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Washington Post… Teens are texting and using social media instead of reading books, By Hannah Natanson - August 20 - A new study has alarming findings, but is probably not surprising to anyone who knows a teenager: High-schoolers today are texting, scrolling and using social media instead of reading books and magazines. In their free time, American adolescents are cradling their devices hours each day rather than losing themselves in print or long-form... read more
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Inside Higher Education… Turning Day-Care Workers Into Degreed Early-Ed Teachers, By Ashley A. Smith - August 15, 2018 - Large childcare provider offers free tuition for day care center workers to pursue degrees in early childhood education -- with strings attached. With a growing body of research showing the benefits of early-childhood education and increasing pressure on childcare centers to hire more educated and skilled workers, one of the largest... read more
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NPR… Colorado School District Switches To 4-Day Week To Save Money
By Vanessa Romo -- August 14, 2018 -- A Colorado school district intent on saving money has cut one of its greatest costs: teaching. District 27J, one of the state's larger districts, has dropped Mondays from the school week and switched to a four-day schedule as of Tuesday, the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year. Superintendent Chris Fiedler told NBC 9 News that the district.
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NPR… Learning To Spot Fake News: Start With A Gut Check, Anya Kamanetz
October 31, 2017 - Which of these statements seems more trustworthy to you? 1) Americans are drowning in a tsunami of ignorance! There is a conspiracy at the highest levels to replace all knowledge with propaganda and disinformation. 2) A recent Stanford University report found that more than 80 percent of middle schoolers didn't understand that the.
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How To Make A Civics Education Stick, Emily Cardinali
August 14, 2018 - How do you teach kids to be active participants in government? Or to tell the difference between real news and fake news? In their last legislative sessions, 27 states considered bills or other proposals that aim to answer these questions. Many of those proposals are rooted in popular ideas about the best ways to teach civics, including when kids should.
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Fox 8 Cleveland… School district installs security film to help stop intruders
EASTLAKE, Ohio– Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools is taking another step towards school security. The district installed 3M Safety and Security Window Film at some schools. An intruder can’t get through the nearly-invisible film even after firing several shots at the window and kicking it repeatedly. “One consistent theme we’ve seen is where doors have been locked, intruders have broken.
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EdSurge… 4 Big Shifts That Can Personalize the Learning Journey, By Sam Peterson
Jul 30, 2018 - What needs to happen to move your school or district toward an effective implementation of personalized learning? According to EdSurge Fusion conference speaker, Dr. Scott McLeod, there are Four Big Shifts that propel “deeper learning schools” along their personalized learning journey. McLeod is the co-author of Different Schools for a Different.
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The Daily Signal… Here’s How School Security Should Be Improved in 4 Easy Steps, Steven Bucci  & Peter Bucci - July 27, 2018 - Since publication of an earlier commentary on four steps to achieving better school security, many organizations have been in contact to offer excellent additional ways to reach this desired end state. Again, there is no simple solution. We cannot just ban guns, or hand them out willy-nilly, and expect our kids to be safe. America must... read more
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Experts Have Been Wrong About Lots of Things, Walter E. Williams
July 25, 2018 - Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers predicted that if Donald Trump were elected, there would be a protracted recession within 18 months. Heeding its experts, a month before the election, the Washington Post ran an editorial with the headline “A President Trump could destroy the world economy.” Steve Rattner, a Democratic.
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The Daily Signal… The Secret to a Happy Marriage, Michelle Malkin
July 26, 2018 - To commemorate my 25th wedding anniversary this week to my husband, Jesse, I asked readers on Facebook to share their own secrets to a long happy marriage. In short, the crowdsourced recipe for marital endurance includes faith, forgiveness, romance, kindness, selflessness, and a healthy dose of humor. A union built to last begins with a promise and persists.
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The Daily Signal... Tuition-Free College Bill Coming Down the Pipeline From House Democrats, Rob Shimshock - July 26, 2018 - Editor’s note: A group of House Democrats unveiled the bill July 24. House Democrats will introduce a bill to make college tuition-free by minimizing debt and simplifying financial aid procedures. The Aim Higher Act, which is expected to hit the House between July 24 and July 27, would grant states federal funding provided that... read more
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U.S. News & World Report… Rethinking Education in America, By Gabrielle Levy
July 27, 2018 - America's schools are being left behind, but it doesn’t have to be this way. ARNE DUNCAN HAS SPENT most of his life in and around education, from helping out at the after-school community center his mother founded in one the most troubled neighborhoods on Chicago's South Side, to running Chicago Public Schools as its chief.
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The Hill… We have to lay the groundwork for American workers to thrive in a changing economy, By Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) - The roadmap for a new American economy does not exist in the past, with old industries and ways of thinking – it must be created now, by us. While our economy continues to recover, many of our friends, neighbors, and family members continue to be confronted by a lack of jobs, wage stagnation, or continued layoffs. Our economy... read more
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The Daily Signal… Justice Department Weighs In to Protect Free Speech on Campus, Hans von Spakovsky & Christopher Baldacci - July 25, 2018 - In the face of Orwellian speech codes on campus—and with the help of advocacy groups like Speech First Inc.—college students have been fighting to defend their First Amendment right to free speech. Now, they can count the Justice Department as one of their strongest allies. Earlier this year, the University of Michigan passed a... read more
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The 74… Many Business Leaders Believe Education ‘on the Wrong Track’
Many Fear Poorly Performing Schools Could Harm Their Industries - Cities and towns looking to grow their economies are likely misdirecting their efforts if their priorities are not centered on education, a new national survey of business leaders suggests. In canvassing 234 local business leaders on the state of their public schools and how they could be improved, Business.
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Prevention Action Alliance… David: Meet Goliath, By Marcie Seidel
I want to start by saying, "Thank You." Thanks to thousands of people like you across the country, real steps are finally being taken to curb teenagers' use of e-cigarettes, which are used regularly by 16% of high school seniors. Back in April, we at Prevention Action Alliance warned parents about the dangers of these attractive, dangerous cigarettes. Shortly after, the Food.
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Is This Supreme Court Decision The End Of Teachers Unions? Anya Kamanetz
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling Wednesday that will reverberate through America's schools for years. In Janus v. AFSCME, a 5-4 court majority overturned precedent, saying that public sector unions, like those that represent law enforcement, state employees, and, of course, teachers, can no longer collect what are known as agency fees from.
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On the Fourth of July, Honoring American Exceptionalism and an Exceptional American, Charles Krauthammer, Lee Edwards & Elizabeth Edwards Spalding - July 04, 2018 - Amid all the pomp and parades, the fireworks and other illuminations, the hot dogs and the ice cream, the home runs and the World Cup goals, let us be sure to pause on this Fourth of July holiday and say with grateful hearts and proud voices, “Happy birthday, America!” This... read more
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Toledo Blade… Distraction risk heightens teens' driving danger during '100 days', By David Patch - Aniyah Weidman wasn’t talking on a phone, much less texting or some other more dangerous form of distraction, when she crashed her car into the back of a truck on Talmadge Road near Franklin Park Mall in March. The 16-year-old’s only distraction was her passenger: her boyfriend whose birthday they had celebrated at a restaurant on... read more
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The Daily Signal… The Meaning of the Stars and Stripes
Brad Wenstrup, U.S. Representative, Ohio - “What are you doing to celebrate Flag Day?” (Ed. Note: Flag Day was June 14) - It’s a question you probably won’t hear in the checkout line at the grocery store or around the dinner table with friends this week. That’s because, unlike other hallmark holidays of summertime—Memorial Day, Fourth of.
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The Importance of Dads in an Increasingly Fatherless America, Virginia Allen
June 14, 2018 - There is a growing split taking place among American fathers today. On the one hand, more and more children are growing up without a dad in their lives. But on the other hand, fathers who are involved in their kids’ lives have actually become even more active. The Pew Research Center reports that fathers who live in the same home.
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ODE Extra Credit… Libraries Help Fight the Summer Slide, By Angie Jacobsen
School may be out for summer, but learning is always in season at your local library. Ohio's public libraries serve a critical function in summer learning, in many cases, acting as the only safety net against the “summer slide” — the documented decrease in reading proficiency of students who do not read during summer vacation. The stakes.
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NPR Ed… Why Children Aren't Behaving, And What You Can Do About It, by Cory Turner
June 2, 2018 -- Childhood — and parenting — have radically changed in the past few decades, to the point where far more children today struggle to manage their behavior. That's the argument Katherine Reynolds Lewis makes in her new parenting book, The Good News About Bad Behavior. "We face a crisis of self-regulation," Lewis writes. And by "we," she.
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Guns Haven’t Changed in America. People Have. Walter E. Williams
June 06, 2018 - Having enjoyed my 82nd birthday, I am part of a group of about 50 million Americans who are 65 years of age or older. Those who are 90 or older were in school during the 1930s. My age cohort was in school during the 1940s. Baby boomers approaching their 70s were in school during the 1950s and early ’60s. Try this question to any one.
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NPR Ed… Let's Stop Talking About The '30 Million Word Gap', Anya Kamanetz
June 1, 2018 - Did you know that kids growing up in poverty hear 30 million fewer words by age 3? Chances are, if you're the type of person who reads a newspaper or listens to NPR, you've heard that statistic before. Since 1992, this finding has, with unusual power, shaped the way educators, parents and policymakers think about educating poor children. But did you.
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NPR Ed… What's Going On In Your Child's Brain When You Read Them A Story? By Anya Kamanetz -- May 24, 2018 -- "I want The Three Bears!" These days parents, caregivers and teachers have lots of options when it comes to fulfilling that request. You can read a picture book, put on a cartoon, play an audiobook, or even ask Alexa. A newly published study gives some insight into what may be happening inside young children's brains in each of those situations. And, says lead author... read more
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From NPR… High-Paying Trade Jobs Sit Empty
It’s graduation season, but not every high school grad is heading off to get a bachelor’s degree this fall. Some will train for high-paying trade jobs -- but not nearly enough, according to a new report from the Washington State Auditor. In that state, there are already more trade jobs like carpentry, electrical, plumbing, sheet-metal work and pipe-fitting.
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The Daily Signal… The Unintended Consequences of the Welfare State on the Human Spirit, Walter E. Williams - May 09, 2018 - Before the massive growth of our welfare state, private charity was the sole option for an individual or family facing insurmountable financial difficulties or other challenges. How do we know that? There is no history of Americans dying on the streets because they could not find food or basic medical assistance. Respecting the biblical commandment... read more
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The Daily Signal… The War on Wisdom, Dennis Prager
May 08, 2018 - There is more knowledge available today than ever before in history. But few would argue people are wiser than ever before. On the contrary, many of us would argue that we are living in a particularly foolish time—a period that is largely wisdom-free, especially among those with the most knowledge: the best educated. The fact that.
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Education Week… Can Education Produce More Civically Engaged Students? You Bet, Study Finds, By Stephen Sawchuk -- May 9, 2018 8:31 PM -- U.S. public schools were founded on the principle that there is a common good in acquiring the knowledge and skills to be effective citizens. But despite that belief—or perhaps because it's so ingrained in our thinking about schools—there just isn't a lot of empirical research to back it up. Now, a new study shows that students... read more
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NPR Ed… A few thoughts from some of the nation’s top teachers
For months now, we've been watching public school teachers walk off their jobs to protest poor salaries and low funding for education. These walkouts all seem to have a few things in common: Teachers are angry and they're getting lots of public support. Most Americans agree teachers should be paid more and that they have the right to strike. In many states, the.
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Everyone Needs a Close Community, but Those Are Fewer and Fewer, Sen. Mike Lee
April 25, 2018 -- According to the Department of Commerce, the United States economy grew 2.6 percent in the most recent economic quarter. This is strong economic growth. And according to the Labor Department, the unemployment rate held steady at 4.1 percent in March for the sixth month in a row. Economists consider this number to be near full employment.
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Why We Must Be Bold on Welfare Reform, Kay Coles James
March 11, 2018 - Washington is in a unique position to solve America’s welfare crisis for a very simple reason: Washington created it. The policy and programs it established a half-century ago have depleted people, obstructed their purpose, and extinguished their extraordinary possibilities. The evidence of this failure is all around us. Being black and.
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The Daily Signal…The Government Should Change How It Regulates Marijuana, By Paul J. Larkin Jr. -- April 26, 2018 -- Whether and how to regulate marijuana use has been in the news again recently. Currently, federal laws classify marijuana as a “Schedule I” (unhelpful and dangerous) drug. This means that physicians cannot prescribe marijuana for therapeutic or recreational purposes. Since 1996, however, numerous states have revised their state criminal laws to permit... read more
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Daily Signal Flashback… More Americans Should Be Like Kate Middleton, Katrina Trinko
September 08, 2014 - Kate Middleton is known for setting trends with her outfit selections. But she’s really bucking the current societal patterns with her announcement today: She and Prince William are expecting their second child. In the United States today, the average birth rate per woman is 1.9, according to The Heritage Foundation’s 2014 Index of.
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NPR Ed… Why More Than A Million Teachers Can't Use Social Security, by Cory Turner
Teachers have staged protests in recent weeks in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Colorado and Arizona. Some are fighting lawmakers who want to scale back their pensions. It's no secret that many states have badly underfunded their teacher pension plans for decades and now find themselves drowning in debt. But this pensions fight is also complicated by one little-known fact.
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The Daily Signal… Nation’s ‘Report Card’ Shows Federal Intervention Has Not Helped Students, Lindsey Burke - April 10, 2018 - When President Lyndon Johnson signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act into law in 1965, he vowed the unprecedented new federal intervention in K-12 education would “bridge the gap between helplessness and hope” for “educationally deprived children.” When President Jimmy Carter signed the Department of Education... read more
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Remembering Columbine, 19 Years Later, Kay Coles James
April 20, 2018 - It’s one of those moments that life sears into our memory. Nineteen years ago today, Americans turned on the news. And we saw it: the harrowing footage of students running out of Columbine High School. I learned later the Columbine attackers tried to prevent those students from leaving. They planted a powerful bomb in the school cafeteria.
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The Daily Signal… In 1 Graphic, Here’s What Uncle Sam Is Doing With Your Tax Money, Adam Michel and Justin Bogie - April 13, 2018 - Last month rapper Cardi B asked a slightly more profane version of the same question many Americans ask when they file their taxes. “Uncle Sam, I want to know what you’re doing with my tax money.” That’s a good question. The average American household sends more than $20,000 to Washington in tax revenue each year, and most... read more
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‘Pay Gap’ Myth Ignores Women’s Intentional Job Choices, Rachel Greszler
April 09, 2018 - Tuesday is supposedly “Equal Pay Day,” but what does that mean? Well, according to outdated, flawed, and incomplete statistics that say women make only 82 cents on the dollar, compared with men, Equal Pay Day signifies how long into the new year women have to work just to catch up to the earnings of their male counterparts from.
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She Got Pregnant at 18 and Did Something That Today, Few Teens Do, Kelsey Harkness
April 08, 2018 - Kelly Clemente found out she was pregnant when she was 18. She had just finished her first semester of college, and up until then, described herself as your typical “all-American girl.” She got good grades, was a member of a sorority, and ran on the track team. When she saw that pregnancy test, “My life is over,” she thought. “I was like, it.
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NPR Ed… College Waitlists Often Waste Would-Be Students' Time, Clare Lombardo & Elissa Nadworny - "Does being waitlisted count as half an acceptance??" "Literally got waitlisted everywhere" "Being waitlisted from your top choice is the worst feeling" "What should one do when waitlisted at their top choice school? Asking for a friend." "All these waitlisted got me feelin like Ladybird." Those are just some of the thoughts that high school seniors... read more
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NPR Ed… The Fight Over Teacher Salaries: A Look At The Numbers, By Cory Turner
The teachers strike in West Virginia may have ended last week when Gov. Jim Justice signed a law giving educators a 5 percent pay increase, but the fight in other states is just warming up. "You can make anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 more by driving 15 minutes across the state line," said Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association. "We're having trouble keeping.
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NPR Ed… Professors Are Targets In Online Culture Wars; Some Fight Back, Anya Kamanetz
There is a red light flashing in professor Albert Ponce's cubby-sized office. The light comes from an old-fashioned answering machine. Lately, he doesn't like to listen to the messages by himself. When he presses play, it's obvious why. Here are a couple of messages… Ponce teaches political science at Diablo Valley College, a community college in California's East.
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Americans Grapple With Evil Amid Decline in Religious Faith, Emilie Kao
April 01, 2018 - Blaise Pascal once described a “God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man.” But in modern-day America, few statements can raise eyebrows more swiftly than expressing faith in the transcendent. From Joy Behar mocking Vice President Mike Pence as mentally ill for believing that God guides him, to former President Barack.
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The Daily Signal… 4 Steps to Better School Security, Steven Bucci
March 27, 2018 - America has continued the heated debate as to what must be done to adequately protect our children at schools. Some (mistakenly) just say “ban guns,” or at least the ones they don’t like. Others (I am afraid equally mistakenly) say just put more guns into schools. The answer is more complex, however, and will take more effort than.
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25 of the Most Influential Women in American History, Chrissy Clark
March 28, 2018 - Women’s History Month, established in 1987, is a celebration of women’s efforts across the nation to make the world a better place for females. Before the month is out, let’s not forget our female forefathers, um, that is foremothers. These are the ladies who paved the way for women to have a place not only in the house, but the Senate.
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The Daily Signal… The Real Reason We Have Mass Shootings, By Walter E. Williams
March 21, 2018 -- One of the unavoidable tragedies of youth is the temptation to think that what is seen today has always been. Nowhere is this more noticeable than in our responses to the recent Parkland, Florida, massacre. Part of the responses to those murders are calls to raise the age to purchase a gun and to have more thorough background checks—in a word, to make gun purchases.
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The Daily Signal… 6 Reasons Gun Control Will Not Solve Mass Killings, John G. Malcolm & Amy Swearer - March 16, 2018 - In the wake of the tragic murder of 17 innocent students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, students, educators, politicians, and activists are searching for solutions to prevent future school shootings. As emotions morph from grief to anger to resolve, it is vitally important to supply... read more
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The Daily Signal… Shootings Are a Morality Problem, Not a Gun Problem, By Walter E. Williams
March 07, 2018 -- Before we discuss violence with guns, I’d like to run a couple of questions by you. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every day nearly 30 Americans die in motor vehicle crashes that involve drunk driving. What kind of restrictions should be placed on automobile ownership? Should there be federal background checks in order for people.
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The Daily Signal… The Parallels Between the Gun Debate and the Opioid Crisis, By Star Parker
March 07, 2018 -- By now, most have heard about the deadly opioid epidemic that has struck our nation. According to data compiled in a Kaiser Family Foundation report, there were 42,249 casualties in 2016 related to opioids. This is double the 21,089 reported in 2010. For a little perspective, given all the attention guns are getting these days, per the FBI, in 2015 there were 13,455 murders.
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The Daily Signal… 4 Examples of Extraordinary Presidential Leadership, John Venable
February 15, 2016 - There’s no better way of celebrating our presidents around Presidents Day than by remembering a few of their extraordinary acts of courage. Here are four examples highlighting when past presidents have displayed clear leadership: George Washington. When King George III asked what General Washington would do after he led.
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