A bevy of interesting articles in the past few days:
- The Christian Science Monitor examines proposed changes to the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). As lawmakers debate its reauthorization, they are considering whether the evaluation of schools should emphasize progress, rather than merely achieving certain goals.
- Across the pond, educators in the U.K. are also considering changing school testing to focus on progress rather than preparation for high-stakes tests at set stages, BBC News reports. The plan would also stress individual progress and provide opportunities for individual tuition to students who are falling behind.
- Even those who do make it through the rigors of higher education may fall short in their knowledge of personal finance, however, the Christian Science Monitor claims. They offer some suggestions for recent college grads on basic budgeting and saving.
- The Christian Science Monitor also reports on the growing number of mothers attending college while they still have young children. Not many colleges make provision for housing undergraduate mothers, nor for childcare, though some are now taking steps to change that.
- Gaining further education can benefit not only mothers but also their children, says the BBC News. A recent study by the Institute of Education found that mothers with higher education and family incomes reported more interactions with their children—and it is parental interactions, more than specific toys or numbers of books, that impact child development.
- Income and education don’t always guarantee good parenting, however, and the Times Online takes on middle-class parents who overemphasize toddler classes and toys at the expense of parenting attention. (See also this Atlantic Monthly article from last fall about the dubious benefits of Baby Einstein and its ilk.)
- Finally, the New York Times reminds us there are more paths to success and measures of excellence than getting into an elite college.
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