• Half of Florida high school students fail reading test May 18, 2012
  MIAMI (Reuters) - Nearly half of Florida high school students failed the reading portion of the state's new toughened standardized test, education officials said on Friday. Results this year from the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test showed 52 percent of freshman students and 50 percent of sophomores scored at their grade levels. Students in the 10th grade must pass the exam in order to eventually graduate but can retake it if they fail. The results came days after the Florida State Board of Education voted to lower the standards needed to pass the writing part of the test, known as FCAT. ...
• Oregon bans American Indian team names, mascots for schools May 18, 2012
  PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) - The Oregon state board of education has banned public schools from using American Indian names and mascots for their athletic teams, out of a concern they disparage native American people. The move is believed to be one of the nation's most sweeping prohibitions of its kind in favor of native Americans who say their culture is stereotyped by a number of sports teams. It follows years of controversy surrounding a range of teams, from the Cleveland Indians in Major League Baseball to the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. ...
• Obama Focuses on Education in Florida, Nevada TV Ads May 18, 2012
  President Obama’s re-election campaign is courting voters in Florida and Nevada with a new, positive 30-second TV ad on higher education. The spot, which began airing Friday, features pictures of a young Obama with his mother and at school as the narrator paints a picture...
• NYC schools chief pushes buyout plan for teachers May 18, 2012
  New York City Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott is proposing to offer buyouts to hundreds of teachers who don't have permanent jobs.
• 5 Ways Teachers Can Evaluate Educational Games May 18, 2012
  Dr. David Dockterman is chief architect, learning sciences at Scholastic Education and an adjunct lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is an educational software pioneer and has designed dozens of award-winning instructional technology programs.
• The 1 Percent Solution May 18, 2012
  Seattle—Nick Hanauer toddled through his early years in a cramped Greenwich Village apartment. His mother waited tables at the Bitter End. His father worked low-level jobs on Wall Street and as an editor at a publishing house. When Nick was 5, his folks left New York to join a family pillow-making business in the Pacific Northwest. They raised their three sons in a three-bedroom house in the suburbs and sent them to public schools. After Nick, the eldest, earned a philosophy degree at the University of Washington, he went to work for his father. ...
• Kansas budget negotiators resume talks May 17, 2012
  Budget negotiators said Wednesday that proposals to increase spending on Kansas public schools and other government programs are joined at the hip to a pending compromise on tax cuts.
• NH House, Senate pass school tax credit bills May 17, 2012
  The New Hampshire's House and Senate passed similar plans Wednesday to give businesses a tax credit for donating to scholarship organizations to send students to private or public schools.
• 6 Ways to Save on Toys for Your Kids May 17, 2012
  Kids are expensive--it's a fact of life. If you're like many parents, you may just grin and bear it while forking over a hundred or more dollars for the latest, greatest toys. After all, you could argue that they're worth it. However, your money could be put to better use by saving for your kids' college education, saving for retirement, or paying off debt. But luckily for your kids, you don't have to stop feeding their toy habit completely in order to save some dough.
• ICC prosecutor OK with delay to trial of Kenyans May 17, 2012
  UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor said on Wednesday he would not oppose a delay to the start of a trial of four prominent Kenyans, including two leading presidential hopefuls, accused of fuelling post-election violence in 2007. The group, including former Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and former Higher Education Minister William Ruto, are charged with masterminding the bloodshed that killed more than 1,200 people. All have said they are innocent. ...
• Students in tornado-hit Ind. town await 'Lady A' May 17, 2012
  Tornadoes battered their school and homes, and spring break was spent cleaning up. Henryville has only begun to rebuild, but for one night, its high school students will get to put aside their worries for a private show by one of country music's biggest acts.
• Illinois Considers Allowing Miniature Horses as Services Animals May 16, 2012
  According to the Associated Press, the Illinois Senate voted 40-11 on a bill that would add miniature horses to the list of services animals that can accompany individuals with documented disabilities. If signed into law, the horses could undergo special training to accompany disabled people into public schools, stores and other locations. Here are some facts about House Bill 3826.
• ICC prosecutor OK with delay to trial of Kenyans May 16, 2012
  UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor said on Wednesday he would not oppose a delay to the start of a trial of four prominent Kenyans, including two leading presidential hopefuls, accused of fuelling post-election violence in 2007. The group, including former Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and former Higher Education Minister William Ruto, are charged with masterminding the bloodshed that killed more than 1,200 people. All have said they are innocent. ...
• Group Sues State of California to Undo Teacher Job Protection May 16, 2012
  Students Matter, a non-profit group dedicated to changing the way the Golden State hires and fires teachers, issued a press release alerting of a lawsuit it filed on behalf of eight minors who are students in California public schools. The defendants include the Los Angeles Unified School district and the Alum Rock Union School District.
• Mark Cuban Correct in Predicting Drastic Shake Up of College Education May 16, 2012
  COMMENTARY | According to US News and World Report, billionaire Mark Cuban has predicted an upcoming "destabilization" of the nation's college education system in his blog. For those considering college nonetheless, the outspoken entrepreneur, best known for his ownership of the Dallas Mavericks, provided advice on how to pick the best college deal. Cuban is critical of the high tuition rates of colleges and universities and predicts they will not change until students stop taking such loans, thereby forcing schools to make changes.
• Hawaii teachers to begin voting on rejected offer May 16, 2012
  Hawaii's teacher union members begin voting this week on a contract they rejected earlier this year, despite warnings from the state that the agreement is no longer valid.
• Mark Cuban: College Is a Business Decision May 16, 2012
  A meltdown is coming to the higher education sector, billionaire computer magnate and NBA Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban warned in a blog post on May 13. With education costs that rise each year, a hungry market of students plied with easy-to-get loans, and little incentive for colleges to make meaningful changes, the arena is ripe for a major shakeup, the entrepreneur writes.
• Activist targeting schools, backed by big bucks May 16, 2012
  (Reuters) - During her tumultuous three years at the head of the Washington D.C. public schools, Michelle Rhee set off a lot of fireworks. She's still doing it - on a national stage. Rhee has emerged as the leader of an unlikely coalition of politicians, philanthropists, financiers and entrepreneurs who believe the nation's $500 billion-a-year public education system needs a massive overhaul. She has vowed to raise $1 billion for her national advocacy group, StudentsFirst, and forever break the hold of teachers unions on education policy. ...
• Should kindergarteners be allowed to evaluate teachers? May 16, 2012
  Under a new pilot program, Georgia will give students as young as 5 years old a say in grading their teachers on their knowledge and abilities
• Activist targeting U.S. schools, backed by big bucks May 15, 2012
  (Reuters) - During her tumultuous three years at the head of the Washington D.C. public schools, Michelle Rhee set off a lot of fireworks. She's still doing it - on a national stage. Rhee has emerged as the leader of an unlikely coalition of politicians, philanthropists, financiers and entrepreneurs who believe the nation's $500 billion-a-year public education system needs a massive overhaul. She has vowed to raise $1 billion for her national advocacy group, StudentsFirst, and forever break the hold of teachers unions on education policy. ...
• Will Californians trust Jerry Brown enough to vote for his tax increase? May 15, 2012
  California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) called Monday a “day of reckoning.” In the morning, he outlined more than $8 billion in cuts to higher education, social safety-net programs, and the state court system, among other things. Massive protest rallies ensued across the state.
• Teachers dance behind students in prank video set to Whitney Houston song May 15, 2012
  Students at Abby Kelley Foster Charter School were recently asked to film video testimonials for the Worcester, Massachusetts, school. However, unbeknown to the students, their teachers were actually planning an elaborate prank. While the students offer heartfelt speeches, the teachers are secretly dancing behind them with wild abandonment. A soundtrack featuring Whitney Houston's "I Wanna [...]
• Young adults with autism lag in school, work May 15, 2012
  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Young adults with autism are less likely to go to college or hold down a job than their peers with other types of disabilities, a new U.S. study finds. Researchers found that more than one-third of young adults with an autism spectrum disorder had not gotten a job or gone into higher education since high school. And that number was much higher compared with young adults with learning disabilities or other impairments. It's estimated that about one in 88 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. ...
• Young adults with autism lag in school, work May 15, 2012
  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Young adults with autism are less likely to go to college or hold down a job than their peers with other types of disabilities, a new U.S. study finds. Researchers found that more than one-third of young adults with an autism spectrum disorder had not gotten a job or gone into higher education since high school. And that number was much higher compared with young adults with learning disabilities or other impairments. It's estimated that about one in 88 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. ...
• Colleges, health care face cuts in La. budget May 15, 2012
  A state-run psychiatric hospital in central Louisiana shuttered. A program that aids families with children who have hearing, speech and motor control problems eliminated. College campuses pushed to financial emergency. Medical training programs threatened with loss of accreditation.
• Facebook, Edutopia Collaborate on Social Media Guide May 14, 2012
  As most high school students are gearing up for summer break, many teachers and administrators are planning and prepping for the next school year. Part of their planning may include strategies to integrate technology in the classroom, through digital textbooks, gaming, and social media.
• Nurse Practitioners Seek to Raise Profile May 13, 2012
  Nurse practitioners, who add years of college education to their training as nurses, will begin a PR campaign this week aimed at getting public acceptance and understanding of their role as health providers,  The Washington Post reports.
• Romney Defends Marriage and Faith in Liberty University Speech May 12, 2012
  Mitt Romney doubled down on his position against same sex marriage, telling graduates at Liberty University Saturday that marriage between "one man and one woman" is an "enduring institution" that should be defended.Coming just days after President Obama endorsed the right of gays and lesbians to marry, the comment earned Romney a standing ovation from the crowd of more than 30,000 people—the largest crowd Romney has ever addressed as a political candidate--but it was his only mention of the hot button social issue. ...
• Romney defends marriage and faith in Liberty University speech May 12, 2012
  Mitt Romney doubled down on his position against same sex marriage, telling graduates at Liberty University Saturday that marriage between "one man and one woman" is an "enduring institution" that should be defended. Coming just days after President Obama endorsed the right of gays and lesbians to marry, the comment earned Romney a standing ovation [...]
• Colleges go to the dogs for stress busters May 12, 2012
  Just down the hall from the reference desk at Emory University's law library in a room housing antique legal texts is Stanley the golden retriever puppy, barking his head off.

• Son Fulfills Dream That Racism Denied His Mother May 18, 2012
  Friday, Terry Walls is graduating from the same university that rejected his mother because of the color of her skin. Mary Jean Price Walls hadn't spoken about her application to Missouri State University in six decades, until her son uncovered letters in university archives.
• The Politics Of Catholic Schools' Graduation Speakers May 17, 2012
  The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., is up in arms over Georgetown University's invitation to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to speak during commencement weekend. Church officials are upset about Sebelius' role in the creation of the contraception mandate in the federal health reform law. It's one of several controversies surrounding graduation speakers that have cropped up this spring.
• Ivy League Janitor: 'I'm Still Wearing The Gown' May 17, 2012
  Gac Filipaj graduated this week with honors from Columbia University. The 52-year-old Albanian refugee not only fled civil war to come to the U.S., but worked as a janitor at Columbia for nearly 20 years while taking English classes and earning his bachelor's degree. NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Filipaj about finally achieving his goal.
• After Devastating Tornado, Joplin High Bounces Back May 17, 2012
  One year after a tornado ripped through Joplin, Mo., life for the city's residents is beginning to return to normal. President Obama will deliver Joplin High School's commencement speech.
• Fla. Students Crash After State Raises Bar On Test May 16, 2012
  The Florida Board of Education has voted to temporarily lower the passing grade for its state writing test after a dramatic drop in scores on this year's exam. The state had made the test more difficult and raised the passing grade in an attempt to upgrade standards. But education officials were stunned when preliminary results showed the passing rate for 4th graders this year had plummeted from 80 percent to less than 30 percent.
• Why So Many Ph.D.s Are On Food Stamps May 15, 2012
  The number of people with graduate degrees — master's degrees and Ph.D.s — applying for food stamps or other assistance more than tripled between 2007 and 2010. One reason: Cost-cutting universities are using nontenured faculty more and paying them far less.
• Paying For College: More Tough Decisions May 15, 2012
  From your late 40s through early 60s, you're supposed to squirrel away cash to cope with health care costs in your old age. But for millions of Americans, middle age also is the time when children are seeking help with higher-education bills, and elderly parents may be needing assistance with daily care.
• Third Grade A Pivotal Time In Students' Lives May 14, 2012
  In a growing number of states a single reading test determines which third-grade students advance to fourth grade. Proponents of the rule say that kids learn to read until third grade, and then read to learn. But critics argue that holding students back does more harm than good in the long run.
• Budget Woes Could Close Philly's Problem Schools May 14, 2012
  Philadelphia's school district plans to close a quarter of its school buildings in coming years to eliminate a huge budget hole. But parents and activists don't trust the decision-makers. Many of them suspect the plan is a ruse to force charter schools and privatization on the district.
• In L.A. Pregnancy 'Hot Spot,' An On-Campus Clinic May 12, 2012
  Roosevelt High School in East Los Angeles has the only Planned Parenthood-funded family planning clinic in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The program has its opponents, but the school's chief nurse says "90 percent of the time, abstinence just isn't working for them."
• College Grads Struggle To Gain Financial Footing May 10, 2012
  A new Rutgers University survey finds just half of those who graduated from college between 2006 and 2011 are working full time. Burdened by student loan debt, and with wages depressed even for those with jobs, many say they no longer believe that education and hard work will necessarily lead to success.
• Education Is Priceless But The Pricetag Is Hefty May 10, 2012
  A study indicates just half of college graduates, from 2009 to 2011, are finding work within a year. In the meantime, most grads have student loans to replay. Tim Maurer, a financial adviser in Hunt Valley, Md., talks to David Greene about the high cost of getting a college degree.
• Fla. Court To Rule: Can A Lawyer Be Undocumented? May 9, 2012
  The Florida Board Bar of Examiners requires all applicants to have valid citizenship or immigration papers. Jose Godinez-Samperio, who has no such papers, was granted a waiver to sit for the bar exam in 2011. He passed, but now the bar says it will admit him only with approval from the state Supreme Court.
• Students To Congress: Don't Let Interest Rate Double May 8, 2012
  If lawmakers can't come to an agreement, the federal Stafford loan interest rate will jump from 3.4 to 6.8 percent on July 1, adding an average of $1,000 to the cost of a year of college. Students from across the country visited Capitol Hill on Tuesday to ask Congress to keep that from happening.
• Tornado Recovery Offers Joplin Students New Lessons May 7, 2012
  It's been nearly a year since a tornado tore through Joplin, Mo., destroying several school buildings. As the city rebuilds, some students have been attending a makeshift facility at the mall. Students, teachers and administrators reflect on a tumultuous year that has brought healing and hope.

• U.S. House passes measure to slash troops in Europe May 19, 2012
  By Allison SherryThe Denver Post
• Woman near Trinidad injured by bear in her yard today May 19, 2012
  A woman near Trinidad was injured when she came upon a bear next to her house this afternoon, according to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
  By Joey BunchThe Denver Post
• Greeley mom guilty of setting house on fire with son sleeping inside May 19, 2012
  By Sharon DunnThe Greeley Tribune
• Camper ticketed for starting Hewlett fire with alcohol-fueled stove May 19, 2012
  A Fort Collins man has been issued a citation by federal authorities, who say his cookstove sparked the Hewlett fire.
  The Denver Post
• Avon truck crash, survival of couple, described as "surreal" May 19, 2012
  Last Sunday morning was quiet in Avon as people ran their errands and headed out to enjoy the day. Then a truck fell out of the sky.
  By Nancy LofholmThe Denver Post
• Iliff annouces departure of its president, David Trickett May 18, 2012
  By The Denver Post
• Eagle County volunteer track coach charged with sex assault on 15-year-old May 18, 2012
  The Denver Post
• U.S. House passes bill reducing troop levels in Europe May 18, 2012
  A Colorado bipartisan measure to dramatically reduce troop levels in Europe passed the U.S. House of Representatives Friday morning.
  By Allison SherryThe Denver Post
• Bicyclist smashes into the side of a moving police car May 18, 2012
  A bicyclist was taken to the hospital this morning after she apparently ran a stop sign and slammed into the side of a moving Denver Police patrol car.
  By Jordan SteffenThe Denver Post
• Two students face charges after guns found at a Douglas County school May 18, 2012
  A 19-year-old student faces charges for bringing a handgun to a Douglas County school earlier this month.
  The Denver Post
• Denver cops believe gang members involved in Sudanese refugee's death May 18, 2012
  Denver police believe a group that included two juvenile gang members out on a night of car theft and troublemaking killed Sudanese refugee Jimma Reat. No arrests have been made in the case.
  By Tom McGheeThe Denver Post
• Feral cat attacks Colorado Springs councilman May 18, 2012
  By Daniel ChaconThe Gazette
• Parker water manager Frank Jaeger retires after spending questioned May 18, 2012
  PARKER, Colo.—A top player in Colorado's water wars has retired following questions over spending by his department.
  The Associated Press
• Fossils at Golden golf course get national recognition May 18, 2012
  YourHub
• Kids' high CSAP scores didn't stick after leaving Denver school May 18, 2012
  An analysis of standardized test scores from a Denver elementary school under investigation for cheating found most students' scores plummeted after they graduated from Beach Court Elementary.
  By Jeremy P. MeyerThe Denver Post
• Arc Thrift Stores honors Garnons Muth for 25 years of service May 18, 2012
  Garnons Muth has worked at Arc Thrift Stores longer than the doctor who attended his birth predicted he would live.
  By Kirk MitchellThe Denver Post
• Civil rights groups upset over 2nd-grader's MLK blackface in Colorado Springs May 18, 2012
  Civil rights groups say a costume of Dr. Martin Luther King worn by a white second-grader in Colorado Springs was inappropriate because it reinforced stereotypes of African-Americans.
  The Associated Press
• Evacuations eased for 7,300-acre Hewlett fire near Fort Collins May 18, 2012
  Residents of about 65 homes threatened by the Hewlett fire northwest of Fort Collins were allowed to return home Thursday evening, but evacuation orders remained in effect for 15 other homes.
  By Jordan SteffenThe Denver Post
• Jury says man died due to Rocky Ford nursing home's negligence; state differs May 18, 2012
  Henry Frazier left a Rocky Ford nursing home with a fist-size necrotic abscess from a bedsore — and died in hospice. A jury awarded the family $3.2 million for negligence by Pioneer Healthcare, a nursing home in a building where Frazier had once worked as a janitor.
  By Michael BoothThe Denver Post
• Active military and kin can get free annual passes to national parks May 18, 2012
  Starting Saturday, active-duty military personnel and their dependents can get a free annual pass to Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park, Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes and Black Canyon of the Gunnison, or any of the country's other national parks and refuges.
  By The Denver Post
• Thrift-store sewing table once graced Longmont's historic Hover home May 18, 2012
  Mystery solved. An antique sewing table that turned up at a Longmont Humane Society thrift store really did belong to the fabled Hover family.
  By Scott RochatLongmont Times-Call
• Lesbian couple in Parker faked anti-gay incident, investigators say May 18, 2012
  Two Parker women who said in October they were victims of hate crimes because they are lesbians are now facing charges of false reporting and criminal mischief, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.
  By Joey BunchThe Denver Post
• Colorado Springs school district shuts down lunch loans May 18, 2012
  COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—School officials in Colorado Springs have shut down their lunch loan program for the last few weeks of school and lunches are being thrown away.
  The Associated Press
• Rabid bat found in Fort Collins park May 18, 2012
  Health officials are looking for anyone who may have handled a rabid bat found in a Fort Collins Park Wednesday.
  The Denver Post
• Rep. Mike Coffman's Obama quote gives fuel to challenger Joe Miklosi May 18, 2012
  From the moment audio surfaced from a recent fundraiser of Republican Rep. Mike Coffman saying about President Barack Obama that "in his heart, he's not an American," Democrat Joe Miklosi has worked tirelessly to turn the comment to his advantage.
  By Kurtis LeeThe Denver Post
• Elbert County to charge for research behind open-records requests May 18, 2012
  Elbert County has begun charging for researching and compiling information to answer open-records requests.
  By Carlos IllescasThe Denver Post
• Feds again smack down plan to pipe water from Wyoming to Colorado May 18, 2012
  Federal authorities have rejected a Colorado entrepreneur's request for a rehearing on his project to build a Flaming Gorge pipeline and divert Colorado River Basin water from Wyoming to Colorado.
  By Bruce FinleyThe Denver Post
• Man shot after taunting teen in Denver "took it like RoboCop," witnesses say May 18, 2012
  The argument began inside a Taco Bell when one customer rolled his eyes at another. The conflict quickly escalated into a challenge to go outside — and within moments, a teenager pulled a gun from his backpack and shot a man Thursday afternoon in front of a large audience of 16th Street Mall passersby and light-rail passengers.
  By Kirk MitchellThe Denver Post
• Ex-Colorado Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis honored for legal-reform work May 18, 2012
  Former state Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis left the bench seven years ago to promote reforms she hoped would make the American legal system more fair and more efficient.
  By Jessica FenderThe Denver Post
• Colorado Mining Association appeals roadless rule to Supreme Court May 18, 2012
  The Colorado Mining Association Thursday petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the nation's rule for protecting 58.5 million acres of roadless public forests — mostly in Western states.
  By Bruce FinleyThe Denver Post

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