Educate

In her new book,“The Test: Why Our Schools are Obsessed with Standardized Testing–But You Don’t Have to Be,” NPR Education Blogger Anya Kamenetz examines the role testing plays in American public education.

Last week, we talked about growing dissent among adjunct college instructors who claim they’re not getting compensated fairly for the work they do. This week we’ll hear from someone who has dealt with this issue from the administration side.

What would higher education look like without adjunct professors? That’s what a grass-roots group of academics is trying to prove by holding a National Adjunct Walk-out Day on February 25.

Sometime in the next few weeks, Senate Republicans and Democrats will vote to reauthorize The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. On the podcast this week, we talk to two education advocates who differ on how and when we should test our kids.

In June 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down school desegregation plans that look at students’ race. This week on the podcast, we’re featuring our 2007 documentary, “An Imperfect Revolution: Voices from the Desegregation Era,"

We talk to a Dallas doctor who thinks HBCUs may be the best pathways for African Americans interested in careers in medicine.

The Minneapolis Public School District created an Office of Black Male Student Achievement earlier this year. One goal of the office is to help young African American men graduate from high school in greater numbers.

President Barack Obama wants to make the first two years of community college free for what he calls “responsible students” who are “willing to work for it.” It’s being called “America’s College Promise.” This week on the podcast we examine the prospect of free community college for all.

Our guest this week has a message for high school seniors and their parents who are poring over the latest college rankings lists: Put ‘em down.

Philanthropic foundations have been giving money to public education for years. But our guest this week argues that philanthropies are increasingly pushing specific educational agendas.