PBS NewsHour: Education Archive | 2011

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EDUCATION


	2011 DECEMBER Dec. 29, 2011 In San Francisco Bay Area, New Ideas on Innovating Out of Dropout Crisis As part of our American Graduate series, correspondent Spencer Michels sits down with the new boss of the Oakland Unified School District and a college dean who's trying to get people to rethink how students are stereotyped and what that means for the way they're educated.

	Dec. 29, 2011 Oakland Program Aims to Pique Girls' Interest in Science, Tech Careers As part of the NewsHour's American Graduate series, correspondent Spencer Michels reports on Techbridge, an after-school program based in Oakland, Calif., that shows hundreds of female students a path to pursuing careers in science and technology, while also trying to minimize the chances of them dropping out of school.

	Dec. 28, 2011 'Being Elmo': The Man Behind the Muppet Chances are you've heard Kevin Clash many, many times and don't even realize it. He is everywhere. You've heard his voice on TV, and if you have children you've heard it coming from one of their toys, one of the most popular ever, over and over and over again. You've tickled him. Clash is Elmo.

	Dec. 26, 2011 In Face of Holiday Sales, Colorado Students Begin to Learn Financial Discipline A Colorado law that went into effect this fall requires schools to teach public school students about financial responsibility -- from drawing coins and bills to deducting purchases from their classroom bank accounts. Correspondent Tom Bearden reports.

	Dec. 23, 2011 The Education Conversation We look at what's happening in the world of education as seen on Twitter, video and other digital destinations.

	Dec. 16, 2011 Celebrity Calls Urge Students To Get Up, 'Get Schooled' Supermodel Tyra Banks poses with students at Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School in Los Angeles after surprising them with a pep rally as part of the Get Schooled Foundation's attendance challenge.

	Dec. 16, 2011 Behind the Numbers: Why Dropouts Have it Worse Than Ever Before A new dropout crisis study reveals staggering statistics on economic gaps between those in Chicago and in the state of Illinois with and without high school diplomas. WTTW Chicago Tonight interviewed economist Andrew Sum about the study, released by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University.

	Dec. 13, 2011 Singer Anthony Hamilton Encourages Teens to Stay in School According to the Children's Defense Fund, more than 400,000 children are registered in the foster care system in the United States, and less than one in four are adopted each year.

	Dec. 9, 2011 The Education Conversation We look at what's happening in the world of education as seen on Twitter, video and other digital destinations.

	Dec. 7, 2011 U.S. Charter School Enrollment Hits Milestone, But Questions Remain More and more students are attending charter schools in the United States, but performance results from these independent schools are still a mixed bag.

	Dec. 6, 2011 Parlez-Vous? Some Louisiana Pupils Being Immersed in French Instruction Louisiana's French heritage is being embraced in many immersion classrooms in the state. It goes beyond language -- some students are learning math, science and social studies in French. Sue Lincoln of Louisiana Public Broadcasting and the Southern Education Desk reports.



	NOVEMBER Nov. 25, 2011 Detroit Tackles Dropout Crisis By Engaging Students, Parents Education Secretary Arne Duncan has called Detroit, where four out of 10 children don't graduate from high school, "arguably, the worst school district in the country." Hari Sreenivasan and Detroit Public Television report on how the city's public schools are tackling poor graduation rates.

	Nov. 25, 2011 Reporter's Notebook: Helping Students Succeed in Detroit The facts that paint a bleak, dark, down-and-out Motor City are not scarce. Whether it is the unemployment, or foreclosures, or crime, Detroit finds itself on lists like Forbes' 20 most miserable cities. But when it comes to education, a turnaround is under way.

	Nov. 24, 2011 The Education Conversation This week we look at what's happening in the world of education as seen on Twitter, video and other digital destinations.

	Nov. 22, 2011 Can Tech Startup Schools Teach #TheNextBigThing? We explore the phenomenon of Startup Accelerators with Tech Stars, AngelPad, Thomas Korte, David Cohen, Vivek Wadhwa, Blackbox Ventures, Wade Roush. Are they helping find the next big thing or fueling a bubble.

	Nov. 21, 2011 As Poorest U.S. City, Reading Also Struggling With High Dropout Rate One city's struggle to regain its economic footing is also tied to significant problems in its schools. Jeffrey Brown reports from Reading, Pa., as part of our American Graduate series.

	Nov. 16, 2011 Woodruff: Florida School Aims to Buck Economic Downturn Despite the economic downturn -- and budget cuts for higher education -- one Florida university is meeting the challenge by helping students launch their own businesses and partnering with industries to help them find jobs.

	Nov. 14, 2011 Why a Lesson in Money Plus Math Equals Financial Stability Sheila Bair, known for her tenacity and contrarian tenure as chairwoman of the FDIC, has a message she wants everyone to learn:Don't buy an inflatable moose head for your wall.

	Nov. 9, 2011 Indiana Crafts Dropout Remedy Through Choice of Schools Special correspondent John Tulenko reports from Indiana, where a voucher program allows families to choose religious schools, charter schools and public schools in neighboring districts for their children as part of an effort to provide more options when graduation rates are low.

	Nov. 8, 2011 St. Louis Teachers Voice Struggles Over Dropouts Teachers are struggling to find solutions to the high school dropout crisis plaguing the nation. As part of our American Graduate Project series, Gwen Ifill discusses the challenges educators are facing in the classroom with Civic Enterprises' John Bridgeland.

	Nov. 8, 2011 The Education Conversation We're starting a new feature on the Rundown - a look at what's happening in education as seen through Twitter, video and other digital destinations.



	OCTOBER Oct. 31, 2011 'Wall of Martyrs' Depicts Egypt's Fallen in Graffiti Art A graffiti wall in Alexandria, Egypt depicts the faces of Egyptians who died in the country's recent revolution, for which many Egyptians consider them martyrs.

	Oct. 25, 2011 Calif. University Introduces First U.S. Multi-Faith School of Theology Claremont Lincoln University, a graduate school in California, is the first in the United States to bring together Christians, Jews and Muslims in the same classrooms to educate the future leaders of churches, synagogues and mosques. Special correspondent Saul Gonzalez reports.

	Oct. 18, 2011 NewsHour Extra: Youth Profiles from Zuccotti Park Youth reporters at People's Production House and Newsmotion.org. ventured into New York City's Zuccotti Park and interviewed young people participating in the Occupy Wall Street movement.

	Oct. 17, 2011 California 'Dream Act' Offers Undocumented Students Path to Higher Education On October 8 California governor Jerry Brown signed Bill AB131 into law, enabling undocumented students who meet state residency requirements to have access to state public funds for higher education.

	Oct. 11, 2011 Stalling Economy Forces Pennsylvania Schools to Put Dreams on Hold The weak economy is contributing to -- and magnifying the problems -- of some school districts around the United States. John Merrow, the NewsHour's special correspondent for education, reports on the problems one Pennsylvania district is facing.



	SEPTEMBER Sept. 28, 2011 Seven Notable Banned Books The last week of September marks National Banned Books Week. Here are seven books both modern and classic that have been banned or challenged in the past decade. Each book has also been featured on the NewsHour broadcast or website.

	Sept. 23, 2011 Obama Offers States an Exit to Parts of 'No Child Left Behind' Law President Obama said on Friday that No Child Left Behind, which President Bush signed into law in 2002, is not working. Jeffrey Brown discusses the major changes to the law and what they mean for students and schools with Fairfax County Superintendent Jack Dale and Education Trust President Kati Haycock.

	Sept. 23, 2011 African-American Trailblazers Visit Schools to Energize, Inspire Students The HistoryMakers organization has sent 450 African-American trailblazers and leaders into high schools around the country this week to encourage students to get their diplomas and aim for college.

	Sept. 22, 2011 Young Entrepreneur Changes Lives One Story at a Time Vanderbilt University student and entreprenuer Trevor is the co-founder and CEO of Teach Twice, a social venture that educates children and their communities through stories and the exchange of culture.

	Sept. 21, 2011 Denzel Washington on Dropouts: 'Most Dangerous Time' for Kids Right After School In the first installment of an 18-month series on the nation's high school dropout rate, Gwen Ifill sits down with Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington to discuss his work as national spokesman for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and making a difference in the lives of at-risk youth.

	Sept. 19, 2011 Young Photographer Documents Egypt's Revolution Eighteen-year-old Egyptian student and photographer Yasser Alaa has been documenting his country's recent revolution from behind the lens of a camera, most recently attending protests that sprang up after the country's longtime dictator, Hosni Mubarak, stepped down.

	Sept. 16, 2011 'The Learning' Follows Teachers From the Philippines to Baltimore In the new documentary, "The Learning," filmmaker Ramona Diaz follows four Filipina women facing their first year as teachers in Baltimore's public schools. This excerpt is part of The Economist Film Project, a series of independently produced films aired in partnership between The Economist and the NewsHour.

	Sept. 15, 2011 Replay a Live Chat About New Documentary 'The Learning' "The Learning" follows four Filippina women recruited to teach in public schools in east Baltimore. The women hoped to earn enough to transform their families lives back in the Philippines.

	Sept. 14, 2011 9/11 to Now: Ways We Have Changed With the 10th anniversary this week, we take a look at some of the other changes in American life.

	Sept. 11, 2011 Young People Reflect on How 9/11 Helped Shape Generation When terrorists struck in 2001, many young people on the West Coast learned of the attacks as they were getting ready for school. Judy Woodruff reports from California on how 9/11 helped shaped the lives and choices of many young Americans.



	AUGUST Aug. 31, 2011 Student Education Reform Protests Rock Chile What started as a student demonstration has turned into the largest protest against the Chilean government since the return of democracy two decades ago, and has harmed the popularity of the current conservative government.

	Aug. 19, 2011 Budget Cuts, Tuition Hikes Jeopardize Quality of Higher Education in California Students preparing for college this fall are facing higher tuition rates as their schools face budget cuts in this troubled economy. Correspondent Spencer Michels reports on the fallout in California's public universities.

	Aug. 10, 2011 NYC Schools Labeled as Dropout Factories Fight to Raise Graduation Rates As some New York City high schools dubbed "dropout factories" face closure, they are fighting to increase their graduation rate. This report was produced in partnership with People's Production House after-school journalism program and the NewsHour's educational division. It was researched and reported by 10 New York students.

	Aug. 8, 2011 Obama Orders Revamp of 'No Child Left Behind' Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced Monday that President Obama would sign an executive order to allow schools who are falling short of No Child Left Behind to circumvent the law. Gwen Ifill discusses the policy shift with Justin Snider of The Hechinger Report.

	Aug. 8, 2011 Atlanta Starts New School Year Under Cloud of Cheating Scandal Students and teachers return to Atlanta classrooms for the start of a new school year Monday, but a major cheating scandal is still raising big questions. Learning Matters Television's John Tulenko reports.



	JULY July 22, 2011 Conversation: Imagination in Education This week, the Lincoln Center Institute in New York is holding what it bills as the "first national conference focused on making imagination an integral part of American education."

	July 6, 2011 Schoolhouse Shock: Report Finds Widespread Cheating by Atlanta Educators A new report found that nearly 200 Atlanta school administrators, principals and teachers cheated to raise student test scores for as long as a decade. Gwen Ifill discusses the report's findings, and the problem that has surfaced in school districts across the country with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Heather Vogell.

	July 4, 2011 Chefs Cook Up Ideas for Healthy School Lunches A pair of chefs has stepped out of their kitchens and into school cafeterias to lend their services in hopes of crafting healthier menus for school lunches. Betty Ann Bowser has this encore report.

	July 4, 2011 One Can Still 'Rock' Out to 'Fireworks,' 35 Years Later Fireworks have become synonymous with Fourth of July celebrations, from large explosions of colors that light up the night sky over your town to small sparklers that can be enjoyed from your own yard. Songwriter Lynn Ahrens discovered in 1976 that fireworks could also be a tool for education.



	JUNE June 29, 2011 Can DIY Movement Fix a Crisis in U.S. Science Education? Miles O'Brien reports from a gathering in California on a growing movement that embraces the art of making cool things and a quirky do-it-yourself spirit. Supporters see "making" as one way to overcome a crisis in American science and math education.

	June 22, 2011 Students in 'Dropout Factory' Schools Explore Why Kids Quit Nationally, about 70 percent of U.S. students graduate on time with a regular diploma, according to data compiled by Education Week. For Hispanic and African American students, the proportion drops to about 50 percent.

	June 20, 2011 N.Y. Teacher Takes Students on a Virtual Trip to Learn Realities of Refugee Life A high school teacher in New York City decided to set aside the usual curriculum and take her students on a virtual five week journey to the Middle East to learn about the millions who have fled the war in Iraq and became refugees. Special correspondent John Tulenko of Learning Matters reports.

	June 20, 2011 Making Sense: Not-So-Simple Solman Paul Solman answers questions from NewsHour viewers and web users on business and economic news most days on his Making Sen$e page. Monday's query considers whether Paul's audience understands what he's talking about.

	June 9, 2011 Youth Drop Out Panel: Community Support is Key to Graduation "Checking In On Dropping Out" is a collaborative project by PBS NewsHour's Student Reporting Labs and People Production House's Radio Rootz program. Many of the Radio Rootz journalists come from so-called "dropout factories" where only 60 percent of students finish in four years.

	June 8, 2011 College Professors and Conflicts of Interest? Paul Solman answers a reader's question about a supposed link between economics college professors and corruption on Wall Street.

	June 6, 2011 Grading Schools: How to Determine the 'Good' From the 'Bad'? Students get graded by test scores, but how do we best determine if a school is "good" or "bad"? Education Correspondent John Merrow examines that question.



	MAY May 27, 2011 Is a College Diploma Worth the Soaring Student Debt? As a growing number of students suffer soaring college debt, many questions are being raised about the value of higher education amid meager job prospects in a struggling economy. Jeffrey Brown gets four views on whether today's diplomas are worth the cost.

	May 27, 2011 Is College Worth It? Join in a LIVE Chat on Tuesday Are today's diplomas worth the debt? It's an old question being debated anew in these economic times.

	May 27, 2011 Students Report on Washington, D.C.'s Dropout Epidemic Radio Rootz's mission is to work with young people in communities historically excluded from the media and help them build the knowledge and tools to become the next generation of media makers and civically engaged leaders.

	May 9, 2011 'Last In, First Out' Among Teacher Layoff Policies Under Scrutiny As the end of the school year approaches, thousands of teachers across the U.S. are facing the prospect of being laid off. NewsHour special correspondent John Tulenko reports on questions over layoff policies in Hartford, Conn.



	APRIL April 25, 2011 Stanford Debates: Reinstate ROTC? Spencer Michels looks at the debate at Stanford University over bringing ROTC back to campus, decades after the Vietnam War.

	April 21, 2011 Autism Now: Demand for Educational Resources for Children Outstrips Supply For public school systems, the demand for special educational and treatment resources for children with autism often outpaces what is available. In the fourth report in his Autism Now series, Robert MacNeil looks at how two schools in the New York City area handle teaching children and teens with autism.

	April 12, 2011 Autism Lesson Plan: Do You Have a Friend Who Thinks in Pictures? This lesson plan asks students to listen to facts about autism, and then design and create tools to assist their peers and friends with autism in social settings, such as the classroom or on a field trip, using what they have learned about the disorder.

	April 11, 2011 Are California's Schools Ready for the Next Big Earthquake? The earthquake in Japan is prompting concerns about the ability of U.S. buildings to withstand a similar disaster. Special correspondent Anna Werner reports on the seismic safety risks in many California schools. Her report was jointly produced by the Center for Investigative Reporting and KQED.

	April 11, 2011 'On Shaky Ground' Shows Oversight Faults in California School Buildings A new report by California Watch found that hundreds of California's public schools do not meet the legal construction codes for earthquake safety.

	April 8, 2011 North Carolina School Engages Tech Generation With Digital Learning Tools John Tulenko of Learning Matters, which produces education stories for the NewsHour, reports on a North Carolina school district switching from textbooks to all-digital learning materials.

	April 7, 2011 NAACP Report Says Shift in Funding Toward Prisons 'Failing Us' A new report from the NAACP shows states are devoting increasingly larger portions of their budgets to prisons, while education gets smaller and smaller portions. Judy Woodruff discusses the report with NAACP President Benjamin Jealous and Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.

	April 7, 2011 Discarded Plastic Bottles Put to New Use in Schools A project to build a school using empty plastic bottles brought together a community in Guatemala. The idea now is spreading to other sites.

	April 7, 2011 John Merrow on 'The Influence of Teachers,' Education Debate Many school district superintendents -- and the mayors who appointed them -- are demanding teachers be held up to closer scrutiny and tougher accountability while facing possible replacement.

	April 7, 2011 Building a Plastic Bottle School When former Peace Corps volunteer Laura Kutner was asked to help find funding to finish constructing two classrooms in the elementary school where she worked in Guatemala, she decided to use -- or rather reuse -- a common piece of trash.

	April 5, 2011 Chicago Program Aims to Close Achievement Gap for Youngest Students Education correspondent John Merrow reports on a Chicago program that targets high-risk, low-income young children before they begin falling behind in school.



	MARCH March 14, 2011 President Obama to Push for Reforms to 'No Child Left Behind' As a presidential candidate, Mr. Obama was often critical of the implementation of No Child Left Behind and the lack of full federal funding accompanying the law, but he always placed himself in the camp that thought the law should be mended, not ended.

	March 14, 2011 Obama Pushes Overhaul of No Child Left Behind, but Testing Remains Central On at least one of the major domestic issues he campaigned on -- education -- there's general consensus that President Obama has been plowing ahead as advertised, even if both sides don't agree with him.

	March 4, 2011 In War Zones, Education Takes a Backseat to Other Needs Education is often another casualty in countries wracked by violence, a recent U.N. report found, as more immediate needs such as food and shelter take priority. But some aid groups say education should be viewed with more urgency as a means to stabilize war-torn places.



	FEBRUARY Feb. 17, 2011 Duncan Holds Labor Summit Amid Increasing Teacher Tensions Even as Education Secretary Arne Duncan opened what he called an "historic" summit in Denver this week between union leaders and education administrators, relations between those two groups have perhaps never been more strained.

	Feb. 15, 2011 Teaching Egypt: Lessons in Democracy, Culture, Technology As PBS NewsHour continues to cover the latest events in Egypt and beyond, our site for students and teachers, PBS NewsHour Extra, partnered with Independent Television Service) to pull together some unique perspectives on the situation for a live online discussion Tuesday, Feb.

	Feb. 11, 2011 Chicagoland Students See Success Hitting the Gym, Then Hitting the Books PBS's Need to Know examines a school in a Chicago suburb transforming academics by emphasizing physical education immediately before some of students' toughest classes.



	JANUARY Jan. 21, 2011 In Hypercompetitive South Korea, Pressures Mount on Young Pupils Margaret Warner reports from Seoul, where extraordinary student commitment has helped the nation's 15 year olds rank second in the world in reading and fourth in math, well ahead of their American counterparts. Many students take private lessons in addition to required coursework, but the pressure can create serious stress.