Hot Topics in Education

There is no denying the importance of education. The children and adults we teach today will become the leaders of tomorrow.

That is why Education-Portal.com is dedicated to reporting on the hottest topics in education. If you are interested in staying current, please check back frequently. Our news section is updated daily with statistics, study results, and information on the latest in education funding, federal policy, and much more.

Most Recent

• MRSA Outbreak Threatens U.S. Schools

  Nov 08, 2007 Each day, there are new reports of students being infected with MRSA. Schools in California, New York, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ohio, Virginia, Washington, New Jersey and nearly every other state in the nation have been forced to respond to the outbreak.

• Education Study: Parental Involvement Enriches College Experience

  Nov 06, 2007 Overprotective parents have often been accused of ruining the whole college experience. But according to a new education survey, college students today have closer contact with their parents than ever before and are more satisfied with college because of it.

• 55 Colleges Under Investigation for Unethical Student Loan Practices

  Nov 02, 2007 The Department of Education announced Wednesday that it is seeking more information regarding lending practices from 55 colleges and universities. Although the schools are not accused of doing anything 'illegal' at this time, it is obvious that most of the schools on the list engaged in questionable behavior.

• 12 Percent of U.S. High Schools Could Be Labeled a Dropout Factory

  Oct 30, 2007 According to a new study, the nickname fits the 1,700 U.S. high schools that have graduation rates under 60 percent. The highest concentration of poorly performing schools is in Southern states like Florida and South Carolina.

• Department of Education Accused of Fleecing Taxpayers

  Oct 27, 2007 Oversights at the Department of Education allowed lenders to improperly collect more than $600 million of student loan payments. In a recent interview with Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, she admitted the Department is to blame, but also admits that there are no plans to recoup the money for taxpayers.

• Public College Costs Up 6.6 Percent, Private College Costs Up 6.3 Percent

  Oct 23, 2007 The College Board reported Monday that both public college costs and private college costs are rising faster than inflation. Rising costs have also outstripped increases in financial aid, leaving students paying more than ever before.

• New Study Shows Salaries Are Not Keeping Pace With Student Debt

  Oct 19, 2007 According to a new report from Project on Student Debt, rising tuition costs are forcing students to borrow so much money that salaries can no longer keep pace.

• Maine Middle School to Provide Students With Birth Control Pills and Patches

  Oct 18, 2007 The Portland School Committee voted 10-to-2 on a proposal yesterday that will allow students at King Middle School to obtain birth control pills and patches from the school's student health center.

• Public Schools Vs. Private Schools: New Study Says There Is No Difference

  Oct 12, 2007 Many people assume that students enrolled in private schools perform better academically than do students attending public schools. The Center on Education Policy (CEP), however, disagrees. According to a new CEP study released this week, private school students and public school students perform equally on achievement tests in math, reading, science, and history.

• State Tests Dumbed Down to Create a False Impression of NCLB Success

  Oct 10, 2007 A new report reveals that the tests states use to determine reading and math proficiency under the No Child Left Behind law are giving people a false impression in regards to the success of NCLB. Many states have dumbed tests down to increase proficiency rates, and created disparities that insure at least two-thirds of American children attend schools with low expectations.

• Hugs and High Fives Banned in School

  Oct 05, 2007 Some schools ban cell phones and junk food, while others prohibit recess tag. But the latest ban sweeping the nation - a ban on hugs, high-fives, hand holding, and other forms of PDA - has students, and some parents, frustrated and angry.

• Student Loan Lenders Creating a New Credit Bubble

  Oct 04, 2007 In only one year's time, the market for private student loan-backed securities has seen an increase of 76 percent. According to a new study, the result is an enormous and dangerous credit bubble similar to the one recently seen in mortgage markets. If the bubble pops, serious damage to the economy is expected.

• Bush Speaks Out on Education

  Sep 27, 2007 Yesterday, President Bush spoke at what is being called a 'made-for-media event' to urge Congress to re-authorize the No Child Left Behind Act. The event has the media buzzing...but not in the way Bush hoped.

• NAEP Scores Mixed, NCLB Comes Under Further Scrutiny

  Sep 25, 2007 The NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) released recent reading and math results for tests that were administered through the U.S. Department of Education. Scores were mixed, giving both NCLB critics and supporters ammunition for their cause.

• Senator John Edwards Unveils Plans for Education Reform

  Sep 21, 2007 During a highly anticipated education policy speech today at the Brody Middle School in Des Moines, Iowa, Senator John Edwards announced a plan to reform primary education in the United States. The plan includes an overhaul of the No Child Left Behind Act, better pay and education for teachers, and expanded preschool education.

November 2007

• MRSA Outbreak Threatens U.S. Schools

  Nov 08, 2007 Each day, there are new reports of students being infected with MRSA. Schools in California, New York, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ohio, Virginia, Washington, New Jersey and nearly every other state in the nation have been forced to respond to the outbreak.

• View more articles from 'November 2007'...

October 2007

• 12 Percent of U.S. High Schools Could Be Labeled a Dropout Factory

  Oct 30, 2007 According to a new study, the nickname fits the 1,700 U.S. high schools that have graduation rates under 60 percent. The highest concentration of poorly performing schools is in Southern states like Florida and South Carolina.

• View more articles from 'October 2007'...

September 2007

• Grim Illiteracy Statistics Indicate Americans Have a Reading Problem

  Sep 20, 2007 Every year, at least two million adults considered to be functionally illiterate swell the ranks of Americans unable to read. If this critical problem isn't addressed soon, society will most certainly pay the price.

• Disadvantaged Students May Face New Obstacle When Applying for Financial Aid

  Sep 14, 2007 The Education Department recently announced a change to the way they will be handling the FAFSA, the required application form for student aid. Some education advocates worry the alteration will make it more difficult for disadvantaged students to apply for the aid needed to pay for college.

• Civil Rights Groups and Teachers Fight NCLB Renewal

  Sep 11, 2007 On Monday, teachers and civil rights groups banned together to express their opposition to the draft House bill to renew the federal No Child Left Behind law. According to the protestors, the newly revised bill isn't fair to children in urban and poverty stricken areas and has the potential to set back accountability for years, if not decades.

• Students Go Back to School, Student Suspensions Begin

  Sep 07, 2007 The new school year has only just begun, but a number of students across the country have already received suspensions. Although some of the punishments seem justified, others do not seem to fit the crime.

• Kennedy Report Alleges More Misconduct Between Colleges and Lenders

  Sep 05, 2007 Senator Edward Kennedy, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, released a report on Tuesday alleging inappropriate relationships and kickbacks among lenders, universities, and alumni groups. Sallie Mae, Nelnet, and Citibank are at the center of the investigation, as are schools like Georgia State University, the University of Nebraska, the University of South Carolina, and Fairfield University.

• View more articles from 'September 2007'...

August 2007

• Class of 2007 SAT Scores Reaffirm Need for Increased Accountability in High Schools

  Aug 31, 2007 The College Board released the SAT test scores for the class of 2007 this week. For the second consecutive year, there was a decline in reading and math scores. Writing scores were also down from last year. U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings says the declines reaffirm the need for 'greater accountability and increased rigor' in U.S. high schools.

• Public Education Spending Has Doubled in the Last 15 Years

  Aug 29, 2007 According to the most recent report released by the National Center for Education Statistics, the amount spent on public education has more than doubled in the last 15 years. Where is the money going?

• Kanye West to Politicians: Yo, Education Is Important

  Aug 24, 2007 In an effort to get politicians to focus on improving U.S. schools, non-partisan organization Strong America Schools has signed up rapper Kanye West as the spokesperson for their $60 million 'Ed in '08' campaign.

• Top 5 Reasons Why Public Schools Are Failing Our Children

  Aug 23, 2007 Force-feeding children a public education hasn't accomplished anything. American students can't keep up with the students in other countries, and the average U.S. fourth grader doesn't even have the most basic proficiency in common school subjects. How can the situation be fixed? By establishing what the problem is, of course. To start, here are the top 5 reasons why public schools are failing.

• High School Students Taking the Core Curriculum Are Not College Ready

  Aug 15, 2007 ACT test results for the graduating high school class of 2007 are in. On average, scores improved modestly in many areas. But according to the ACT, high school students who take only the core curriculum aren't exactly 'college ready'.

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July 2007

• The Dirty Secrets of the Privatized Student Loan Industry

  Jul 30, 2007 Thanks to the privatization of student loans, college students and their parents are at the mercy of an $85 billion industry that is all too content to make students pay dearly for a college education. The problems with the system are appalling, causing everything from campaign abuses and conflicts of interest to taxpayer theft.

• Top 5 Schools to Get a Free College Education

  Jul 27, 2007 Tuition costs are on the rise, but there are still some good deals to be had. In fact, if you attend the right school, you may be able to get a free college education! To find out where you need to go, check out this list of the top 5 schools that offer free college tuition to all students.

• The Fight Over Sex Education in Public Schools

  Jul 25, 2007 According to Mitt Romney, Barack Obama is calling for sex education in kindergarten. Obama supporters accuse Romney of misinterpreting Obama's views. What's the real scoop?

• Illiteracy: The Downfall of American Society

  Jul 24, 2007 Illiteracy is causing irreparable damage to our society. If you think that sounds like an exaggeration, you're wrong. For proof, check out these illiteracy statistics.

• SAT Scores No Longer Important to Some Colleges

  Jul 19, 2007 Students who are under severe pressure to score well on the SAT so that they can get into college might be surprised to learn that test-optional policies are becoming a growing trend. Will this make it easier for them to get into their first choice schools?

• View more articles from 'July 2007'...