PBS NewsHour: Education Archive | 2009

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EDUCATION


	2009 DECEMBER Dec. 25, 2009 Despite Teacher Pushback, D.C. Continues Schools Reform Gwen Ifill speaks with John Merrow for an update on efforts to reform Washington, D.C.'s troubled public school system.

	Dec. 25, 2009 Financial Woes, Layoffs Plaguing D.C. Schools A second look at John Merrow's series on school reform in Washington, D.C., which has struggled with budgetary constraints and teacher layoffs amid reform efforts.

	Dec. 25, 2009 Merrow: School Boards Paying Attention to Pay-for-Performance Idea Capping off a week of reports on major changes happening over the past few years in Washington, D.C., schools, education correspondent John Merrow talked to the Rundown about the idea of tying teachers' pay to performance and the federal "Race to the Top" competitive grant program.

	Dec. 24, 2009 Beset by Low Expectations, D.C. Schools Chief Looks for New Breed of Educators As part of a series of reports on school reform in the nation's capital, 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.

	Dec. 22, 2009 Effort to Reform D.C. Schools Stirs Fierce Pushback John Merrow reports on the controversial steps D.C. schools chief Michelle Rhee is using to shake up the city's school system, including closing 23 schools by 2010.

	Dec. 21, 2009 D.C. Schools Chief Rhee Faces High Hopes for Reform As part of a series of reports on how educators are attempting to reform urban schools, education correspondent John Merrow reported in 2007 on the efforts of Washington, D.C., school chancellor Michelle Rhee to turn around the city's troubled school system.

	Dec. 21, 2009 Education Stories We'll Be Watching in 2010 All this week the PBS NewsHour is broadcasting chapters of our coverage of the troubled public schools in Washington DC: call it a Michelle Rhee Film Festival.

	Dec. 17, 2009 NEA President Outlines Union's View of 'Race to the Top' Program After Education Secretary Arne Duncan dropped by The Rundown earlier this week to discuss his department's $4.3 billion Race to the Top competitive grant program, we invited National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel to provide the view of the 3.2 million-member educators' union.

	Dec. 17, 2009 In Arizona, Schools Fighting Back Against Recession In Arizona, public schools are buckling under the weight of a weak economy. John Merrow examines how two schools are handling the crisis.

	Dec. 15, 2009 Secretary Duncan: Finish Line Nears for 'Race to the Top' The Rundown landed an interview with Education Secretary Arne Duncan this afternoon following his live Webcast with students from across the country.

	Dec. 10, 2009 School Opens Doors with Second Language Learners in Focus The New America School in Eagle County, Colo., opened three years ago to educate the area's Latino high school students.

	Dec. 9, 2009 Patchwork Nation: Sioux Center Rallies Around High School Football On Fridays in Sioux Center, Iowa, the high school football game is the place to be, and the competition is about more than just moving the ball down the field.

	Dec. 8, 2009 Patchwork Nation: Media Landscape Shifts Online in a Wired Town If there is a community well positioned for the demise of a true local daily, it may be the heavily wired, tech-savvy college town of Ann Arbor, Mich.

	Dec. 4, 2009 For Singles, Job Losses Hit Twice as Hard When it comes to job losses, the economy's slide has been twice as painful for singles as it has for married adults.

	Dec. 3, 2009 States Seek Stimulus Funds Tied to Education Reform Special correspondent for education John Merrow looks at states that will apply for their share of federal stimulus money tied to education reform.



	NOVEMBER Nov. 26, 2009 During School Recess, New Focus on Playing Nice Recess can be a chaotic, even violent, period during the course of a normal school day. Spencer Michels reports on how one non-profit is showing educators the health, and classroom benefits of teaching students how to play nice.

	Nov. 20, 2009 College Tuition Hike in California Sparks Protests Students in California got a firsthand lesson Thursday in the cost of their state's budget crisis, as University of California leaders approved a 32 percent tuition hike for undergraduates to make up for lost financing. Spencer Michels reports.

	Nov. 17, 2009 Financial Woes, Layoffs Plaguing D.C. Schools John Merrow of Learning Matters revisits the Washington, D.C., public school system, which is struggling with budgetary constraints and teacher layoffs amid reform efforts.

	Nov. 10, 2009 Conversation: Sesame Street's 'Maria' Sesame Street celebrates its 40th anniversary Tuesday, and there at nearly the beginning was Sonia Manzano, who was cast as "Maria" in 1971, becoming one of the first Hispanic characters on television.

	Nov. 10, 2009 Weekly Poems: On Sesame Street's 40th Birthday, Kermit and Cookie Monster Hit children's television show "Sesame Street" celebrates its 40th anniversary Tuesday. Please enjoy Cookie Monster's hilarious poetry reading below.

	Nov. 3, 2009 Stimulus Money Trickling Into the Classroom John Tulenko of Learning Matters Television explores how stimulus money is making its way into classrooms in upstate New York.



	OCTOBER Oct. 22, 2009 Poet Laureate Kay Ryan Pushes Verse for Community Colleges Kay Ryan came into office as an "unlikely" poet laureate, she has said, living a quiet life in California, working away on her refined, compact verse. Now in her second term as the 16th U.S. poet laureate, she has decided on a project to share with the nation.

	Oct. 20, 2009 Yoo's Tenure Questioned Over Bush Torture Policy Spencer Michels reports on the ongoing academic wrangling over former Bush attorney John Yoo's instruction at the University of California, Berkeley.

	Oct. 6, 2009 Recession Grads Not Afraid to Turn Down Jobs A recent survey has found just 45 percent of college students offered a job this past spring accepted a position, begging the question, are recent graduates grasping the severity of the financial crisis?



	SEPTEMBER Sept. 23, 2009 Conversation: Scott Noppe-Brandon on the Power, Possibility of Imagination In a new book called 'Imagination First,' co-authors Eric Liu and Scott Noppe-Brandon argue that we -- individuals and society -- could badly use some imaginative thinking about the imagination.

	Sept. 17, 2009 Other News: Afghan Bombing Kills 6 Italian Soldiers In other news, a bombing in Kabul killed at least six Italian soldiers and 10 Afghan civilians, while a government panel in Afghanistan determined a NATO airstrike killed 30 civilians earlier this month.

	Sept. 8, 2009 In Colo., Arming Schools to Battle the Flu Virus Amid renewed warnings of a potential H1N1 flu virus outbreak, one Colorado school district is taking new precautionary steps. Tom Bearden reports.

	Sept. 8, 2009 Obama Speaks to Students in High-profile Address Ray Suarez gets reactions from teachers, parents and students to President Barack Obama's back-to-school address, which created controversy among some groups.

	Sept. 8, 2009 President Obama Urges Students to Stay in School President Obama urged students Tuesday to work hard and stay in school, in a back-to-school speech that had become a surprise lightning rod for controversy this week.

	Sept. 7, 2009 Learning to Read and Bat at Summer Camp As summer gives way to fall, education correspondent John Tulenko reports on a camp that promotes practicing both reading and batting.

	Sept. 4, 2009 Conversation: Writer, Professor Mark Slouka on America's 'Dehumanized' Education As students head back to high schools and colleges across the country, an essay in the September issue of Harper's Magazine declares that, "Education in America today is almost exclusively about the GDP."



	AUGUST Aug. 25, 2009 U.S. Preparing for Resurgence of H1N1 Flu Amid predictions of a new H1N1 swine flu outbreak, health officials warn that children going back to school are especially at risk. Gwen Ifill talks to Dr. Anne Schuchat, the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

	Aug. 19, 2009 Tiny World, Big Art in Madison If you happen to find yourself waiting out a flight delay at the airport in Madison, Wis., look on the bright side: You'll have more time to browse an exhibit that unites art and science.

	Aug. 18, 2009 Higher Scores Test How D.C. Schools Define Success Two years into a bold effort to reform the city's school system, Washington, D.C., has seen gains in reading and writing proficiency among students. But while scores are up, critics are asking whether reforms have actually made district schools better off.

	Aug. 11, 2009 Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Early Advocate for People With Disabilities, Dies at 88 Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a member of an American political dynasty and founder of the Special Olympics, died Tuesday morning at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Mass. She was 88.



	JULY July 24, 2009 During School Recess, New Focus on Playing Nice Recess can be a chaotic, even violent, period during the course of a normal school day. Spencer Michels reports on how one non-profit is showing educators the health, and classroom benefits of teaching students how to play nice.

	July 24, 2009 Schools to Compete for Funding in Obama Reform Plan The Obama administration is pushing education leaders to accept a series of reforms, including performance pay for teachers and a deeper embrace of charter schools. Education Secretary Arne Duncan discusses the proposals with Judy Woodruff.

	July 23, 2009 Extended Interview: Jim Caron, Co-founder, Missoula Children's Theatre An extended interview with Missoula Children's Theatre CEO and co-founder Jim Caron. The traveling theater company temporarily sets up shop in schools across the country that don't have drama programs.

	July 21, 2009 Focus on Social and Emotional Health Raises Test Scores A new trend in public schools is helping students focus not just on math and science, but also on their feelings. John Tulenko of Learning Matters reports on how social and emotional learning is improving test scores.

	July 7, 2009 Struggling Schools Turn to Top Grads for Teaching Boost In the latest installment in a series about education reform, John Merrow reports on how public school systems struggling to close the achievement gap are increasingly turning to the Teach for America program for help.

	July 3, 2009 Supreme Court Term Brought Some Surprises Legal analysts Linda Greenhouse and Thomas Goldstein examine the impact of the most significant Supreme Court decisions of the 2008 term, including a narrow ruling on the landmark Voting Rights Act.



	JUNE June 26, 2009 In Hartford, Stimulus Funds for Schools Leveraged for State Budget Crunch John Tulenko of Learning Matters reports on how one school district in Connecticut is weathering the recession, and how the state is using stimulus funds to close budget deficits rather than increase education spending.

	June 25, 2009 Justices Rule School's Strip Search of Student Was Illegal The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 Thursday that officials at an Arizona school went too far when they strip searched an eighth-grader accused of distributing drugs. Marcia Coyle of The National Law Journal discusses the ruling with Jim Lehrer.

	June 22, 2009 Justices Deliver Narrow Ruling on Voting Rights Act The Supreme Court delivered a tightly focused ruling Monday in a challenge to the landmark Voting Rights Act, exempting a small Texas governing authority from a key provision of the law but avoiding a larger constitutional issue. Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal examines the decision.

	June 22, 2009 For Washington Writers, a Creative Calling In the backroom of a popular restaurant in Washington, D.C., a group of teenagers are getting ready to take the stage for their first public appearance as published writers. The room is abuzz -- families congregate, babies laugh, each teenager enclosed in his or her own entourage, glancing nervously at the empty stage.

	June 22, 2009 Weekly Poem: 'Graffiti' Javairia Henry recently graduated from Cardozo High School in Washington, D.C. Her poem, "Graffiti," is taken from 'The Way We See It: Complete Coverage of the Nation's Capital From the Inside Out,' presented by the Capitol Letters Writing Center.

	June 15, 2009 Business Students Rethink Wall Street Plans After the economic slump scuttled their plans to enter the financial sector, business students at Duke University look at different alternatives, such as graduate school, or rethink their career paths altogether. Judy Woodruff talks to some recent graduates in the second part of her Generation Next series.

	June 10, 2009 Iraqi Youth Pursue an Education in Syria Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have fled to Syria over the decades because of oppression under former leader Saddam Hussein or instability from the Iraq war. They are receiving help from aid groups, though at times still encountering problems in areas including education.



	MAY May 15, 2009 In India, School Principal Works to Changes Lives of the Poor Sister Cyril Mooney, principal of the Loreto Day School in Kolkata, India, is working to provide poor children a place to learn by day and a safe haven at night. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports.

	May 7, 2009 Sister Cyril Brings Education to India's Poor Sister Cyril Mooney, principal of the Loreto Day School in Kolkata, India, and founder of the Rainbow Program, helps give children in India's slums an education and better way of life.

	May 6, 2009 New Orleans Charter Schools Produce Mixed Results Is a change in management enough to transform some of the worst schools in the country? New Orleans superintendent Paul Vallas seems to think so. But while charters are outperforming other schools in New Orleans, there's evidence they may be abusing their freedom.

	May 5, 2009 Media Attention Hinders Rhee's Efforts to Reach Out to D.C. Teachers In just under two years, School Chancellor Michelle Rhee's "take-no-prisoners" approach to school reform attracted much attention from the national press. John Merrow reports on whether her growing media prominence is hindering her pursuit of a revolutionary new teachers' contract.

	May 5, 2009 Culture of Avoiding the Doctor Intensifies Health Concerns in Mexico MEXICO CITY -- The serious outcomes of some of the earliest H1N1 flu cases in Mexico renewed attention on a national culture of avoiding doctor visits, and self-medicating at the pharmacy instead.



	APRIL April 30, 2009 In St. Louis, Efforts To Help Low Income Students Go A Long Way The last of this week's coverage from St. Louis examines education in the region. Judy Woodruff looks at a group's efforts to make college a reality for low-income students in the midst of the economic downturn.

	April 30, 2009 St. Louis Program Helps Make College More Affordable for Low-Income Students The College Summit program in St. Louis Missouri helps low income students turn their dreams of college into reality. In this interview, teacher Brian Kruger describes how the program transformed the school, his students and his own life.

	April 22, 2009 Potential Affirmative Action Policy Changes Focus of Miller Center Debate Academics and analysts discussed whether affirmative action policies should continue to be based on race and ethnicity or changed to reflect a person's class and wealth. Ray Suarez moderated the debate at the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

	April 21, 2009 Supreme Court Hears School Strip Search Case The Supreme Court heard arguments in a case about whether Arizona school officials were justified in strip-searching a 13 year-old girl for prescription drugs on another student's tip. The National Law Journal's Marcia Coyle explains the case and its implications for power limits on school officials.

	April 21, 2009 Service Bill Aimed at Mobilizing New Generation of Volunteers President Barack Obama signed a $5.7 billion national service bill Tuesday that triples the size of the AmeriCorps service program over the next eight years and expands ways for students to earn money for college.

	April 17, 2009 Study: Writing About Values Boosts Grades, Shrinks Achievement Gap A short self-affirming writing exercise that took only about an hour of class time boosted struggling black junior high school students' grade point average by nearly half a point over two years, according to a new study.

	April 9, 2009 Around the World, Women Are on the Move From working their way into positions as high-ranking government officials to becoming the first females in their families to attend school, Richard Rodriguez explores the many ways in which women are on the move all over the globe.

	April 2, 2009 How Does the Student Loan Landscape Look? Paul Solman answers questions on business and economic news on "The Business Desk."



	MARCH March 31, 2009 Schools Cope With Rising Numbers of Homeless Students Amid the economic downturn, schools are struggling to cope with a growing number of homeless children and families. Special correspondent John Tulenko of Learning Matters reports from Wisconsin.

	March 20, 2009 Students Voice Economic Woes, Catch Obama's Attention High school students in Pomona, Calif., articulated the struggles of millions of Americans by making a video called, "Is Anybody Listening?" about the economic hardships they have faced. KCET's "SoCal Connected" examines their story, which ends with a visit by President Obama.

	March 12, 2009 Duncan Poised to Assert New Power as Education Chief President Barack Obama called for big changes in education earlier this week. John Merrow profiles Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who will be heading up the president's calls for reform and who may bring new strategies to the education policy arena.

	March 10, 2009 From Moscow With Jazz For more than 40 years, jazz greats have descended on the University of Idaho in February for what has become a four-day festival filled with world-class performances, but always with an eye on education. Thousands of students participate in workshops, competitions and live performances.

	March 10, 2009 Obama Outlines Five Top Education Priorities Speaking before the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Tuesday, President Barack Obama laid out broad reform goals for the nation's school system, delivering the first major education speech of his presidency.



	FEBRUARY Feb. 20, 2009 Teaching the Stimulus Are your students concerned about the economy? The $787 billion economic recovery act is a great moment to teach what happens in a recession and how the government hopes to get the economy back on track.

	Feb. 17, 2009 Facing Budget Deficits, States Eye Stimulus Funds As governors and state legislatures examine the economic stimulus bill President Obama plans to sign Tuesday, they are assessing whether it could help them avoid raising taxes, cutting jobs or scaling back programs to close growing budget deficits.

	Feb. 9, 2009 Recession's Effects Batter New York School District The Peekskill, N.Y., public school district is suffering from the deepening recession's ripple effects, which will force administrators to cut student bus services, teachers' positions and arts programs. Special correspondent John Tulenko of Learning Matters reports.

	Feb. 4, 2009 Ghetto Film School: a Bronx Tale An old piano factory in the South Bronx might not be the first place you'd look for a movie studio, but that's just where you will find the Ghetto Film School and a group of aspiring teenage filmmakers putting the finishing touches on their first movie -- shot on location last summer in Uganda.

	Feb. 3, 2009 New Orleans Schools Try New Ways to Combat Truancy In New Orleans, truancy is a continuing problem for schools struggling to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. John Merrow continues his series on troubled public schools.



	JANUARY Jan. 13, 2009 Finding Good Principals Proves Critical to D.C. Schools Reform Washington, D.C., schools chief Michelle Rhee closed 23 schools and fired 40 principals last summer as part of an overhaul of the public school system. John Merrow reports on one principal's reaction to Rhee's dramatic approach and how her reform efforts are faring.

	Jan. 13, 2009 Energy, Education Nominees Begin Confirmation Hearings Along with Secretary of State nominee Hillary Clinton, the nominees for Secretary of Education and Secretary of Energy began their Senate confirmation hearings Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Ray Suarez reports on the process.

	Jan. 9, 2009 Obama Inauguration Teacher Forum What can you do with your students before January 20 to make the experience more meaningful? How can you sustain interest in politics and civics? Two teaching experts answered your questions on teaching the Obama inauguration during a 20-minute discussion.

	Jan. 9, 2009 Teaching the Inauguration Join a conversation about how teachers can use Barack Obama's inauguration to investigate themes of history, civics, speech writing, American culture and more!