All Education
First LookUncertified teacher numbers spike as schools work to stem shortagesAs districts in the South and elsewhere face staff shortages, many are looking to ease job requirements. Schools are often left with the choice between uncertified candidates or crowded classrooms.
Where will new teachers come from? Community colleges offer a path.With demand for teachers in some areas outpacing supply, more community colleges are stepping in. In Washington state, for example, efforts include institutions working together to offer degrees.
School 2.0: How has the pandemic changed learning?Has the idea of bringing innovation to public schools after the lockdown years come to fruition? The opportunity remains, but for now, small steps rather than big leaps guide progress.
FocusHow Arizona became America’s school choice labWhat does freedom look like when it comes to education? As school choice discussions ramp up, thanks in part to a new law in Arizona, so do questions about what best serves students.
First LookUS teacher shortages stem from low unemployment, stiff competitionTeacher shortages in the U.S. are related more to hiring, especially for non-teaching staff positions, than a shortage of educators. As kids return to school, newly created positions are left vacant due to low unemployment and stiff competition.
How the 1954 Brown decision still influences today’s teaching ranksWhat historical patterns have influenced the need for diverse teachers today? The author of a recent book addresses myths and solutions.
Monitor BreakfastEducation Secretary Miguel Cardona on debt relief and teacher shortagesFrom teacher shortages to student debt forgiveness, education in the U.S. is in the news. At a Monitor Breakfast, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona offered both critiques and solutions.
With pandemic help ending, should states continue to feed all students?Funding free meals for all students was a pandemic provision. With those programs expiring, what should the next steps be to support learning and battle hunger for a wide range of students?
Canceling student loans: What’s fair for borrowers, taxpayers?To many Americans, a Biden plan to forgive student debt lightens a millstone burdening young generations. Others say the plan is unfair to taxpayers and to past borrowers who paid in full.
First LookBoon to borrowers: Biden announces student loan debt forgiveness planPresident Joe Biden announced his administration would cancel $10,000 of student debt for millions of Americans. The controversial plan represents a huge potential boost to borrowers’ prosperity and dignity.
FocusMore cash, fewer requirements: States scramble for teachersAt the heart of the struggle to retain and attract teachers is restoring a sense of dignity to the profession. Beneath political finger-pointing, that goal is shared by a wide swath of Americans.
‘I put the students first’: A public school librarian on book bansAs some parents push book bans, scrutiny extends to school staff. Yet school librarians like Martha Hickson defend their responsibility to students.
The ExplainerNew California law: Let teens sleep in on school daysCalifornia has taken a step to help teenagers get more of the sleep they need by mandating school start times, effective immediately.
Pandemic learning recovery? Yes, and no.There are signs that public school students have overcome aspects of their pandemic learning loss, but there’s still plenty of progress to be made. For both students and teachers, perseverance will be key to further growth.
First Look'Academically malnourished': Freshman class begins college behindAs a new group of incoming college freshmen gears up for orientation, the cost of two years of online learning during the pandemic has become apparent in their academic experience and readiness, education experts say.
FocusPurdue’s tuition freeze at year 10: Most students graduate debt-freeStudent loan debt has been reduced dramatically at Purdue University, which 10 years ago instituted a price freeze on tuition and other costs.
First LookFewer new shoes and backpacks: Families feel the inflation pinchBack-to-school season is fast approaching but lower- and middle-income U.S. families are focusing their budgets on food and gas instead of school supplies. It’s a sharp contrast from last year, when parents had more disposable income from increased wages and stimulus checks.
FocusNew path for those recovering from addiction: Training to be peer advocatesThose who have battled addiction now have another avenue for renewal: a chance to both go to school and have a meaningful career supporting others with sobriety.
First LookShrinking enrollment in big cities may force public schools shutAcross the U.S., urban public schools are relying on COVID relief money to keep schools open, prioritizing stability for students and their families. But, as homeschooling gains popularity and federal funds dry up, the funds may not be enough to keep some schools open.
FocusEducation owes a lot to parents. But where do their rights begin and end?What lessons does history offer about how much parents can and should shape education in a democracy? Part 4 in a series.
