21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."

"We have to be careful that those standards, particularly as they extend downward, appropriately recognize these important social, communication, and self-regulation skills that are really as critical for kids’ learning in those early and later years as whether they know the alphabet."

What Nelson is doing represents the beginning of a change in preschool education as more schools introduce science, technology, engineering, and math – the so-called STEM subjects – to students so young that many don’t even read yet.

Because everyone benefits from quality public schools–even people without school-aged children–everyone should play a role in maintaining them, a new study suggests.

As guest teachers, the experienced artists brought a new point of view for the students and expertise in their chosen fields.

"I guarantee you that if the community knew what their local school had to teach, support, and perform every day for their students, the community would become their school’s greatest supporter, not their biggest critic–helping to spur the true reform needed for schools rather than hindering it."

It’s long been known that the better off your family is, the better you tend to do in school.

In 1988, Deborah Bial was working in a New York City after-school program when she ran into a former student, Lamont. He was a smart kid, a successful student who had won a scholarship to an elite college. But it hadn’t worked out, and now he was back home in the Bronx. "I never would have dropped out of college if I had my posse with me," he told her.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan launched a $5 billion proposal Wednesday aimed at improving the teaching profession at every level. It would be modeled after the Race to the Top program.

Parenting is the toughest and most important role most adults will ever have. Yet, far too many feel ill equipped to handle the job.

Advocates say the idea is to promote a better balance in the curriculum, as well as campus offerings before and after school, especially in the era of high-stakes testing in reading and math.