education

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Sharpton, Gingrich Push Prez on Schools

(Newser) - Newt Gingrich and Al Sharpton ran into each other today at the White House, on purpose, to discuss education reform with President Obama, USA Today reports. Sharpton noted that they were “two who have not agreed on anything politically,” but joined in an effort to remedy a “...

Line by Line: Some Obama Budget Cuts
 Line by Line: Some 
 Obama Budget Cuts 
ANALYSIS
May 7, 2009 2:30 PM CDT

Line by Line: Some Obama Budget Cuts

(Newser) - President Obama said today proposed budget cuts are “not a criticism of” federal workers. Still, they take a toll, from defense to education. The Washington Post takes a look at what’s being trimmed:
  • Anthrax vaccine research: The administration says the goals of the program have been met, and
...

Obama Kicks Off Radical College Aid Revamp

The administration's goals are both ambitious and controversial

(Newser) - President Obama’s education proposals have taken a backseat to the economy and health care, but the changes he proposes in student lending are about to ignite a fierce lobbying battle, the Washington Post reports. Obama’s plan to move all federal funds for student lending to the Department of...

Islamic Schools Fill Pakistani Gaps—and Breed Militants

(Newser) - Pakistan’s education system is so dysfunctional that for many rural children, Islamic schools are the only option, the New York Times reports. The growth of madrasas, which teach little besides Koran memorization, is especially pronounced in places like southern Punjab, home to half of the country's at least 12,...

Chinese Flock to US Colleges
 Chinese Flock to US Colleges 
May 1, 2009 8:42 AM CDT

Chinese Flock to US Colleges

Growing middle class attracted by American system's reputation

(Newser) - The population of Chinese students in the US has soared in recent years, the Washington Post reports, driven by a US reputation for top-notch education and an expanding Chinese middle class. For years, Chinese undergrads in the US numbered about 9,000; in 2007, that figure surged to some 16,...

'No Child' Law Fails to Narrow Racial Gap

Minority students lag behind whites despite overall improvements since 2004

(Newser) - The achievement gap between white and minority students has not been changed by federal No Child Left Behind initiative, the New York Times reports. Scores from a federal test considered to be the most accurate yardstick of reading and writing proficiency show that elementary students have improved across the board...

Gum Chewing = Math Smarts: Study

(Newser) - Researchers have discovered that gum-chewing students perform better at math, the Los Angeles Times reports. A study, sponsored by the Wrigley Science Institute, showed that young scholars who chomped on gum while attending math class, doing homework, and taking tests score 3% higher on tests after 14 weeks. Teachers found...

Parents Push Toddlers Into Japan's 'Exam Hell'

Parents move back starting line for race to secure best schools

(Newser) - While most 3-year-olds romp and fingerpaint, a growing group of Japanese toddlers are working through stacks of worksheets taller than they are. Enrolled in courses called ojuken, they're studying for entrance exams to enter top-tier elementary schools. Despite Japan's declining birth rate and schools clamoring to fill seats, well-heeled parents...

Duncan to Schools: Uncle Sam Is Watching
Duncan to Schools: Uncle Sam Is Watching
OPINION
Apr 22, 2009 12:11 PM CDT

Duncan to Schools: Uncle Sam Is Watching

Education sec says they'd better spend bailout money wisely

(Newser) - States should be careful when spending their stimulus education windfall, because Uncle Sam will be watching, the US education secretary writes in the Wall Street Journal. “We will require an honest assessment of key issues like teacher quality, student performance, college readiness, and the number of charter schools,”...

Time to Stop Fighting the Civil War in History Class

Obama means 'honest' discourse on race

(Newser) - Ask a Northerner what caused the Civil War and he'll say slavery, while Southerners are likely to say states’ rights, or economic differences. That self-justifying shorthand is reflected in what's taught in schools, too. But with the election of Barack Obama, historians say new ground has been broken in the...

Men Hit With 80% of US Layoffs
 Men Hit With 80% of US Layoffs 
Apr 20, 2009 10:33 AM CDT

Men Hit With 80% of US Layoffs

The gap between male and female unemployment is the widest on record

(Newser) - Of the 5.1 million US jobs that have evaporated since the recession began, men have lost nearly 80% of them, the Financial Times reports, resulting in the widest gap between unemployment rates for men and women since recordkeeping began a half-century ago. Layoffs have nudged the male unemployment rate...

Disney Schools Bring Mickey Into Chinese Classrooms

Disney English centers teach Chinese kids new words—and new Disney characters

(Newser) - Mickey Mouse and his cohorts are moving into China’s huge English-teaching market, reports the Wall Street Journal. Disney English centers teach kids as young as 2 the basics of the language with the help of Disney character-themed lessons and “magic tokens” that can be swapped for Disney merchandise...

10 Years On, Schools Rusty on Columbine's Lessons

School security funding dries up a decade after shootings

(Newser) - A decade after the Columbine shootings, much of the extra funding for school security awarded in the wake of the massacre has dried up, the Wall Street Journal finds. Cutbacks such as scrapping the “cops in schools” program have educators worried, although some say improving bonds between adults and...

Credit Card Debt Spikes on Campus

(Newser) - College students in 2008 carried an average of $3,173 in credit card debt, a huge jump from 4 years earlier, USA Today reports. A Sallie Mae study, when conducted in 2004, revealed an average balance of just $2,169. When students “can’t get private loans, they turn...

Fight Looms Over Plan to Give Loan Funds to Students

The administration wants to cut out private lenders, setting up a showdown

(Newser) - President Obama's plans to end a subsidized student-loan program—diverting billions of dollars in profits for private lenders like Sallie Mae to scholarships for needy students—is prompting howls of protest from lenders and setting up a Congressional showdown, the New York Times reports. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that...

Oprah: Most Girls Thrive at My School

Amid second scandal, she admits mistakes but defends mission

(Newser) - As the second scandal rocks Oprah Winfrey's South African girls' school, the media mogul admits she made mistakes in setting it up but remains committed to its mission. "The majority of girls are thriving, really fulfilling the dream and vision I had," Winfrey told the African Weekly Argus,...

Playtime Teaches Kids 'Executive Function'

Emphasis on developing 'executive function' helps control behavior

(Newser) - Preschool teachers are adopting new techniques to control students’ behavior that focus on impulse control, the Wall Street Journal reports. Seeking to counter a growing trend in rowdiness among young students, progressive curricula involve structured daily playtime during which kids take an imaginary trip to a pretend destination. Each plays...

SC Gov Will Take Some, Not All, Stimulus Funds

(Newser) - South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is officially accepting federal stimulus funds, beating tonight’s deadline, the Washington Post reports. The state is expected to receive around $8 billion, though Sanford has continued to reject $700 million earmarked for law enforcement and education. Sanford had wanted to use that money to...

Stimulus Deadline Looms for Skeptical SC Gov. Sanford

As fiscal situation worsens, SC governor's stimulus refusal draws ire

(Newser) - South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has until Friday to choose between the philosophical and the fiscal as the deadline to accept $700 million in federal stimulus money approaches, the Wall Street Journal reports. Sanford wants authority over the funds, earmarked for education and public safety, and has pledged to refuse...

Sorry, Recession Won't Get You Into Harvard

Top schools see no application shortage despite economy

(Newser) - Sure, a lot of people are cash-strapped, but don’t get your hopes up that the recession will boost your shot at an Ivy League school. Harvard got a record number of applications this year—29,112, a 6% jump from last year. And pricey universities like Yale, Dartmouth, Brown,...

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