Superintendents have always been politicians. Now they have to be diplomats too.

Jul 19, 2023
In a Rand survey, 80% of superintendents call their jobs stressful, largely because of the intrusion of political issues into schooling.
Heather Schwartz of the Rand Corp. suggests providing more communication tools to school leaders.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

COVID broke the habit of attending school. Now, districts are spending millions to bring kids back

Jun 27, 2023
About one in three students are chronically absent, double the number before the pandemic.
About one in three students are chronically absent, double the number before the pandemic.
Jon Cherry/Getty Images

Why are HBCUs underfunded?

Jun 22, 2023
While HBCUs provide bright futures for Black students, they aren’t as well funded as other prestige universities.
HBCUs are vital for educating Black professionals, but they remain underfunded.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Former teacher finds creative flow in new art career

Jun 20, 2023
Eve Leonard says her transition from education to entertainment has been eye-opening and satisfying.
Eve Leonard hopes to build a career as a film compositor and director. When she's engaged in a creative project, she says, "I kind of feel the gears moving and churning, and the work that I'm doing is effortless."
Courtesy Leonard

Student debt help could be a new worker perk with loan payments resuming soon

Jun 16, 2023
It’s still a relatively rare benefit: About 8% of employers in the country offer help with student loan debt.
Employers who offer some sort of benefit that helps workers with student debt see it as part of competing for talent in a tight job market.
Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Some districts are trying year-round school to alleviate learning loss

Jun 15, 2023
But having some students on a different schedule comes with challenges both societal and economic.
There’s an idea that year-round schooling prevents what educators call “summer melt:” forgetting fractions or nouns over the summer.
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

As enrollments dwindle and colleges close, towns hope developers will revive abandoned campuses

Jun 1, 2023
It isn't easy to find buyers for typical cinder-block campus buildings.
Southern Vermont College called this mansion in Bennington, Vermont home for 40 years, until it closed in 2019. Now, a real estate developer wants to turn it into a luxury resort.
Henry Epp/Marketplace

For public good, not for profit.

Public spending on preschool hasn’t gone up in two decades

May 18, 2023
A new report finds that funding has stagnated in the last two decades. Some states are trying to buck the trend.
Public funding for preschools has stagnated in the last 20 years. Some states like New Jersey are looking to change that.
Daria Nipot / Getty Images

Why a Massachusetts school district is recruiting teachers from Brazil

May 8, 2023
As a nationwide educator shortage persists, some districts are sponsoring immigrant work visas to attract and retain staff.
Teacher Juliana Santos listens to a student in a Massachusetts elementary school.
Robin Lubbock/WBUR

Another small college closes as declining enrollment and a hot job market bite

Apr 12, 2023
More than half a dozen have announced they're closing over the past year or so.
A new Alabama law limits publicly funded institutions from endorsing or mandating DEI programs.
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