Parenting and Learning Issues

With the push by the current administration to graduate more students from community college over the next decade, institutions of higher education are focusing on ways to ensure students who enroll in college actually end up with a degree or professional certificate on the other side. As schools are examining this factor in greater detail, information is emerging that makes many college educators wonder why students who may perform well in high school flounder academically when they enter the ivied halls of higher education. A number of recent studies suggest that many high school students are ill-prepared for the academic rigors of higher education, even if their performance in high school was above average. This knowledge is leading some schools to revamp freshman programs to ensure more students stick with their academic efforts until they find success and a degree.

This video reports on how 60% of students are not ready for college-level work.

“One Year Out” Explores College Readiness

A recent study conducted by the College Board, titled, “One Year Out,” looked at college readiness, as well as a number of other factors that determine whether those that enter a community college or a university as a freshman will actually stick with their studies until graduation. According to the College Board website, the study found that many students entering college for the first time were not prepared for college-level

A debate in New Jersey brought the homework controversy to light once again. The Galloway Township school district discussed whether students should be given homework-free weekends so that children could have more time with their families and for extracurricular activities and sports. At the time, the plan needed to go before the school board for a vote before it became official. In 2011, Galloway Township adopted a policy restricting weekend homework for elementary school students, according to NBC10 Philadelphia.

In 2026, the issue continues to resurface around the country as educators discuss once again how much homework is too much and whether it is actually counterproductive to the learning process. Public School Review has also explored this question in its guide to how much homework students should expect in public school.

Why Galloway Was Talking About Homework-Free Weekends

Galloway Township considered recommendations from district officials and school board members to limit the amount of homework students received. The recommendations came through research, as well as parent-teacher surveys. According to the Huffington Post, officials making the recommendations determined that less homework would allow additional time for students to focus on extracurricular activities and spend more quality time with their families.

Many parents and school officials in the district also voiced frustration over stressed students who could not seem to find enough hours in the day to complete assignments, especially when some of the homework looked like simple “busy work” on the surface.

“We really

The heatwave that has swept much of the country this summer has become a big problem for many school districts that typically offer remedial courses and a host of activities throughout the summer vacation. With triple digits over many days in the Midwest and other areas of the country, schools without air conditioning are grappling with ways to keep kids cool inside buildings and during outdoor activities. In some cases, the heat has simply become too much, and schools have been forced to cancel many of the popular summer activities they offer. The heat is definitely on this summer, and we’ll take a look at how schools are surviving the extreme weather conditions.

This video shows how students cope with a summer heatwave.

Hottest Temperatures in Years

A recent article on Reuters reports that the triple-digit temperatures the Midwest is facing are some of the hottest in recent history. The National Weather Service, which has been busy posting extreme heat warnings for much of the country’s mid-section, has said that this will be the most significant heatwave this region has seen in five years. One senior meteorologist at the service predicted the heatwave will affect as many as 40 states across the country, although the hardest-hit areas appear to be in northern Midwest cities like Rapid City, South Dakota; Springfield, Illinois; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. In some places, heat indexes have been

Teen pregnancy is not a new issue, but schools and parents still struggle with the challenges surrounding this situation. While statistics show that teen mothers who graduate from high school now have a better shot at supporting themselves and their children, keeping them in school until graduation is often easier said than done. With some school districts across the country facing alarming statistics on the teen pregnancy front, the problem does seem to be becoming more prevalent in some areas of the nation. Combine rising pregnancy rates with budget cuts that are forcing some schools for pregnant teens to shut their doors, and the problems facing pregnant teens seem to be getting more prominent while the options are getting smaller. We will look at how some schools deal with their pregnant students today and the legal ramifications of this issue.

What the Law Says

Many pregnant teens may find attending school daily more challenging than they are willing to manage. Consider the morning sickness that makes is difficult for some girls to get to school in the morning, regular doctor visits that result in frequent absenteeism, and the fear of social stigmas, and you can see why some are hesitant to continue their education path in their current condition. However, in a legal guide titled "Public Schools and Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents" states, "The [North Carolina] state constitution guarantees a right to education and promises equal opportunities for all students in public schools," and this

Technology has become a mainstay in most of our society today, but it remains conspicuously absent in many primary and secondary classrooms across the country. To reach our tech-savvy students most effectively, we need to switch from our traditional methods of teaching and embrace technology, integrating it into our classroom and beyond. Some innovative educators are working to achieve this end by introducing technology tools that enhance their teaching and student learning. By combining personal classroom teaching with online instruction, teachers are using innovative methods to reach students who crave technology in learning. Through the innovative instruction of blended learning, some schools are working to expand course selection for students while cutting costs. We will explore the new and growing field of blended learning to ascertain how it works and discover the far-reaching benefits this classroom style might offer for students.

What is Blended Learning?

According to the Detroit Free Press, blended, hybrid, or flipped learning combines classroom interaction between teacher and students with online content and delivery systems for a robust and diverse teaching curriculum. Students conduct some of their class time with an instructor, while the rest is performed on a laptop from home. This mix of classroom and Internet instruction varies from program to program, but both elements must exist for it to be considered a true “blended learning” environment. While blended learning on the surface may look like a less personalized approach to the learning process, this system actually allows teachers