A New Leader Helps Heal Atlanta Schools, Scarred by Scandal

"By last spring, Gov. Nathan Deal and Mayor Kasim Reed of Atlanta knew they had to find someone to clean up the mess. They asked Erroll B. Davis Jr. to become the new superintendent when Dr. Hall left at the end of June."

Crime at US Schools Dropping, Report Says

"Crimes and homicides in public schools nationwide have declined, part of a downward trend seen over the past several years. Data released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Justice show declines across a number of indicators, including thefts, violent crimes, bullying and gang activity."

Kansas City's Failed Schools Leave Students Behind

"On Jan. 1, the Missouri state school board revoked the Kansas City district's accreditation. Now parents have a difficult choice: struggle to afford parochial or private school, move, or keep their children in a system that's been labeled a failure."

Robert Glaser, Who Shaped the Science of Student Testing, Dies at 91

"Robert Glaser, a cognitive psychologist who helped define the terms of the national debate over student testing, and who pioneered ways of measuring not only how students learn but how teachers teach, died on Feb. 4 in Pittsburgh. He was 91."

Seeking Money, Texas Schools Turn to Advertisements

"Districts across Texas are selling advertisements on buses, athletic stadiums and other pieces of school property to help make up for some of the money lost through state budget cuts."

Abuse Cases Put Los Angeles Schools Under Fire

"The spate of accusations has put an intense spotlight on the way the Los Angeles Unified School District monitors its employees and responds to reports of abuse."

Study: U.S. Schools Better Than Rankings Suggest

"The idea that U.S. public schools are falling behind the rest of the world is widely accepted, but a new analysis of international data suggests that using rankings to sort global winners from losers is often misguided, exaggerating tiny differences between countries that may be producing nearly identical results."

Home-Schooling Demographics Change, Expand

"Secular organizations across the country report their numbers are growing. Though government records indicate religion is still the driving force in home schooling, members of these organizations say the face of home schooling is changing, not because of faith, but because of what parents see as shortcomings in public and private schools."

Record Decline in Spending by States, Cities, and School Districts

"States, cities and school districts trimmed spending at the end of 2011 by more than any time in a decade, a USA TODAY analysis finds."

Education Panel Head Rips No Child Left Behind Waivers

"The U.S. House Education Committee chairman accused the Obama administration of forcing its education policies on states through No Child Left Behind waivers."

10 States Freed From Some 'No Child Left Behind' Rules

"Ten states are being granted waivers to free them from parts of the No Child Left Behind law, the White House said Thursday."

Spanking Kids Can Cause Long-Term Harm: Canada Study

"Spanking children can cause long-term developmental damage and may even lower a child's IQ, according to a new Canadian analysis that seeks to shift the ethical debate over corporal punishment into the medical sphere. The study, published this week in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, reached its conclusion after examining 20 years of published research on the issue."

Are Depressed Kids Bully Magnets?

"A new study, published this week in the journal Child Development, provides some of the strongest evidence to date for a third theory: Kids who cry easily, express negative emotions, and show other signs of depression ultimately suffer socially because they are shunned by their peers and attract the attention of bullies."

Snack Bars and Junk Food Common in Schools: Study

"About half of all elementary school students can buy potato chips, ice cream or similar snacks in vending machines and at snack bars during school, suggests a new study."