Oct 26 Watch 9:07 Six years on, Arne Duncan says we're testing kids too much By PBS News Hour Standardized testing in schools has gotten out of hand, according to the Obama administration. After being supportive of testing and assessment, the White House has reversed policy and now recommends capping testing at 2 percent of class time. Gwen Ifill… Continue watching
Oct 14 Pilot program expands student aid for non-traditional education By Jennifer C. Kerr, Associated Press Thousands of students could be eligible for federal student aid as part of a new pilot program that will offer certificates and college credit for non-traditional programs. Continue reading
Oct 02 Column: Saddled with student loans? Beware of online debt relief firms By John Wasik What can be done to effectively aid the two-thirds of graduates who leave school with an average $30,000 in debt?… Continue reading
Sep 06 As school begins, many kids still waiting on Common Core results By Jennifer C. Kerr, Associated Press With new backpacks, pens and pencils and clothes, millions of children are back in school or heading there after summer vacation. Many are excited, some are anxious - and still waiting for the results of the new tests they took… Continue reading
Jul 03 How Obama reversed course on federal college ratings By Josh Lederman, Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama dearly wanted to get the government in the business of rating colleges and universities based on value and affordability, promising a new system by 2015. Now that goal is shriveling under the weight of a… Continue reading
Jul 01 Why the government let many trade schools become diploma mills By Anne Flaherty, Associated Press WASHINGTON — How did trade schools go from being mom-and-pop shops that trained mechanics and hair stylists to making billions on Wall Street? And if the industry is as predatory as the Education Department and many lawmakers suggest, why didn't… Continue reading
Apr 18 Thousands of students opt out of Common Core tests in protest By Christina A. Cassidy, Associated Press Thousands of students are opting out of new standardized tests aligned to the Common Core standards, defying the latest attempt by states to improve academic performance. Continue reading
Apr 03 Dept. of Ed names 20 schools facing financial investigation after 'severe' audit findings By Kyla Calvert Mason The Department of Education released the names of 20 colleges and career academies after audits of their finances turned up “severe findings.”… Continue reading
Dec 25 Watch 7:39 What will sink and what will survive as states test Common Core? By PBS News Hour In 2008, a set of academic standards for U.S. public schools called the Common Core was created for states to voluntarily implement. Intended to raise the bar for American students and teachers, many states that originally signed on are now… Continue watching
Nov 26 Obama administration releases plan to grade teacher prep programs By Kyla Calvert Mason Too many new teachers are under-prepared for the classroom and left figuring out how to reach students on their own. That’s the problem proposed regulations from the Department of Education mean to solve, Education Secretary Arne Duncan told reports during… Continue reading