Education

Melisande Short-Colomb, 63, is a descendant of slaves sold by the Jesuits to fund Georgetown University. She's enrolled as a freshman there and plans to major in African-American studies.

Starting School At The University That Enslaved Her Ancestors

8:28am September 19, 2017

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talked to Mélisande Short-Colomb, whose family was once enslaved by Georgetown University. Now, at 63, Short-Colomb has enrolled as a freshman there.

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The search for a diverse teaching force can be costly.

How One Group Is Working To Build A More Diverse Teaching Force

6:00am September 19, 2017

by Anya Kamenetz

The Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity, a new organization, is working with minority-serving institutions to bring more color into the teaching ranks.

How to Make Every Grade More Like Kindergarten

11:23am September 18, 2017

by Anya Kamenetz

In his new book, MIT professor Mitchel Resnick lays out a vision for encouraging creative thinking, based on his research into what he calls Lifelong Kindergarten.

Since Hurricane Irma, Only Some Students Have Been Able To Return To School In Miami

5:56pm September 17, 2017

Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho discusses the challenges his district faces as 300,000 students try to return to school, many of which are now makeshift shelters or without power.

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President Trump Set To Meet With Presidents Of Historically Black Colleges And Universities

5:56pm September 17, 2017

Several of the HBCU college leaders have refused to participate, while others want to work with the White House. NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Michael Lomax, CEO of the United Negro College Fund, about the upcoming meeting.

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Small Gift, Big Impact: How A Little Cash Changed Our Readers' Lives

7:00am September 17, 2017

by Nurith Aizenman

We asked our readers: Was there ever a time when just a little no-strings cash would have made — or did make — a meaningful difference?

Barbershop: Conservative Free Speech On College Campuses

6:08pm September 16, 2017

The Washington Examiner's Sarah Westwood, radio show host Charlie Sykes, and The Root editor-in-chief Danielle Belton weigh in on the controversy surrounding ESPN anchor Jemele Hill and the series of conservative-organized free speech events at University of California, Berkeley.

A young boy steps on his sister as he moves around the tight confines of a classroom-turned-shelter at Pizzo Elementary School in Tampa, Fla.

DeVos 'Rethinks' Education; Irma Shuts Down Florida Schools

6:09am September 16, 2017

by Anya Kamenetz

From hurricanes to pension battles, there is education news from Puerto Rico to Wyoming in our weekly roundup.

Building support for ELLs at school so they can make it through

Research Shows Spanish Speakers Take Longer To Learn English. Why?

4:48pm September 15, 2017

by Avi Wolfman-Arent

A recent study emphasizes what researchers have noted for years: As children, Spanish-speaking English learners take longer to become proficient than nearly any other group. Here are theories why.

Harvard Withdraws Chelsea Manning's Fellowship After CIA Director Backlash

4:35pm September 15, 2017

by Mark Herz

Harvard's Kennedy School granted a visiting fellowship to Chelsea Manning, who was convicted of leaking classified information to WikiLeaks. CIA Director Mike Pompeo, scheduled to speak at Harvard Thursday night, canceled his appearance and sent a scathing letter condemning Harvard for embracing a "traitor." On Friday morning, Harvard withdrew Manning's fellowship.