Education

Education

Political Rivals Find Common Ground Over Common Core

12:25pm January 28, 2014

by Eric Westervelt

Tea Party conservatives and some liberals agree on key criticisms as the new education standards roll out in 45 states: that they're a one-size-fits-all approach, create a de facto national curriculum, put too much emphasis on standardized tests and undermine teacher autonomy.

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This handout provided by the Santa Monica Police Department shows ammunition, magazines and guns believed to have been dropped by a suspected gunman during a mass shooting at Santa Monica College in June 2013.

Education

Violence Abroad Threatens Students, As Do Guns At U.S. Schools

12:06pm January 27, 2014

by Jacki Lyden

Suicide bombings like the one that killed two university colleagues in Kabul prompt many Americans to tell themselves they're safe from targeted violence in the U.S. We know that isn't true, says NPR's Jacki Lyden.

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Financial Benefits Of A College Degree Accumulate

8:03am January 06, 2014

by Ina Jaffe

It's been said that having more education usually leads to higher pay. A study suggests the advantage continues even into retirement years. That's in part because those with more education tend to stay in the work force longer.

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Students at the Oakland Military Institute took several courses offered by San Jose State and the online course provider Udacity this year. The university is now scaling back its relationship with Udacity.

The Online Education Revolution Drifts Off Course

7:23pm December 31, 2013

by Eric Westervelt

In 2012, "massive open online courses" were lauded as the most important trend in higher education. But this year, educators and even students rebelled against the rapid expansion of online learning. Two of the biggest MOOCs say they're making big changes in how they deliver their classes in 2014.

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School Testing Systems Should Be Examined In 2014

7:49am December 26, 2013

Our series on the future continues with a discussion about education. Morning Edition co-host Steve Inskeep talks to Linda Darling-Hammond, a former adviser to President Obama, who is dismayed to see his administration build on the high-stakes testing requirements introduced by the Bush administration.

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Decades ago, the SAT test was seen as a measure of raw ability, not as something students ought to cram for. Now, test prep is a huge industry. Linguist Geoff Nunberg wonders what exactly students learn when they're flipping through vocabulary flashcards.

Sorry Assiduous (adj.) SAT-Takers, Linguist In Dudgeon (n.) Over Vocab Flashcards

4:01pm December 23, 2013

by Geoff Nunberg

Many students prepare for the SAT by drilling themselves on esoteric, arcane and recondite words — like esoteric, arcane and recondite. Linguist Geoff Nunberg doesn't discourage these efforts, but he does have a word of caution: memorizing a definition is hardly the same as learning a new word.

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High school senior Pat Cordova-Goff would be allowed to use the girls' bathroom under a California law slated to go into effect next year. The law's critics call it the "co-ed bathroom bill."

Education

Religious Groups Challenge Calif. Transgender Law Over Privacy

12:14pm December 18, 2013

by Aaron Schrank

Opponents of a new California law that aims to accommodate transgender students say they've gathered enough signatures to try to overturn it on next year's ballot. The law allows transgender students to use the bathrooms and join the sports teams that match their gender identity.

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Education

Fla. School To Change Name Tied To Ku Klux Klan Leader

8:02am December 18, 2013

by Karen Feagins

A school board in Jacksonville, Fla., has decided that one of its schools should no longer be named after Ku Klux Klan grand wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest. He was also a general in the Civil War. Nathan Bedford Forrest High School received its name in the 1950s, and for decades the decision has been debated.

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A Panther Pride sign cheers Washington High School's undefeated football team amid debris from last week's tornado.

Rivals Help Level Playing Field For Tornado-Shattered Team

5:24pm December 16, 2013

by Amanda Vinicky

Competition and compassion meet on the field in Springfield, Ill., Saturday, when two central Illinois high school football teams face off for a spot in the state championship. One team is a perennial powerhouse, but the other is from a town that was all but destroyed by a tornado one week ago.

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Education

North Carolina Teachers Sue the State Over School Vouchers

4:27am December 12, 2013

An advocacy group representing North Carolina teachers is suing the state.

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