Leading figures in education policy, academia, and philanthropy say nothing short of a “literacy revolution” is needed to keep students in school and ensure that they are able to learn the complex material that college and careers will demand of them.

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K-12 engineering education has the potential to improve student learning and achievement in science and mathematics, increase awareness about what engineers do and of engineering as a potential career, and boost students’ technological literacy, according to a new report from the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council.

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Texas high schools are racing to add engineering courses as state universities battle to increase the low number of students pursuing degrees in math and science disciplines, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Schools are trying to set up alliances with local university engineering programs and industry leaders to better train teachers and write course guides.

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On September 15 2009, the 2009 National Blue Ribbon Schools were announced by U. S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. 314 public and private schools will be honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., November 2-3. Two people from each school, the principal and a teacher, are invited to the ceremony.

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Now that Sen. Tom Harkin, an Iowa Democrat, has stepped into the chairmanship of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, he will have broad authority over both policy and money for education issues in the Senate. That puts him in a powerful position as Congress prepares to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Education Week reports.

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On New York State’s math exam this year, seventh graders who correctly answered just 44 percent of questions were rewarded with a passing grad, according to the New York Times.
Three years ago, the threshold for passing was 60 percent. In fact, students in every grade this year could slide by with fewer correct answers on the math test than in 2006.

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Around the country, from high school to grad school, textbooks are getting harder to find. Technology has made the library something that can fit into the palm of your hand, ABC News reports.
Cushing Academy, a private school outside Boston, is dismantling its library altogether, giving away 20,000 books.

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California has rolled out a student database known as known as CalPADS, the first component of a statewide system intended to track students, teachers and administrators year to year, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Such education systems are expensive, but experts say they are essential to learn how much of the nearly $60 billion that California spends on K-12 education makes a difference, a fact that student achievement tests only hint at.

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The Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) has adopted the theme, “Water, Water, Everywhere” for its annual TEAMS competition for high school students.

The nonprofit organization, which promotes engineering and technology careers among youth, said it was inspired by National Academy of Engineering’s “grand challenges,” one of which is providing access to clean water.

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