"Minnesota colleges reach out to younger students" (Minnesota Public Radio, 03/03/09)

Colleges used to wait until students were in high school before talking to them about higher education. But these days Minnesota colleges are reaching out to students in middle school and even elementary classrooms, to encourage them to prepare for college.

"Students school lawmakers on tech's value" (eSchoolNews, 03/05/09)

Students from four Georgia school districts were on Capitol Hill March 4 showing federal lawmakers how technology is being used to enhance teaching and learning in their classrooms--and why federal funding for school technology is important.

"Local teachers help inner-city students prepare for AP exams" (New Canaan News, 03/05/09)

Although separated by just a train ride, the classrooms in Baruch College in New York City are worlds away from what four New Canaan High School teachers are accustomed to. But over the next couple of months, they'll spend their Saturdays in the city helping to prepare inner-city high school seniors for upcoming Advanced Placement (AP) exams.

"Book controversy at Delphi High" (WLFI, 03/05/09)

Some Delphi High School parents are requesting three books be banned from the high school curriculum. The books are Chinese Handcuffs , by Chris Crutcher, The Bluest Eye , by Toni Morrison and In Country , by Bobbie Ann Mason. They are part of the junior class English curriculum.

"Schools flooded with substitute teacher applications" (The Virginia Pilot, 03/06/09)

School divisions throughout South Hampton Roads report that a skyrocketing number of people are signing up to be substitute teachers this school year.

In Norfolk, the number of applications has about doubled since last year, said schools spokeswoman Jennifer Francis. In Virginia Beach, there's a waiting list for new substitute orientation classes. Last year in Chesapeake, there were about 950 people in the pool; now there are around 1,400.

In good times, school divisions have typically drawn substitutes from the ranks of college students and retired teachers.

"Stimulus to Help Retool Education, Duncan Says" (Wash Post, 03/05/09)

To help struggling schools, the federal government will use stimulus funding to encourage states to expand school days, reward good teachers, fire bad ones and measure how students perform compared with peers in India and China, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said yesterday.

"Professor Takes Heat for Calling Cops on Student Who Discussed Guns in Class" (FOX News, 03/04/09)

A professor in Connecticut reported one of her students to the police after he gave a class presentation on why students and teachers should be allowed to carry concealed weapons on campus. Now, free speech activists say the professor’s actions are what really need to be investigated.