PBS NewsHour
ABOUT US  |  LOCAL TV LISTINGS    EMAIL   PRINT
TopicsVideoRecent ProgramsTeacher ResourcesThe Rundown: news blogSubscribe rss | podcast
TOPIC   EDUCATION

2008 DECEMBER
Dec. 31, 2008
Slide Show
Students Engineer "BioBeer" for Biology Competition
A team of college students at Rice University in Texas is engineering a new strain of beer that contains resveratrol, the heart-healthy ingredient found in red wine. The project is part of the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition.


Dec. 31, 2008
Forum
Building Biological Machines
Scientists in the growing field of synthetic biology are using basic biological "building blocks" -- snippets of DNA -- to engineer useful living organisms, such as bacteria that can break down plastic in landfills. An expert on synthetic biology answers your questions.


Dec. 31, 2008
Blog
Are Ethics Taught in Finance and Business?
Paul Solman answers questions on business and economic news on "The Business Desk."


Dec. 26, 2008
Update
Researchers Hope Obama Team Will Reinvigorate Role of Science Adviser
Scientists and scientific organizations hailed President-elect Barack Obama's choice of top science advisers as a "dream team" this week.


Dec. 24, 2008
Report
School in India Teaches Women to Improve Lives, Towns
The Barefoot College in northern India teaches women skills to bring solar power to their villages and to manage the energy system in rural areas. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports on the philosophy behind the school and its unusual approach to empowering women.

audioDownload  videoStreaming Video


Dec. 16, 2008
Analysis
Obama Taps Chicago Schools Chief for Education Post
President-elect Barack Obama named Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan as his pick for education secretary Tuesday. Analysts examine the challenges facing U.S. schools and how Duncan's efforts to turn around troubled Chicago schools will translate to the Cabinet post.

audioDownload  videoStreaming Video


Dec. 16, 2008
Report
Obama Picks Chicago Schools Chief Duncan for Education Secretary
Arne Duncan, the man at the helm of Chicago public schools for the last seven years and a longtime friend of President-elect Barack Obama, has been tapped as secretary of education for the new administration.


Dec. 9, 2008
Report
College Students Squeezed by Rising Costs, Less Aid
More college students and their families are struggling to afford tuition at public institutions due to increasing costs and state funding cuts in education. John Tulenko of Learning Matters Television takes a look at the impact of rising higher education costs in the second of a two-part series.

audioDownload  videoStreaming Video


Dec. 8, 2008
Report
Student Debt Rising as College Costs Continue to Climb
Higher education costs have increased by 439 percent since 1982, according to a National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education report. NewsHour special correspondent for education John Merrow looks at the rising burden of education debt.

audioDownload  videoStreaming Video


Dec. 4, 2008
Slide Show
Children Return to School in Myanmar
When Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar in early May 2008, tens of thousands of people were killed and many homes and other buildings leveled. About half of the schools were destroyed in the storm-affected areas in the South, and aid organizations scrambled to help the country rebuild and the children return to school.


Dec. 3, 2008
Update
Rising Tuition, Credit Crunch Threaten Affordability of Higher Education
A new study on American higher education gave all but one state a failing grade on affordability, and warned that college could soon be out of reach for most Americans.


Dec. 2, 2008
Analysis
Justices Hear Arguments in School Harassment Case
The Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday for a case weighing an unusual test of sexual harassment laws whose outcome could have an impact on future gender, racial, and workplace discrimination cases. Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal recaps the case.

audioDownload  videoStreaming Video

NOVEMBER
Nov. 17, 2008
Slide Show
Colombia's Displaced Face Education Challenges
About 3 million Colombians are refugees in their own country, forced to leave their homes by FARC rebels or from violence caused by paramilitary groups. Children of displaced families are especially vulnerable and sometimes have difficulty getting to school.

audioDownload  


Nov. 6, 2008
Report
In Turkey, Degrees of Change in Women's Rights
Turkey has made improvements in women's rights, but women still need better enforcement of laws and more representation in the labor force, politics and other key areas, according to the European Commission.

OCTOBER
Oct. 17, 2008
Report
New Teachers Learn the Ropes at New Orleans' Schools
At the start of a new school year in New Orleans, first-time educators are leaning the ropes and working to gain respect from students and fellow teachers. In the latest installment of his reports on school reform in the city, John Merrow examines the challenges new teachers are facing.

audioDownload  videoStreaming Video


Oct. 8, 2008
Slide Show
Project Aims to Improve Life in Rural Turkey
In the farming village of Yatir in southeastern Turkey, little has changed over time. Rural areas, especially in the East, are some of the poorest parts of the country. A pilot project is aiming to bring more economic opportunities.

audioDownload  


Oct. 6, 2008
Report
School in India Teaches Women to Improve Lives, Towns
The Barefoot College in northern India teaches women skills to bring solar power to their villages and to manage the energy system in rural areas. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports on the philosophy behind the school and its unusual approach to empowering women.

audioDownload  videoStreaming Video

SEPTEMBER
Sept. 18, 2008
Report
D.C. School Chancellor Targets Teachers, Angering Union
Chancellor Michelle Rhee's mission to reform D.C.'s troubled schools -- by firing ineffective teachers and offering a new pay system for those who increase students' results -- has met resistance from the teachers' union. Special correspondent John Merrow reports on the growing tension.

audioDownload  videoStreaming Video


Sept. 10, 2008
Analysis
McCain, Obama Advisers Spar on Education Reform
Among the issues being debated among the campaigns of Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama is education, with each candidate seeking to define positions on school spending and the No Child Left Behind initiative. Education advisers for McCain and Obama detail the candidates' plans.

audioDownload  videoStreaming Video

AUGUST
Aug. 22, 2008
Report
High Tech High School Pushes Hispanic Students to Become Top Achievers
A San Diego charter high school is aiming to close the education gaps between students of immigrant families and their counterparts by motivating them to acquire business and science skills and pursue college degrees. Paul Solman offers the latest in a series of reports on this education initiative.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


Aug. 14, 2008
Blog
Native American Students Concerned over Federal Education Funding
As minority communities weigh which presidential candidate would best represent them on key issues, some Native Americans are focused on whether the next president will continue to fund tribal schools that form the bedrock of their education.


Aug. 13, 2008
Insider Forum
Experts Answered Questions on China's Olympic Moment
The Olympics has proved a mixed blessing for China as protesters have sought to use the event to highlight disputes over China's rule of Tibet and other issues. So how do the Olympics fit into China's past and its future on the international stage? Two China watchers answer your questions.

audioRealAudioDownload  


FUNDED IN PART BY: The Knight Foundation


Aug. 11, 2008
Report
Schools Start Offering Students Cash for Better Grades
Some schools across the country have launched new cash reward programs to improve students' test scores, despite concerns from some educators over what role money should lplay in children's motivation. John Tulenko of Learning Matters Television reports on the debate.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video

JULY
July 29, 2008
Report
Decades Later, Japanese-American Students Graduate
More than 60 years since they were forced to leave their university during World War II, Japanese-Americans have received their honorary diplomas and an official apology from Oregon State University. Lee Hochberg reports on their long-awaited graduation.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


July 29, 2008
Forum
John Merrow Answers Questions
Over the course of the 2007-2008 school year, John Merrow, the NewsHour's special correspondent for education, reported on the challenges faced by two new superintendents in struggling school districts: Michelle Rhee in Washington, D.C., and Paul Vallas in New Orleans.


July 25, 2008
Report
Oregon Mulls Shoring Up Schools Against Earthquakes
Moved by the collapse of schools and deaths caused after a recent earthquake in China, leaders in Oregon debate the need to fortify their own schools against possible earthquake damage. Lee Hochberg reports on the debate.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


July 24, 2008
Report
Mixed Results for School Reform Efforts in New Orleans
A year after New Orleans School Superintendent Paul Vallas took the helm, educators in the city's public schools still tackle the challenges of keeping students enrolled and helping them meet required test scores. John Merrow wraps up a series of reports on efforts to reform schools in New Orleans.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


July 23, 2008
Report
D.C. Schools Chief Institutes Tough Changes, Weathers Controversy
After one year on the job, Washington, D.C., schools chief Michelle Rhee has slated schools to close and planned personnel changes to help boost the struggling education system. John Merrow reports on her efforts.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


July 1, 2008
Analysis
New G.I. Bill Aims to Provide Expanded Educational Benefits to Troops
A new G.I. bill signed into law Monday doubles funding for education benefits available to military personnel who have served since Sept. 11, 2001, and allows transfer of benefits to a spouse or children. Analysts discuss the law and its meaning for veterans.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video

JUNE
June 18, 2008
Report
D.C. Teachers Struggle to Adapt to School Reforms
Washington, D.C.'s schools struggle to bring students up to proficiency standards while losing thousands of them to charter schools. John Merrow talks to D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee about her first year on the job.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


June 17, 2008
Report
New Orleans School Reforms Target Young Readers
The struggle to educate the nation's children in urban schools has long been an area of reform. In a continuing series of reports on urban school reform, John Merrow returns to New Orleans schools to examine how young students are learning to read.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


June 2, 2008
Update
Education Issues Weigh on Tribal Voters in South Dakota, Montana
With sizeable populations in the last two states to vote in the Democratic primary, Native American voters have emerged as a highly sought-after voting bloc ahead of Tuesday's voting in Montana and South Dakota.

MAY
May 28, 2008
Essay
Reflecting on 'Miracle Worker' Teachers
As the beginning of May heralds the end of the academic year, Time Magazine essayist Nancy Gibbs praises great teachers.


May 23, 2008
Forum
Education Experts on Gender Gap
For years there have been worries about a reported "crisis" in the education rates for boys and young men. This week, the American Association of University Women issued a report stating that income, race and ethnicity were bigger factors than gender. Two experts answered your questions.


May 21, 2008
Debate
Report Aims to Debunk Myths on Gender and Education
A new report examines commonly held assumptions about the differences in how girls and boys learn and achieve in education. Experts discuss the findings and how they might help educators better address issues of learning and gender.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


May 9, 2008
Conversation
Frances Richey's Poetry Speaks to Son's Role as Soldier
"The Warrior" by Frances Richey is composed of 28 poems written by the poet to her son, Ben, a Green Beret who has served two tours of duty in Iraq. Jeffrey Brown speaks with Richey and her son about the collection and their unique perspectives on the war.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


FUNDED IN PART BY: Poetry Foundation


May 2, 2008
Debate
Report: Federal Program Fails to Improve Reading Skills
An Education Department report disclosed the ineffectiveness of No Child Left Behind's $6 billion student reading program. State education officials Douglas Christensen of Nebraska and Michele Goady of Maryland debate Reading First's merits.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video

APRIL
April 25, 2008
Insider Forum
Special for Students: Political Watchers Answered Questions on Democrats' Race
While the Democratic primary race has broken both fundraising and voter-turnout records, it has also brought to light some of the confusing rules and regulations behind this summer's conventions. Two guests answered students' questions.

audioRealAudioDownload  


FUNDED IN PART BY: The Knight Foundation


April 17, 2008
Report
High-tech School Prepares Students for Shifting Economy
Paul Solman reports on a high school in California that pushes its students to focus on the future by preparing for jobs in the world of high technology -- while also helping the U.S. stay competitive in a global marketplace.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


April 7, 2008
Report
In Tuition Aid Rules, Immigration Debate Meets Reality
As the immigration debate continues to evolve, some states are denying children of undocumented immigrants government grants and tuition loans offered to low-income students to help pay for college. Lee Hochberg reports on how undocumented students are coping.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


April 3, 2008
Report
Leaders Struggle to Bolster New Orleans Schools
In the latest in a series of reports on urban school reform, John Merrow reports on how the schools chief in New Orleans plans to deal with some of the most troubled schools in a city still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


April 2, 2008
Report
Washington, D.C., Schools Chief Faces Tough Choices
In the latest in a series of reports on school reform in Washington, D.C., and New Orleans, John Merrow checks in with D.C. schools chief Michelle Rhee, who has had to make difficult -- and controversial -- decisions regarding school closures and staff cuts.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video

FEBRUARY
Feb. 22, 2008
Update
Florida Schools Will Teach Evolution, but with 'Theory' Caveat
The Florida Board of Education has approved new science standards that explicitly include the word 'evolution' for the first time, but last-minute revisions kindled controversy over religious and political tinkering in the science classroom.


Feb. 15, 2008
Report
Gunman Opens Fire at University, Killing Five Then Self
A gunman shot 21 people at North Illinois University on Thursday, killing five before turning his guns on himself. Chicago NewsHour correspondent Elizabeth Brackett reports on the aftermath of yesterday's events.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


Feb. 12, 2008
Report
War Vets Still Struggle With Education Costs, Despite G.I. Bill Benefit
John Merrow reports on how education benefits offered through the G.I. Bill are issued to soldiers returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the renewed efforts by some members of Congress to expand the bill, which has seen reduced funding over the years.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


Feb. 8, 2008
Report
New Orleans Schools Chief Aims to Curb Dropout Rate
In the latest in a series of reports on how education leaders are endeavoring to reform troubled urban schools, education correspondent John Merrow returns to New Orleans to check in on the city's efforts to repair its struggling school system.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video


Feb. 7, 2008
Report
In Battle to Revamp D.C. Schools, Education Leader Faces Resistance
John Merrow reports on the controversial practices that D.C. schools chief Michelle Rhee is using to shake up the city's school system, including closing 23 schools by 2010 in a bid to tackle a $100 million budget deficit -- a move that has raised a storm of protest.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video

JANUARY
Jan. 1, 2008
Conversation
Desegregation Pioneers Reflect on Education Milestone
Fifty years ago, nine black students entered Little Rock Central High School, marking a critical moment in the efforts to desegregate the nation's schools. Seven of the "Little Rock Nine" recall their experiences.

audioRealAudioDownload  videoStreaming Video

FIND PAST STORIES
2013
JANUARYFEBRUARYMARCHAPRILMAYJUNE
JULYAUGUSTSEPTEMBEROCTOBERNOVEMBERDECEMBER
Other Years
2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008
2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003
2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998
1997 | 1996
IN-DEPTH COVERAGE
No Child Left Behind
No Child Left BehindAnalysis of the sweeping education reform and its effects on teachers and students across the country.


FIND PAST STORIES
2013
JANUARYFEBRUARYMARCHAPRILMAYJUNE
JULYAUGUSTSEPTEMBEROCTOBERNOVEMBERDECEMBER
Other Years
2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008
2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003
2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998
1997 | 1996
THE NEWSHOUR IS FUNDED BY
AT&T

BAE Systems

BNSF Railway

BP

Corporation for Public Broadcasting
WITH ADDITIONAL CORPORATE SUPPORT FROM

Program
Support
From:
Copyright © 1996- MacNeil/Lehrer Productions. All Rights Reserved.