Education

From NPR

National Geography Bee: Test Your World Knowledge

The final round of the National Geographic Bee is Thursday; see how you do on sample questions.

Son Fulfills Dream That Racism Denied His Mother

Terry Walls is graduating from the Missouri university that rejected his mother because of her race.

Ivy League Janitor: 'I'm Still Wearing The Gown'

After 19 years as a janitor at Columbia, Gac Filipaj graduated from the school with honors.

After Devastating Tornado, Joplin High Bounces Back

President Obama will deliver this year's commencement speech at the high school.

From KQED

L.A. Unified Schools Offer Transitional Kindergarten

For kids who are too old for preschool but too young for kindergarten, there is transitional kindergarten. Educators say the extra time makes it more likely these kids will succeed socially and academically. This fall, Los Angeles Unified will offer transitional kindergarten at all of its elementary schools. It's the first district in the state to do so.

Lawsuit Would Make It Easier to Fire Teachers

Lawyers for a new non-profit focused on education filed suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court this week, challenging the constitutionality of state laws which they say protect ineffective teachers at the expense of low-income and minority children.

PBS NewsHour

Delbanco Assesses Higher Education's Full Value Amid Questions Over Rising Costs

Some people have argued that the traditional four-year college education might not be the right choice for some students. Andrew Delbanco has a new book on the topic. Jeffrey Brown spoke with him recently. Here's an extended version of their conversation.

College: 'The Best Rehearsal Spaces We Have for Democracy'

In "College: What it Was, Is, and Should Be," Columbia University professor Andrew Delbanco presents a biting defense of a traditional four-year college experience with a liberal arts education -- as opposed to a pre-professional training experience increasingly popular in a tough economy. Jeffrey Brown hosts the conversation.

Pakistani Women Counter Country's Violence With Textbooks, TV Shows

Pakistan is experiencing a surge in many types of violence, and some of the women working to counteract it place some of the blame on the country's schools.

Helping High School Youth Learn by Doing

Since 1994, YouthBuild has trained 110,000 high school dropouts around the country to put up houses for their community and think critically in the classroom while earning their GEDs or diplomas. As part of the American Graduate series, Paul Solman reports on a program designed to keep kids learning inside and outside of class.

More from NPR

Why So Many Ph.D.s Are On Food Stamps

Of the 22 million Americans with graduate degrees in 2010, about 360,000 were on public assistance.