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Top 5 overlooked stories of 2010

Here are five 2010 developments that probably didn't get as much attention as they should have, given their potential import to America in the years ahead.

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Back to school: Are we leaving gifted students behind?

Gifted students in US public schools can be overlooked and unappreciated. Parents, looking for better options, have begun to find some.
Senator Hagan introduces bill to turn around worst schools: Can it work?

Sen. Kay Hagan (D) of North Carolina announced the School Turnaround and Rewards (STAR) Act on Thursday. She hopes it will be incorporated into a more comprehensive overhaul of No Child Left Behind.
150 years later, Civil War still a delicate subject for schools

The American Civil War is a touchy subject for educators, who must help children understand issues that continue to divide Americans 150 years after the war's outset.
How to fix America's worst schools

One school in Chicago shows the promise and pitfalls of a federal effort to turn around the nation's bottom-tier schools.
Jail time for sneaking kids into a better school: Was justice served?

The case of an Ohio woman who lied so her girls could attend a better school triggers a sharp debate about equity in public education.
Big Brother at Wyoming schools? Legislature considers filming teachers.

Wyoming lawmakers propose installing video cameras to help evaluate teachers' performance. But educators are concerned about privacy issues, among other things.
Can Obama, Congress meet minds to revamp No Child Left Behind?

A new version of No Child Left Behind may target only the bottom 5 percent of schools for intervention. For most schools, mandates based on student test scores would be rolled back.
Top 5 overlooked stories of 2010

Here are five 2010 developments that probably didn't get as much attention as they should have, given their potential import to America in the years ahead.
Report: Only 1 percent of 'bad' schools turn around

An examination of poorly performing schools underlines how hard it is to turn them around.
After Katrina, how charter schools helped recast New Orleans education

New Orleans has become a laboratory for education reform since hurricane Katrina. Charter schools, which are free to experiment, make up the majority of the city’s schools.
Race to the Top losers: Why did Louisiana and Colorado fail?

Louisiana and Colorado, two states lauded for education reform, didn't make the cut in Round 2 of the Department of Education's Race to the Top grants. Some experts were puzzled.
Uniform education standards: Momentum grows as more states sign on

About 40 states will probably have adopted the 'Common Core' education standards by spring. But critics caution that buy-in is just a start.
New public school 'core standards': Which states might not sign on?

The core standards unveiled Wednesday would establish a national bar for what students in any state should know when they graduate from high school. But some states are wary.
Race to the Top: Do California, Florida have a chance?

The Education Department has released the scores and reviewer comments from Round 1 of the Race to the Top competition. One aim is to help states improve their applications in the next round.
Race to the Top winners: How did Delaware and Tennessee succeed?

In announcing the Race to the Top winners, Education Secretary Arne Duncan noted that both states had strong buy-in from almost all districts and teachers unions.
Busing to end in Wake County, N.C. Goodbye, school diversity?

For a decade, Wake County, N.C., used busing to avoid having schools with high concentrations of students from poor families. Its school board voted this week to abandon its income-diversity goal in favor of a return to neighborhood schools.
No Child Left Behind: Obama overhaul takes flak from both parties

Education Secretary Arne Duncan took the Obama administration's plans for No Child Left Behind to Capitol Hill Wednesday. Lawmakers were pleased but also had tough questions.
Kansas City to close 26 schools. Unprecedented move in US?

Education experts say they can’t recall when so many of a district's schools have been closed. The Kansas City school district has struggled for years with declining enrollment and integration issues.
Uniform academic standards for US students: draft released

Academics and education officials have drafted a broad outline of academic standards in English and math. The standards could eventually replace the current patchwork of state standards.
Student 'proficiency': What is your state's definition?

State standards and 'proficiency' measures vary widely, according to a new study from the National Center for Education Statistics.
States weigh setting one bar for students

A 'common' standard for K-12 education is in the works.
Bush was hands-on for education, healthcare; hands-off for planet

No Child Left Behind and Medicare expansion were bold strokes. On global warming, he moved glacially.
For Obama, split looms over education reform

His pick for Education secretary, Chicago's Arne Duncan, faces a divide among Democrats.
Schools: Obama stresses more investment, McCain parental choice

A growing chorus of business and education-reform advocates are hoping the next president will create a ‘Sputnik moment’ for education.