dean gave a speech made up of nothing but questions.
What other countries can teach the US about raising teacher pay
2019 May 22
Research from around the world shows that boosting teacher pay can lead to better student learning, but only if it's accompanied by other things.
The Brown v. Board of Education case didn't start how you think it did
2019 May 22
While the Brown vs. Board of Education case is often celebrated for ordering school desegregation, history shows many black people in the city where the case began opposed integrated schools.
New Gates-funded commission aims to put a value on a college education
2019 May 22
A political scientist explains how a new commission that wants to measure the economic value of a college degree could end up devaluing the liberal arts.
Long considered a high honor, the valedictorian tradition faces an uncertain future
2019 May 22
More schools are deciding to scrap the tradition of naming a valedictorian – just as students from diverse backgrounds are becoming the first of their background to win the honor.
Are yoga and mindfulness in schools religious?
2019 May 22
Yoga and mindfulness are becoming more prevalent in America's public schools. But are they subtly promoting religion? A scholar who has served as an expert witness in several yoga cases weighs in.
Colorado shooting eerily recalls Columbine massacre
2019 May 22
The 1999 Columbine high school shooting spawned a generation of school shooters who tried to copy it, research shows.
5 tips for college students to use final exam stress to their advantage
2019 May 22
Although the end of the semester can be a stressful time for students, embracing the stress can help students deal with it better than trying to avoid it, a well-being expert argues.
The SAT's new 'adversity score' is a poor fix for a problematic test
2019 May 22
The College Board is adding a new 'adversity score' to the SAT to take students' socioeconomic backgrounds into account. Will the move correct long-standing disparities in the college entrance exam?
States – not just Congress – should unlock student financial aid for people in prison
2019 May 22
The federal government isn't the only one that has banned student financial aid to prisoners. Many states have enacted their own bans as well, new research shows.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte shooting has these things in common with other campus shootings
2019 May 22
The April 30 shooting at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte isn't an outlier. Research shows it fits a familiar pattern of campus shootings in terms of time and place.
Here's how to increase diversity in STEM at the college level and beyond
2019 May 22
Researchers find promising results for two programs patterned after the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, a renowned initiative launched at UMBC in the 1980s and known to increase diversity in STEM.
Missing school is a given for children of migrant farmworkers
2019 May 22
For children of migrant farmworkers in California, school gets disrupted due to a controversial housing policy that makes migrants leave town during the off-season, a documentary filmmaker reveals.
Why Facebook belongs in the math classroom
2019 May 22
Simple math reveals some surprising facts about the underlying structure of Facebook and other social networks.
Let's get real with college athletes about their chances of going pro
2019 May 22
While most college football players believe they have a good shot at going pro, statistics – and the upcoming NFL draft – show most are sadly mistaken and would be well served to earn their degrees.
Why federal student aid should be restored for people in prison
2019 May 22
For people in prison to have a better chance at earning a living upon release, Congress should lift a longstanding ban on federal student aid for those serving time, a criminal justice scholar argues.
5 things to consider before you hire a tutor for your child
2019 May 22
Tutoring is a billion-dollar industry. A former tutor explains what to look for in a tutor for your child and urges parents to consider free options before they open up their pocketbooks.
How Columbine became a blueprint for school shooters
2019 May 22
Media coverage of the Columbine school shooting that took place in 1999 has ended up becoming a playbook for school shooters in the United States and beyond, an analysis of school shootings reveals.
Should you apply to a college that has had a recent scandal?
2019 May 22
When scandals take place at a college, the natural reaction for some people is to avoid the school. But two economists suggest potential applicants think hard about their decision.
Why LeBron James' I Promise School should be more like LeBron and not shy away from issues of race
2019 May 22
In order to be successful, the I Promise Academy needs to confront issues of race – much like LeBron James himself, who launched the school amid great fanfare in 2018, an education scholar argues.
Are America's teachers really underpaid?
2019 May 22
A presidential candidate wants to use federal funds to boost teacher pay. Is the proposal justified or is it just pandering to teacher unions to get votes? An education scholar provides perspective.
Campus free speech laws being enacted in many states, but some may do more harm than good
2019 May 22
As more states move pass laws that deal with free speech on campus, a higher education scholar asks if they are moving in the right direction.
In the name of 'amateurism,' college athletes make money for everyone except themselves
2019 May 22
As the nation prepares to watch the Final Four, a sports scholar examines new information that shows how college athletes make money for their schools, coaches and corporations – but not themselves.
What parents should do to help students prepare for the first year of college
2019 May 22
While the first year of college can be stressful, using the time between high school graduation and the college drop-off to prepare can help ease the transition, two educators say in a new book.
7 unexpected things that libraries offer besides books
2019 May 22
With advancements in technology, libraries are offering much more than something to read. A library researcher offers a sampling of some unexpected items that library patrons can check out these days.