More U.S. Teens Getting High School Diplomas

"The number of so-called 'dropout factory' high schools in the United States has declined since 2002, translating into at least 100,000 more students getting a diploma, a new report shows."

8 Ways Technology Is Improving Education

"Despite these opportunities, adoption of technology by schools is still anything but ubiquitous. Knezek says that U.S. schools are still asking if they should incorporate more technology, while other countries are asking how. But in the following eight areas, technology has shown its potential for improving education."

Who Is Best Qualified to Run a School System?

"What kind of credentials do you need to run a school district? Especially a really big one? Is a degree in education a better predictor of a superintendent's success than, say, a track record of turning around distressed companies? These are hot questions in the education world right now. . ."

Teacher Training is Panned

"A panel of education experts has called for an overhaul of U.S. teacher-preparation programs, including a greater emphasis on classroom training as well as tougher admission and graduation standards for those hoping to teach in elementary and secondary classrooms. The panel's sweeping recommendations, released Tuesday, urge teacher-training programs to operate more like medical schools, which rely heavily on clinical experience."

Blacks Suffer 'Nerd Penalty' for Good GPA

"Good grades in whites are linked to social acceptance, but in blacks and American Indians, good grades result in a 'nerd penalty,' U.S. researchers say."

Stanford Study: American Math Achievement Trails Most Industrialized Nations

"In the first-ever international comparison of advanced math skills, a team of Stanford and Munich researchers found that American students rank 31st in the world, falling behind those in most industrialized nations. Only 6 percent of U.S. eighth-graders perform at the advanced level in math, compared with 28 percent of Taiwanese students and more than 20 percent of students in Hong Kong, Finland and South Korea. The scores of American students match those of students from Lithuania, Spain and Italy."

Bedtime Texting, Emailing Affect Teens' Sleep

"Texting and emailing long after bedtime are common among children and teens, according to a new study, and could help explain why some are sleep-deprived the next day."

Future teachers Must Show, Not Just Tell, Skills

"A new licensing system is being tested in 19 states that includes filming student teachers in their classroom and evaluating the video, also candidates must show they can prepare a lesson, tailor it to different levels of students and present it effectively."