Education News

WASHINGTON - Challenging civil rights organizations and teachers' unions that have criticized his education policies, President Barack Obama said Thursday that minority students have the most to gain from overhauling the nation's schools. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will deliver an education reform speech Thursday morning at the National Urban League's 100th Anniversary Convention in the nation's capital. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - More than 10 years have passed since she gave up her pursuit of a degree in computer science, but Yajahira Deaza still has regrets. She says she feels incomplete. Full Story »

A Q&A with Princeton sociologist Thomas Espenshade on his decade-long investigation into college admissions practices at eight elite schools Full Story »

ATLANTA - Eighteen states and the District of Columbia were named finalists Tuesday in the second round of the federal "Race to the Top" school reform grant competition, giving them a chance to receive a share of $3.4 billion. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Department of Education has selected 19 states to vie for $3.4 billion in grants aimed at improving their schools, Secretary Arne Duncan said in a speech on Tuesday. Full Story »

NEW YORK - Americans' confidence in the economy eroded further in July amid worries about a job market that has proven stubbornly stagnant. The report raised concerns about the overall economy and the back-to-school season. Full Story »

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fewer parents plan to cut their back-to-school budgets, but they will count on smartphones and social networking to find the best bargains during the second biggest shopping season of the year, according to a Deloitte survey released on Tuesday. Full Story »

President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan will deliver major speeches this week on their $4.35 billion Race to the Top school reform program, pushing back against complaints that it promotes unproven methods and ignores long-standing inequities in public education. Full Story »

Civil rights leaders are criticizing Obama administration education reforms aimed at turning around low performing schools and closing the achievement gap for minority students. Full Story »

LONDON (Reuters) - Educated people are better able to cope with the physical effects of dementia, and even one extra year of education can significantly cut the risk of developing the brain-wasting disease, scientists said on Monday. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - The D.C. Public Schools are firing 241 teachers and warning more than 700 other employees that they could be fired in the next year if their performance doesn't improve. Full Story »

The Education Department proposed much-anticipated regulations Friday that would cut off federal aid to for-profit college programs if too many of their students default on loans or don't earn enough after graduation to repay them. Full Story »

NEW YORK - Shares of for-profit education companies soared Friday after the Department of Education proposed new rules that should allow most schools in the industry to continue to receive federal loan funds. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - State and local governments have cut fewer jobs than the private sector during the recession, but public education is still facing its worst job losses in 30 years, according to a report. Full Story »

DES MOINES, Iowa - Two former employees of a U.S. Department of Education contractor in Iowa have pleaded guilty to illegally viewing President Barack Obama's student loan records. Full Story »

PHILADELPHIA - A movement is under way to make it easier for entrepreneurs to navigate the lucrative and sometimes-tricky education market and introduce new technology and products into classrooms. Full Story »

MORENO VALLEY, Calif. - Authorities identified a decomposed body Wednesday as that of a 17-year-old girl who was likely kidnapped while walking home from school last week in Southern California. Full Story »