Education

APM Reports has a long history of covering education and reading issues in the United States, dating back to the days of American RadioWorks, which produced several hour-long audio documentaries. Since 2022, the majority of the education reporting has been related to the investigative podcast Sold a Story, hosted by Emily Hanford.

August 27, 2014

Questioning the Common Core tests

In the United States, education standards come with tests. Most students haven't been tested on the Common Core yet. But in one state where they have, the controversy is so intense that it's threatening to bring down the Common Core altogether.

August 25, 2014

What is the Common Core?

The Common Core is a big change for public schools, but most Americans know little about it. Learn what Common Core is, where it came from, and why it’s become so controversial.

August 24, 2014

Read the Common Core standards

Pick up the newspaper or check out social media and you're going to find plenty of opinions about the Common Core. Decide for yourself what you think by reading the standards themselves.

August 21, 2014

The Science of Smart

Researchers have long been searching for better ways to learn. In recent decades, experts working in cognitive science, psychology, and neuroscience have opened new windows into how the brain works, and how we can learn to learn better.

August 20, 2014

Variation is key to deeper learning

Humans obviously learn a lot of things through trial-and-error. A level of "desirable difficulty" built into a learning and exam process appears to boost the overall retention of new skills or knowledge.

August 19, 2014

Learning to love tests

If there's consensus on anything in education, it's this: Tests are awful. But maybe we've been thinking about tests all wrong. Research shows that tests can actually be powerful tools for learning -- but only if teachers use them right.

August 18, 2014

This is your brain on language

For decades psychologists cautioned against raising children bilingual. They warned parents and teachers that learning a second language as a child was bad for brain development. But recent studies have found exactly the opposite.

September 1, 2013

Second-Chance Diploma: Examining the GED

Most test-takers hope the GED will lead to a better job or more education. But critics say the GED encourages some students to drop out of school. And research shows the credential is of little value to most people who get one.

August 1, 2013

One Child at a Time: Custom Learning in the Digital Age

Learning with a personal tutor is one of the oldest and best ways to learn. Hiring a tutor for every student was never a realistic option. Now, new computer programs can customize education for each child.

September 13, 2012

Keyboard College: How Technology is Revolutionizing Higher Education

Digital technologies and the Internet are changing how many Americans go to college. From online learning to simulation programs to smart-machine mentors, the 21st-century student will be taught in fundamentally new ways.

September 6, 2012

The Rise of Phoenix: For-Profit Universities Shake Up the Academy

For-profit colleges have deep roots in American history, but until recently they were a tiny part of the higher education landscape. Now they are big players.

August 30, 2012

Grit, Luck and Money: Preparing Kids for College and Getting Them Through

More people are going to college than ever before, but a lot of them aren't finishing. Low-income students, in particular, struggle to get to graduation.

September 3, 2011

Don't Lecture Me: Rethinking the Way College Students Learn

College students spend a lot of time listening to lectures. But research shows there are better ways to learn. And experts say students need to learn better because the 21st century economy demands more well-educated workers.

September 1, 2011

Who Needs an English Major?

The most popular college major in America these days is business. Some students think it doesn't pay to study philosophy or history. But advocates of liberal arts programs say their graduates are still among the most likely to become leaders, and that a healthy democracy depends on citizens with a broad and deep education.

August 12, 2011

Some College, No Degree: Getting Adults Back to School

In an economy that increasingly demands workers with knowledge and skills, many college dropouts are being left behind.

August 12, 2010

Testing Teachers

Teachers matter. A lot. Studies show that students with the best teachers learn three times as much as students with the worst teachers. Researchers say the achievement gap between poor children and their higher-income peers could disappear if poor kids got better teachers.

June 1, 2010

The Great Textbook War

What should children learn in school? It's a question that's stirred debate for decades, and in 1974 it led to violent protests in West Virginia. Schools were hit by dynamite, buses were riddled with bullets, and coal mines were shut down. The fight was over a new set of textbooks.

November 12, 2009