If school is not out already for your sons, they (and you) are counting down the days until summer vacation begins. As you are locking in their schedules, don't forget to make time for summer learning. As we've noted in previous posts, research indicates that children lose learning skills over the summer, and summer learning programs can not only [...]
As college admissions results roll in, here's some good news to consider: For the fourth year in a row, all of the 167 seniors in Chicago's Urban Prep Academies schools have been accepted into four year colleges or universities. The Urban Prep Academy network has expanded since GCP reported their success last year ("And Now For Some Good News [...]
Last year, GCP reported President Obama's establishment of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans ("President Obama’s Plan to Help African American Students Succeed", July 28, 2012). The President defined the mission of this Initiative as “[strengthening] the Nation by improving educational outcomes for African-Americans of all ages”. Here's an update: This month U.S. Education Secretary Arne [...]
What is your son doing in his gym class? Are he and his classmates running around, learning sports and playing games? And are they reviewing vocabulary words and math concepts as they play? Some schools in the 45 states which have adopted more rigorous English and Math standards are bringing this intensified curriculum into gym class as well. In [...]
During February and March, K-12 independent schools across the country will be notifying parents about whether their sons or daughters have landed a spot in the upcoming kindergarten class. (Good luck to parents awaiting this news.) One of the issues which frequently comes up as parents consider applying their children to an independent school kindergarten is when they should [...]
Good teaching matters, and good teachers can make the difference in how well students learn regardless of how the students performed in previous years. Parents know this instinctively, as we angle to get our children in the good teachers' classrooms from pre-school days on. Our instinct has been recently confirmed by a study funded by the Bill and Melinda [...]
The next time your son tells you he doesn't need to study because he plans to be a rap star, you can tell him that he should follow in the footsteps of some well-known rappers who managed to do both. Here are some artists who have either graduated from or attended college. Some of these names may well surprise [...]
Back for Day 2 of NBC News' Education Nation Summit 2012, the final day of this gathering of thought leaders seeking ways to solve the complex and varied issues of American education. More highlights from today's speakers and panelists: Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis talked about the importance of making sure students are coming out of school well prepared [...]
I spent most of today at NBC News' Education Nation 2012 Summit, which brought together educators, students, parents, elected officials, and industry and thought leaders for a solutions-focused conversation about the state of American education. Heard lots of thought-provoking and inspirational conversation about what is being done and what can be done to help our nation's children. Here are [...]
As you have probably heard, as many as 125 Harvard University students, including several varsity athletes, are alleged to have cheated on a take-home final exam in a Government course last semester. While the investigation is still underway, and no students have been sanctioned, some athletes who might be involved in the scandal are taking a leave of absence [...]